Gamer Emblem Awakening
by CrossVipeR316
Summary: I've read several stories about people waking up and finding out that they received the abilities of a Gamer through mysterious means. I never expected to become one of those people. Nor did I expect to wake up in a field in Ylisse, of all places. Well, you know what they say. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Rated M for safety.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR 316 here.**

 **After reading and enjoying so many different kinds of fanfiction, I decided to try my hand on it myself. Before we begin, however, I have some important information.**

 **Copyright disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Fire Emblem franchise or the "The Gamer" manga. Nor do I own anything related to any other kind of media/story referenced or mentioned in this story. The only things I own are the plot of this story and its two OC:s. Any other element referenced or mentioned in this story belong to their respective owners.**

 **There, that should do as a proper copyright disclaimer. Without further ado, enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Obligatory tutorial level (or: Is it wrong to pick up random women on the field?)**

It quickly became clear to me that I woke up in a place that I wasn't supposed to be in. How, you ask? Well, the first clue was that I know for a fact that the mattress on my bed is nowhere near as hard as what I felt on my back when I regained consciousness. The second clue was that I saw grass. Really high grass. My room has no grass in it. The third clue was that I could see the sky above. My room has a ceiling. Conclusion? Wherever in the world I was, it was clearly NOT my room. Sitting up, I had a look around me. I was in a field. A giant freakin' field in the middle of who knows where. Okay. Slow, deep breaths. I was in an unfamiliar place, with no civilization in sight and I had no idea how I ended up here in the first place. What was I supposed to do? Step 1: minor panic attack. Step 2: pull myself together. Step 3: check myself to make sure I was in good health.

Well, my limbs were working at least. No wooziness, no fever, no feeling as if my stomach wanted to turn itself inside out either. Good, at least I was physically fine. Huh. A closer look on my body showed that I wasn't wearing any of the clothes that I went to sleep with. Instead, they looked more… medieval? 16th century? Eh, close enough. A beige long sleeved shirt with the sleeves slightly rolled up. Red pants held up by a rope for a belt, and a pair of brown leather boots on my feet. The weird thing about my outfit was that it fit me perfectly – despite me wearing it for the first time. And thank goodness for the warm weather, 'cause I had no cloak!

"So, I'm in a place I don't know, with clothes I never remember owning and I'm absolutely clueless about what's going on. Now what?"

As if answering my spoken question (which was pretty silly since I seemed to be completely on my own here), a blue rectangle with text popped up right in front of my face.

* * *

 **Quest alert  
Main quest: Where am I?**  
 _You wake up in the middle of a field with nothing but the clothes on your body and more questions than you're comfortable with. How did you get here? Where did those clothes come from? Does the toast really hit the floor butter side down every time? Better find out where you are and what's going on.  
_ **Objective:** _Find out about your situation._ **  
Rewards:** _Not being clueless, ?, ?, ?, 1 000 EXP, 1000 gold_  
 **Failure:** _You remain clueless and fade away in the annals of history as nothing more than a foot note, if even that._

* * *

Waaait a minute. I recognized this text box! Something like this happened in those fanfics that I had grown fond of. You know, those where the main character wakes up and finds out he/she somehow gained the gamer abilities from the… Gamer… manga…

No way. There was no way! I had the abilities of a Gamer!? Wha- How- I thought that kind of stuff was only fictional! Still, that quest alert before was a dead giveaway. But I couldn't be certain yet. I had to find out whether this was the case. And what better way than to try creating one of the most well-known Gamer abilities there was? And I did it by looking at my boots and muttering

"Observe"

* * *

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action. You gained "Observe"!**

 **Observe** , **Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 10 MP**  
 _The ability to analyze just about anything and anyone you see. The better you are with this skill, the more information you can gather from an observation. A master can glean myriads of info with just a single glance._

 **New item observed! Discovered leather boots!**

 **Leather boots, Clothing, Very common**  
 _Simple boots made of leather. Worn by most common folk due to being fairly affordable. Not the most stylish or protective footwear, but definitely comfortable. Though I wouldn't smell their insides if I were you!_

* * *

Welp, that did it. I had officially confirmed that I had the abilities of a Gamer. A quick look around me (and rapid spamming of Observe while I was at it) showed that I was still alone on the field. Okay. Take a deep breath and-

"Oh my goodness, I'm a Gamer! I'm a freakin' Gamer! I wake up in the middle of nowhere and now my entire life is a video game where I'm the main character! Somebody slap me! If this is a dream, I better wake up right now! Holy smokes! Holy-"

"Ungh… Who´s screaming over there?"

I froze. I heard a voice (miraculously over my frantic screaming). A distinctly female one. So I wasn't alone after all. Cool. Then came the realization that she most likely heard me while I was busy freaking out. Uh, wow… this was awkward. Still, better being in company and embarrassed than having some dignity intact and zero company. So I ignored whatever awkwardness I felt and ran to where I heard the voice. That's when I saw her. Lustrous, silky hair colored the purest silver with two hair clips on the sides keeping the bangs out of her eyes. A face whose beauty could never be fully captured by any picture, be it painted or photographed. A body that was mostly covered by a thick black coat with purple accents (though my more hormonal side noted that it wasn't enough to completely hide the distinctly feminine figure underneath). Her hands wore black leather gloves, her legs – from what I could see – wore beige pants and like me, she wore brown leather boots on her feet. Back to her face. Her face! That face could only belong to one person in existence. A fictional person commonly known as Robin, the avatar from Fire Emblem Awakening.

So I'm a person turned Gamer who somehow ended up in southern Ylisse right next to the female avatar from one of the most famous Fire Emblem games in the series. That…was a lot to take in.

* * *

 **Quest alert: Where am I?  
** _Congratulations! You've learned at least the basic gist of what happened to you and discovered that you ended up in the world of Fire Emblem Awakening. Looks like you get to join Chrom and his merry band of Shepherds on their wild adventure across the world. Have fun and don't die!  
_ **Objectives cleared:** _Find out about your situation.  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
Rewards: **_Menu is now available! You got a mysterious bag! You gain 1 000 EXP! You gain 1000 gold! You recovered a lost memory!_

 **You have leveled up! You have leveled up! You have leveled up!**

* * *

I completed my first quest already. Neat. But wait, lost memory? What´s that supposed to- AAAAARGH!

* * *

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I'm late! I'm sooo late! The graduation ceremony's starting in five minutes and I'm not even at campus! Come on, this is supposed to be the crowning of my three years of hard work and studying! And I was about to miss graduation because I happened to oversleep? No! I refuse to let that happen. If my current pace won't get me to the gathering hall in time, I'll just have to increase it! I'm pushing my legs to the limit. Not sure if my bike has ever gone this fast. No matter. The last cross roads before campus is coming up and the signal shows green! I'll make it, barely! Keep going! Don't stop! Wait, why is that car crossing at red sig-_

* * *

Oh, my aching head! What was that? Wait, I think I remember. Before I woke up in this field, I was a university student. I was studying… What was it again? English? No. Environmental protection? Familiar, but still no. Oh yeah, engineer! I was studying to become an engineer! Pretty strict education I got too. Everything in my studies were finally done after three years of hard work. All that was left was attending the graduation ceremony and receive my diploma. And I would've made it too if it wasn't for that traffic accident. Man, talk about tripping at the finish line. But I knew I had a choice here. I could either let the sadness over my untimely demise bring me down in depression and anchor me where I stood, or I could try to move forward in what had become my new life, starting with helping the woman lying in front of my feet.

 **BGM: Id (serene version), Fire Emblem: Awakening music**

Robin slowly opened her eyes and blearily blinked her eyesight into focus. Being so close to her, I was naturally the first one she saw. I reached out my hand and offered to help her up.

"Hey, you okay down there? The ground's not exactly a good place to sleep on. Trust me, I know." I said in a somewhat concerned voice. Robin blinked a few more times before grabbing my hand. A little effort on my part, and she was back up on her feet. Hm… she was about as tall as I was, which would be around 167 cm (or roughly 5 ft 6 inches if you're using the English units of measurements).

"Thank you" she said with a smile. "I really appreciate it, um…"

I could practically read the question on her face. Should I tell her my name? Hmm, nah. Maybe something else. New life, new name.

"My name is Jack. You?" I asked back.

"My name is… Robin. And oddly enough, that´s the only thing I can remember." Robin replied.

"The only thing?" I asked. Of course, I knew all about her amnesia. I've played through the game after all. Still wouldn't hurt to show at least some concern though. Naga knows I'd be in a pickle if I lost my memory. "That… sounds awfully troubling."

"Tell me about it." Robin sighed. "Here I am, waking up in the middle of a field right next to a stranger with no memory of my past. What do I even do in this situation?"

That's when I decided to do the gentlemanly thing; help a lady in need, no matter the situation. "Well, we could always travel together, at least until we reach the next village or town. Whatever comes after that, you can figure out when we get there." I offered.

"Really?" Hope seemed to rise in Robin´s eyes. "I mean, we just met, and you'd help a complete stranger just like that?"

"Wouldn't you?" I immediately fired back. "Heck, I'm about as lost as you here, except I still have my memories."

"Huh?"

"I've never traveled these lands before. The only travel plan I have at the moment is finding the nearest dirt road and hope that a village or town lies at the end of it." I said while looking around for said dirt road. "Might as well have you along, since you could use some help. Besides, traveling is always more enjoyable with company."

Robin smiled when hearing that.

"Thank you. I hope I can return the favor someday. So, which way are we going?"

Well, Robin, you might return that favor sooner than you think. But she raised a good question. Where _were_ we supposed to go? I just met Robin in the middle of the field right at the beginning of Awakening. Normally it's Chrom and Lissa who pick her up and take her to the town where the first real battle begins. With no Ylissean royalty in sight, it fell on me to get Robin to that town, preferably before Chrom and co decided to leave and camp in the forest.

* * *

 **Quest alert  
Main quest: The verge of history**  
 _Now that you and Robin are fast friends, you´re ready to get the show on the road. Problem: Chrom's not in sight and you know how important it is that Robin joins up with him and demonstrates her awesome skills. So it's up to you to help everyone's favorite tactician meet the prince of Ylisse and join the ranks of the Shepherds. Maybe you could sign up yourself while you're at it.  
_ **Objectives:** _Escort Robin to the Southtown, ?, ?_  
 **Rewards:** _1 500 EXP, 1 500 gold_  
 **Bonus objectives:** _?, ?_  
 **Bonus rewards:** _?, ?, 500 EXP, 500 gold_  
 **Failure:** _You and Robin wander the land aimlessly, never knowing about the grand fate you two missed._

* * *

Well, looks like we had our next objective. But how was I even supposed to find Southtown? My sense of direction honestly left a lot to be desired, but I knew how to read a map. Now where could I get a map of Ylisse in the middle of nowhere? Wait, that quest alert back then told me that a menu was available. Let's see if I could access it. If I remember correctly, I could activate any skill or function with just a mental command instead of saying it.

 **BGM ends**

 _"Menu"_

And just like that, the menu popped up in front of me. Fortunately, Robin didn't seem to notice it. Or else that would result in quite a few questions that I was not comfortable with answering, or even try to answer. I went back to the menu and had a look at its contents.

* * *

 **Status**

 **Equipment**

 **Skills**

 **Inventory**

 **Quests**

 **Observe log**

 **Options**

* * *

At the bottom right of the menu, my current money count was displayed. Looks like the currency was the same as in the game: gold pieces. There were a few other options in the menu too, but they were blurred out. Maybe I could unlock them through some action?

* * *

 **Quest alert  
Side quest: Expanding possibilities**  
 _You finally checked the menu and found a lot of important functions, but some functions seem unavailable to you at the moment. There's got to be a way to unlock them.  
_ **Objective:** _Unlock all functions in the menu_  
 **Rewards:** _More stuff that you can do, 2 000 EXP, 1 000 gold_

* * *

So there were side quests too, huh? Looks like I had my work cut out for me if I wanted to get as good at this whole gaming thing as possible. Good thing there was no penalty for failing the quest though, except for those options still being unavailable. Now to look at those contents that I _could_ access in the menu.

Hold on, could I use Observe on these?

* * *

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered Status!**

 **Observe is now level 5!**

 **Status, menu screen**  
 _A screen that displays the most immediate info about your character, such as your name, level, EXP, HP, MP, status ailments and much more. You're bound to check this screen quite often, as this is where you spend stat points to increase your abilities._

* * *

Looks like I could. Cool. Now let's see what the other contents had to offer.

* * *

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered Equipment!**

 **Equipment, menu screen**  
 _Equipment is only good if you wear it. This screen allows you to check the gear you're currently wearing, what gear you have available and change your gear as you please. Just don't try putting your footwear on your head. Not only does that option not exist in this menu, it just looks plain ridiculous._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered Skills!**

 **Observe is now level 6!**

 **Skills, menu screen**  
 _Knowing what you can do and what you can't is a basic awareness that every gamer worth their skillset has. This screen displays every skill you have and all you need to know about them. Check this menu often. Forgetting about a skill that could've helped you out in a sticky situation isn't just bad in general; it´s embarrassing too._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered inventory!**

 **Inventory, menu screen**  
 _Keeping stock on your stuff can be just as important as knowing the full extent of your skillset. This screen shows what items you're currently carrying and what can be used at the moment. Just don't get greedy and carry everything you get your hands on. That gets cumbersome very quickly – unless you find a way to carry more than you should be physically capable of._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered Quests!**

 **Observe is now level 7!**

 **Quests, menu screen**  
 _You'll probably be busy between everything you want to do and everything happening around you. This screen keeps track of which quests are ongoing and which quests you've already completed. Feel free to check this screen if you ever need a refresher on what you need to do. Sure beats jotting down everything on a bucket list._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered Observe log!**

 **Observe log, menu screen**  
 _It is said that knowledge is power. However, you need to keep track of your knowledge if you even want to make use of it. That's what this screen is for. Here you can find records of everyone and everything you've observed over the course of your adventure, including a picture of any object or person on this list. Should you discover anything new about someone/something already observed, the information is automatically updated. You can even sort the records according to a variety of criteria to make it easier finding the entry you want to read. It's like having your very own database, except it's all in your head. Eat your heart out, academics!_

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered Options!**

 **Options, menu screen**  
 _If you've ever played a video game, chances are you already know the purpose of this screen. Want help keeping track of the time? Wanna see your HP and MP at all times? Do you hate having alerts getting in your face every three seconds? Maybe you're the kind of person who can't go without a mini-map? All this and more can easily be changed in this screen. A minute here could streamline your gaming experience for a long time to come._

 **You gained a new title! You gained "Self-aware observer"!**

 **"Titles" has been unlocked in the menu!**

* * *

Whoo… That was a lot of info. At least now I knew where I could configure stuff if I needed to. And I got a title just by going through the menu. Nice! Better check that "Titles" menu too. But before that, I'd better look for that mini-map in the options menu. Robin was getting impatient and we really needed to get going if we wanted to catch that Shepherd train in time. It was a good thing the menu was so easy to maneuver around. Sure enough, the mini-map popped up in the top-right corner of my field of view. A circular map with me at the center, a dot right next to me, presumably Robin, and a rough display of the surrounding terrain. All in all, a decent mini-map.

* * *

 **Do you want to display directions for your next quest objective on the mini-map?**

* * *

Yes, please. A yellow arrow popped up at the upper edge of the mini-map, signifying that Southtown lay north of our current position.

"I think I have an idea of where we're supposed to go." I told Robin.

"Finally. You sure took your time."

"Sorry. Had to get my bearings first." I scratched the back of my head in embarrassment. Kinda made me feel like an animé character. "But like I said, I think I know where we can start searching for civilization." I pointed in the direction that the arrow on my mini-map showed. "That way."

Robin raised an eyebrow at my seemingly random choice of direction, but then shrugged and went with it. It's not like she had any better idea of where to go than I did. And so, we walked. Hm, now that I had a closer look at that mini-map, its design reminded me of the mini-map from The Legend of Zelda; Breath of the Wild, right down to the shape of the guiding arrow. Hopefully there were more mechanics from that game in here. I love that game! But enough about my Zelda-fandom (which I'm sure is shared with many others). I had some more stuff to look at in the menu. Like observing the new screen.

* * *

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered Titles!**

 **Observe is now level 8!**

 **Titles, menu screen**  
 _Titles are bestowed to people who have achieved feats that range from noteworthy to godlike. Some people even receive titles due to the circumstances around their birth. Regardless of how you got the title, though, they work the same. This menu lists all titles that you currently have. Titles may not seem like much at first, but the right title at the right moment can have a tremendous impact.  
Note: Multiple titles can be equipped simultaneously (this is done in the Status menu), so long as they don't contradict each other. A title can also be lost under certain conditions. Tread carefully! Reclaiming a lost title can be much harder than when you first gained it._

* * *

Titles, huh? Sounds useful. Better check the title I just got.

* * *

 **Titles:**

 **Self-aware observer**  
 _You're the kind of person who leaves no stone unturned, always ready to pursue more knowledge. In fact, you're so meticulous in your search that you even observe the game itself! Just don't get too detached from the game. It's supposed to be immersive. Heck, this is supposed to be your life now! Live a little! Passively increases INT by 5 %. Gives EXP equal to your INT stat (base level) every time a new entry is added to your Observe log or any information is updated in an already existing entry._

 **The Gamer**  
 _The bearer of this title lives the dream of many serious gamers; being the main character in a video game instead of just playing as one. Games are meant to be fun, but in your case, things might get serious pretty fast. Good thing you've got plenty of possibilities for facing the hardships ahead. Just don't forget to live and have fun while you're at it. This IS your life now after all.  
Grants the skills Gamer's body and Gamer's mind._

* * *

So this title granted me the primary skills that every character in those Gamer fanfics that I've read received, and the other title supposedly made me more intelligent and helped me get stronger the more stuff that I discovered. Yeah, I was gonna abuse the living daylights out of this, especially Self-aware observer. Seriously, Observe was a great skill on its own, but leveling up just by observing stuff AND making that skill better in the process made for one potentially OP combo. Next up, the status screen.

* * *

 **Status**

 **Name: Jack Lvl: 4 EXP: 400 / 1000**

 **Class: Traveler (+10 % EXP when reaching new area in city/town/village or landmark)**

 **Titles:  
The Gamer (Grants Gamer´s body and Gamer´s mind)**

 **Status condition: None**

 **HP: 600 / 600  
HPR: 5, 45 (5*1,09) / minute**

 **MP: 1 018 / 1 100  
MPR: 14, 08 (11*1,28) / minute**

 **STR: 5  
VIT: 4  
DEX: 3  
INT: 36  
WIS: 28  
LCK: 4  
CHAR: 9**

 **POINTS: 30**

 **Gear:**

 **Mysterious medallion  
Common shirt  
Common trousers  
Mysterious bag  
Leather boots**

 **Items:**

 **None**

* * *

Dear me, look at that INT stat! It was at least four times as high as all other stats except for WIS which was high on its own! I'd better check this stuff. Or… wait a minute. Maybe I should spend some points first. I did say that I would abuse the living daylights out of Self-aware observer after all. An INT-stat of 50 should do for now.

* * *

 **A new skill has become available due to your high intelligence! You gained "Telekinesis"!**

 **Telekinesis, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 1 MP = 1 Newton of force**  
 _An ability only available to those with a strong mind. By using the energy known as mana, the user can manipulate anything that has substance and mass by using their mind as if it were an extension of their body. The cost of this skill depends on how much force the user exerts on an object. The higher the skill level, the more force can be exerted for the same amount of mana._

* * *

Wow. Not only would I get more EXP now for every new observation, I also gained a new skill. A pretty versatile one too. I could use a place for practicing this skill. Until then, I equipped the Self-aware observer title and started observing my status screen.

* * *

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered Name! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Name, character aspect**  
 _Your name. Not much to be said about it, other than what others will call you._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered Lvl (level)! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Observe is now level 9!**

 **Lvl (level), character aspect**  
 _Your current level. A person's level indicates how experienced they are. They're usually stronger too. Don't let this fool you, though. Some characters with a low level have been known to possess immense amounts of power, allowing them to defeat opponents with significantly more experience than them.  
Every time your level increases, your maximum HP increases by 100, your maximum MP increases by 50 and you gain 10 POINTS._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered EXP (experience)! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **EXP (experience), character aspect**  
 _The amount of experience that you've accumulated during your current level, as well as the amount of experience needed to reach the next level. The higher your level, the more EXP you need in order to gain another level._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered Class! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Observe is now level 10! The cost of Observe goes down by 1 MP per use!**

 **Class, character aspect**  
 _Your current class. Each class comes with its own strengths and weaknesses. Or only provides a few strengths at the trade-off of not having any distinct weaknesses._

 **New class observed! Discovered Traveler! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Traveler, class**  
 _A stranger traversing through unfamiliar lands. With no clear goal in sight, they try to keep their options open and commitments few.  
Gains 10 % more EXP when reaching a new area within a city/town/village or a new landmark._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered Status condition! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Status condition, character aspect**  
 _Displays any condition your body is in that affects your performance in battle. These conditions can range from buffs that temporarily  
increase your movement speed to debuffs that make you slowly lose HP due to a bleeding wound. Always be aware of your status condition._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered HP (health points)! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Observe is now level 11!**

 **HP (health points), character aspect**  
 _Displays how much health you have left. If your HP hits 0, you die, no ifs or buts. Always make it a top priority to keep your HP at a good level._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered HPR (health point regeneration)! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **HPR (health point regeneration), character aspect**  
 _One of the most fascinating aspects of the body is its ability to heal on its own, provided it has enough nutrients and gets plenty of rest.  
Automatically restores your HP without having to use healing spells or items, though at a much slower rate. Base rate is 1 % of maximum HP. The multiplier increases by 0.01 times the sum of you STR and VIT (base stat)._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered MP (mana points)! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **MP (mana points), character aspect**  
 _Mana is an energy that exists in every living being. Through hard work and ingenuity, man learned to harness this internal energy to suit their needs, be it in combat, magecraft or even mundane tasks. This stat displays the amount of mana you can access at the moment. Mana is necessary in order to use skills. If you run out of MP, you cannot use skills until they've recovered._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered MPR (mana point regeneration)! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Observe is now level 12!**

 **MPR (mana point regeneration), character aspect**  
 _Every living being has a natural source of mana inside their body. Even if they run out of mana, this internal source slowly restores the mana lost.  
Automatically restores your MP without the use of items, but at a much slower rate. Base rate is 1 % of maximum MP. The multiplier increases by 0.01 times your WIS._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered STR (strength)! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **STR (strength), character aspect**  
 _Displays your physical strength. The higher your STR, the more damage you do through physical attacks in combat. STR is also useful for everyday tasks like lifting and carrying heavy objects. Lots of muscle mass does not equate to high STR. Some muscle heads only flex for show._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered VIT (vitality)! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **You have leveled up!**

 **VIT (vitality), character aspect**  
 _Displays your life force. The higher your VIT stat, the more resilient you are against attacks.  
Every point in VIT (base stat) increases your maximum HP by 50._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered DEX (dexterity)! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Observe is now level 13!**

 **DEX (dexterity), character aspect**  
 _Dexterity covers several aspects of your physical abilities, from how well you can move your body even at high speeds, to how well you can aim with a bow. To summarize, the DEX stat displays how well you can control your body._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered INT (intelligence)! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **INT( intelligence), character aspect**  
 _One of man's greatest assets is their mind. The ability to store information and apply it to solve all manner of tasks and problems has allowed man to flourish in environments that would normally be uninhabitable. The INT stat displays your ability to memorize information as well as your ability to use that information to solve problems. It also affects the power of your magic-based skills, be they offensive, defensive or supporting.  
Every point in INT (base stat) increases your maximum MP by 25._

 **New mechanic discovered! Discovered WIS (wisdom)! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **WIS (wisdom), character aspect**  
 _While intelligence is considered a mark of how well you can solve a problem, wisdom is considered a mark of how well you can make the right choice. This stat displays how well you can discern which option has the best outcome.  
Every point in this stat increases your MPR by 1 % unit._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered LCK (luck)! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Observe is now level 14!**

 **LCK (luck), character aspect**  
 _LCK displays how often things go in your favor. This ranges from how easy it is to dodge enemy attacks or scoring a critical hit to how often an enemy drops a rare item upon defeat. A high amount of luck can bring great fortune and advantages without needing any effort, but it can also abandon you in your moment of need should you rely on it too much. It's all a matter of, well, luck._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered CHAR (charisma)! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **CHAR (charisma), character aspect**  
 _The ability to sway another person's opinion to match your own has been a hallmark of many great leaders. Whether it's negotiating a business deal or inspiring an army before a battle, having a high CHAR stat makes it easier for you to have another person agree with you and go along with what you say. You, too, can be a great leader. Just make sure you can back up your words with your actions._

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered POINTS! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **POINTS, character aspect**  
 _The easiest way to increase your stats is by spending POINTS on the respective stat. Take heed, however. Leveling up may be the simplest way of gaining more stat points, but leveling up in itself becomes harder the higher your level is. Now if only there were an alternate way too gain these points…_

* * *

Phew. Going through all those things in the status screen was really taxing. Though I didn't feel particularly tired mentally, even with all that info crammed into my brain. I think I knew why, and I could confirm it by checking my skills.

* * *

 **Skills:**

 **Gamer's body, Lvl MAX, Passive**  
 _You have the body of a video game character. Eating, training, meeting with people, everything has been translated into game mechanics for you.  
Allows the user of this skill to interact with the world as if they were playing a video game. Sleeping in a bed restores all HP and MP and removes all negative status ailments. Sleeping on a bed roll restores HP and MP by 50 % of their maximum value and removes all negative status ailments. Other sleeping arrangements restore HP and MP by 10 % of their maximum value._

 **Gamer's mind, Lvl MAX, Passive**  
 _You perceive everything in the world as if it were part of a videogame. This allows you to see things others don't see, like all the menus, alerts and whatnot.  
Gives total immunity to all negative mental status ailments. _

**Observe,** **Lvl 14 [66.7 %], Active, Cost: 9 MP**  
 _The ability to analyze just about anything and anyone you see. The better you are with this skill, the more information you can gather from a single observation. A master can glean myriads of info with just a single glance._

* * *

Just as I thought. The reason why I could take in all this info was because of Gamer´s mind. Looks like mental exhaustion counted as a negative mental status ailment.

"Jack, look!"

 **You have arrived at Southtown! You gain 220 EXP!**

We got there already? Huh. Looks like going through all those parts of my status screen distracted me long enough for us to reach the town.

Never mind that though, the town was on fire! Looks like the bandits had already started pillaging. Since no one could be seen trying to put out those fires, it was safe to assume that Chrom and co were still fighting those bandits (or worse, they hadn't even arrived).

"Looks like trouble. Come on, Robin!" I called before running towards the burning town.

"Wait! You can´t just run in there without a plan!" Robin shouted behind me before following suit. Maybe I should've listened to her, 'cause next thing I knew, an alert popped up in my face.

* * *

 **A new skill has been unlocked due to certain circumstances. You gained "Detect bloodlust".**

 **Detect bloodlust, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive**  
 _Not everything in the world greets you with good intentions. This skill allows you to detect when someone approaches you with a genuine desire to harm or even kill you.  
Range: 3 meters._

 **Bloodlust detected!**

* * *

That alert probably saved my life, as I barely managed to dodge a sword thrust towards my chest by throwing myself to the side.

"Tch! Missed that one. Lucky feller, ain't ya?"

A quick Observe informed me about all I needed to know about my assailant as I stood back up.

* * *

 **New enemy observed! Discovered Bandit! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Observe is now Lvl 15!**

 **Bandit Lvl 4 Class: Mercenary  
** _A lawless thug who resorts to violence and pillaging for a living. While not much of a threat against a trained soldier, untrained civilians would do best to keep their distance, lest they get assaulted with no way of defending themselves._

 **HP: 400 / 400  
MP: 50 / 50**

 **STR: 6  
VIT: 6  
DEX: 5  
INT: 4  
WIS: 2  
LUCK: 3  
CHAR: 0**

 **Items:**

 **Bronze Sword (Equipped)**

 **New class observed! Mercenary discovered! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Mercenary, class**  
 _Combat professional for hire. This unit makes combat and open warfare a livelihood but can get paid for doing all manner of odd jobs. As a result, mercenaries are typically well-rounded physically and skilled in many areas.  
Passively increases STR, VIT and DEX by 3 %. Increases attack power and attack speed by 5 % when attacking with a sword. Magic spells of any element do 10 % less damage. Damage taken from magic spells of any element increases by 5 %._

 **New weapon observed! Bronze Sword discovered! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Bronze Sword, Sword, Base damage: 20, Very common**  
 _A weapon favored among town militia and travelers who prefer to travel armed. Cheap, durable and easy to wield, it's the ideal weapon to pick up for anyone who wants to learn how to wield a sword. But don't expect to deal any devastating blows with it unless you're an accomplished sword wielder or just ridiculously strong._

* * *

So… my first enemy and he already looked ready to tear me to shreds. I saw Robin run towards me with a Bronze Sword of her own already drawn, but she quickly dodged to the side as another bandit tried to get the jump on her. S-it! Looks like I was on my own here. I may have superior intellect compared to this mook, but I knew fighting against him unarmed would be a terrible idea. So I employed the secret Joestar strategy for whenever facing a superior foe; Run for your life!

"Hey, get back here!" I heard the bandit shout behind me. I ran as fast as I could, trying to dodge left and right in the hopes of shaking him. But, man, that bandit was persistent in chasing me! I eventually lost him by dodging into an alleyway and immediately hiding behind some crates and barrels. I forced my breathing to a calm level so I wouldn't give away my position. I could hear the bandit slowly stalking the alleyway on the other side of my hiding spot.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are~." he said in a sing-song voice. Just great. I just managed to escort Robin to Southtown, and now I was separated from her with a bloodthirsty bandit hot on my trail, not even knowing if Chrom and the others had found the Tactician. I had to make an escape fast and find her, but how was I supposed to get past that mook? The guy was patrolling the whole freakin' alleyway now!

Hm… A closer look at my hiding spot indicated that I had hidden myself among the supplies of a merchant's stall. I might find something useful here. Checking that I was still out of the bandit's line of sight, I started to carefully look in an open crate.

* * *

 **You got a Frying pan!**

 **New weapon observed! Discovered Frying pan! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Frying pan, Blunt weapon, Base damage: 10, Very Common**  
 _A tool often found in homes for cooking. It might deal a good wallop if swung with enough force, or it could even be used as a shield. It's made of cast iron, after all._

* * *

Not what I was hoping for, but beggars can't be choosers. And hey, if Flynn Rider could do it, so could I. Now all I needed to do was get past that bandit. Facing him head on would be a bad idea, so a sneak attack might work better. Fortunately for me, he made a return trip down the alleyway, right past where I was hiding. Steady… Slow, quiet breaths… I carefully peeked from behind the barrels as his footsteps passed me. His back was exposed. I tensed and lunged with the Frying pan held over my head. Eat cast iron, chump!

*Wham!*

* * *

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action. You gained "Stealth"!**

 **Stealth** , **Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive**  
 _The art of staying undetected is a vital skill for any thief or assassin. After all, if no one knows you're there, they can't prepare any defense in time.  
Passively reduces an enemy's range of detection by 3 %. Reduces the likelihood of an enemy spotting you by 3 % when sneaking or hiding. Performing a successful sneak attack guarantees a critical hit. Additionally, any damage dealt increases by 100 % and ignores all defenses._

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action. You gained "Blunt weapon mastery"!**

 **Blunt weapon mastery** , **Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive**  
 _Weapons don't need to be sharp and pointy to be dangerous. Wielding a blunt, weighty weapon can reduce even the toughest fighters to mush with a heavy enough blow.  
Increases attack speed and attack power by 5 % when attacking with a blunt weapon such as a hammer or any object with a dull impact surface._

 **Sneak attack successful! Critical hit! You deal 90 damage! Bandit has been knocked unconscious.**

 **Bandit Lvl 4 HP: 310 / 400**

* * *

I managed to land a clean blow to the back of the bandit's head. He immediately went down face first, dropping his sword in the process. That gave me an idea. I quickly picked up the bronze sword, stood over the unconscious bandit and held up the sword, tip down. Taking aim, I plunged the blade straight into the back of his neck.

* * *

 **Fatal blow dealt! You killed Bandit! You gain 160 EXP! You gain 120 gold!**

 **You got a Bronze Sword!**

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action. You gained "Sword mastery"!**

 **Sword mastery** , **Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive**  
 _The sword is quite possibly the most well-known weapon in history, often being depicted as the weapon of choice by hero and villain alike or even as a symbol of power. While swords generally deal less damage than other weapons, they make up for it by being easier to wield.  
Increases attack speed and attack power by 5 % when attacking with a sword or dagger of any kind._

* * *

That… was not pretty. Blood went everywhere when I stabbed the bandit in the neck. At least he was unconscious when it happened. That's when it hit me that I just took a life for the first time. Sure, I had killed my fair share of enemies and engaged in plenty of violence in the video games I had played in my previous life, but there was always a sense of detachment when it happened. This time, a man had been killed by my own hand directly. I had heard that killing a living creature was often a difficult and even traumatic experience for many people, yet I felt as calm as if the dead bandit at my feet was just another enemy I had "killed" while playing a game. But I had precious little time to think about it. That bandit was far from the only one raiding this town, and I still hadn't found any signs of Robin since we got separated. Sure, I was convinced that she could handle herself in a straight up fight, but she was only one person, and bandits didn't exactly fight fair. After wiping the Bronze Sword clean of the blood using the bandit´s clothes, I set of with my new weapon in hand in search for a Shepherd. I didn't make it far though, as I heard a woman scream. I immediately turned right to a street and saw the woman backed up against a wall with a frightened look on her face. In front of her was another bandit, this one wielding an axe, slowly stalking towards her.

* * *

 **Bandit Lv 5 HP: 550 / 550**

 **New class observed! Discovered Barbarian! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Observe is now level 16!**

 **Barbarian, Class**  
 _Big and burly, these units emphasize brute force and resilience over finesse and defense. Their swings come with a lot of power, but they also tend to leave themselves open after the swing.  
Passively increases HP and STR by 10 %. Increases attack power by 5 % when attacking with an axe or a blunt weapon. Magic spells of any element do 10 % less damage. All physical damage taken increases by 5 %. Damage taken from magic spells of any element increases by 10 %._

 **New weapon observed! Discovered Bronze Axe! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Bronze Axe, Axe, Base damage: 30, Very Common  
** _An axe that was made by attaching a sharpened piece of bronze to a wooden shaft. While common folk usually use it for cutting wood, the simple yet effective design makes it the weapon of choice among many bandits since they're also easy to wield. Not the strongest weapon around, but it gets the job done._

* * *

"Hey now, missy, don't go all screamin' on me now, ya hear? Jus' come along quietly an' me and me pals might give ya a good time and even let'cha live afterwards."

Angry couldn't even begin to describe how I felt at that moment. It was bad enough that these bandits were pillaging a town and hurting innocents in the process, and now this piece of filth was trying to force a defenseless woman into choosing between getting murdered or raped – with a strong possibility that they would murder her afterwards anyway! No man worth his manhood does that! And yes, I was referring to _that_ manhood. I had to stop him fast. Hopefully I stood a better chance now that I had a proper weapon in hand.

"Hey, you!" I shouted from the other side of the street.

The bandit turned around and locked eyes with me. Surprise quickly turned into a sneer when he got a better look at me.

"An' what do we have here? Some boy tryin' to play the hero? Think you'd save the damsel in distress an' ride of with her to some happily ever after? Well, not today, kid! Yer gonna die, and then the lassie's next!"

* * *

 **Bloodlust detected!**

 **Detect bloodlust is now level 2!**

* * *

Well, it was do or die now. We carefully circled each other on the wide street, trying to find an opening to attack. The bandit gave up pretty quickly though and charged me with a war cry and the axe held high. If he was going for an overhead swing, then that meant I had to dodge to the side. And just as I thought, the bandit brought his axe downward. What I didn't count on was that the axe would sink a bit into the ground. Yikes! That blow would've been bad news if it connected! Instead, the bandit struggled to pull his axe out. That gave me the perfect opportunity to aim for his arms. The bandit noticed and immediately backed off. It saved his arms but left him weaponless.

"Hey, that's dirty!" he shouted.

"Says the one threatening a defenseless lady and stealing from the innocent." I immediately fired back. "Besides, it's not my fault you have no skill using an axe."

* * *

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action. You gained "Taunt"!**

 **Taunt** , **Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 0 MP**  
 _A sharp tongue can have just as much effect as a sharp blade. Hurling insults at someone can make them angry, and angry people make rash decisions and ultimately decisive mistakes.  
Has a chance of inflicting an enemy with the "enraged" debuff. Chance of success: 1 * (your total CHAR – enemy´s total CHAR) %._

 **Taunt successful! Bandit has been inflicted with "Enraged"!**

 **Bloodlust detected!**

 **Detect bloodlust is now level 3!**

* * *

Really, Game? Well, I'll take whatever advantage I can get here. The bandit sure looked pissed when he heard that. Wonder what Observe has to say about that debuff?

* * *

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered "Enraged". You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Enraged, Status condition**  
 _Anger can be a source of power and motivation, but it can also blind us from important information and even make us act carelessly. An angry opponent is a predictable opponent. Use it to your advantage.  
A unit suffering from this debuff deals 15 % more damage, but their attacks become sloppy and predictable._

* * *

Judging by the look the bandit sent my way, I´d say it was a pretty accurate description.

"That's it, I'ma punch yer face into the ground!" he roared before rushing me with his fist cocked back and ready for a vicious haymaker. Unfortunately for him, it was easy to read and dodge. The anger seemed to build on his face as he kept swinging at me, to no avail. The more he missed, the angrier he got, which made his attacks even sloppier and easier to predict. One particularly big swing sent him off-balance, giving me the perfect opportunity to stab him in the side.

* * *

 **Critical hit! You deal 72 damage! Bandit now suffers from "Bleeding". Bandit´s movement speed is reduced by 10 %.**

 **Bandit Lv 5 HP: 478 / 550**

 **New mechanic observed! Discovered "Bleeding". You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Bleeding, Status condition**  
 _Blood is essential for life. This makes a bleeding wound a potentially serious ailment. Not only do you lose blood, it could also lead to an infection, which only makes it worse! Always treat a bleeding wound as fast and thoroughly as possible.  
A unit suffering from this debuff slowly loses HP over time, even when they are not hit by any attack. Additionally, their movement speed is reduced. The extent and duration of this debuff depends on the severity and size of the wound._

* * *

The bandit cried out in pain as he held his bleeding side. Try as he might, though, the blood still seeped between his fingers. With him so off-balance, I decided to try one of Chrom´s moves in the hope of finishing this fight quickly. While he was still bent over, I shoulder charged him to knock him onto the ground. Then I jumped and slammed my sword into his back when I landed on top of him.

* * *

 **Critical hit! You deal 180 damage!**

 **Bandit Lv 5 HP: 298 / 550**

* * *

This made the bandit roar in even more pain. Still alive, huh? Must've hit a non-vital area. Looks like I would need to polish on that move in the future. Until then, I decided to end his life the same way as the previous bandit; by stabbing him in the neck.

* * *

 **Fatal blow dealt! You killed Bandit! You gain 180 EXP! You gain 120 gold!**

* * *

Phew. That went better than expected. But I couldn't celebrate just yet. I still had things to be done. But first things first. Check on the poor lady.

"Are you alright?" I asked her.

"Y-yes." she answered shakily. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." I said with a smile. "Sorry, but I can´t stay here for long. I still need to find my friend. It's not safe out here. Find someplace to hide until the sounds of battle stop." I soon realized that I had completely missed something important in my haste to find Robin. I only needed to consult my mini-map and look for people. Hopefully she or Chrom were at the place with the highest density. A quick glance told me were to look. Destination decided, I started running. It took a while, especially since I had to dodge a few bandits running around town. I was NOT in the mood for another fight alone right now. Heck, Stealth even gained a level. Eventually I reached the spot where the mini-map showed the most dots in the area.

* * *

 **You have reached Southtown plaza! You gain 110 EXP!**

* * *

The place was in chaos! Chrom was running around slashing left and right, sending bandits flying either in one or more pieces. Frederick rode around on his armored horse and mowed down any bandits unfortunate enough to get in his way while rallying a few men armed for combat – probably the town militia. Lissa was off to the side in a secured area, healing injured people. And in the middle of it all was Robin standing on a crate, directing everyone and shooting the occasional Thunder spell at any bandit sneaking past whatever Chrom, Frederick or anyone else dished out. Chaotic as it looked, it seemed like the good guys had the battle under control thanks to Robin´s guidance. I quickly ran up to her.

"Robin!" She turned my way the moment she heard my voice.

"Jack!" The relief on her face was almost palpable. "Thank goodness you're alright. When we got separated, I got worried about you."

I soon stood right beside her. "I'm thankfully unharmed, but I had to cut down a few bandits before I could look for you. Who are the others?"

"The blue-haired one is Chrom. He found me while I was busy fighting some bandits myself." Bandits as in plural? Yikes! I had enough trouble facing down one and she held her own against multiple opponents at once. I felt outclassed.

"The knight on the horse is Frederick. He´s Chrom's second in command. The girl by the edge of the plaza is Lissa, Chrom's sister. She's a cleric, so she's in charge of healing anyone injured." And she said all that while blasting a couple of bandits with another Thunder spell. Girl's got skills! Now I felt REALLY outclassed! She then turned back to me.

"You said you cut down a few bandits before arriving here. Does that mean you can fight?" she asked.

"I did it only for my own survival and protecting someone else, but yeah, a little." I replied. Robin nodded.

"Good, then join up with Frederick and the militia in taking the bandits down. We should have this area under control soon enough."

Wow, Robin in tactician mode was awesome, especially considering she had lost her memories. Well, she was the tactician. Better go along with her plan and put a stop to the bandits. Working with the militia was easy enough as they had already gotten some momentum up thanks to Robin's leadership and Frederick's sheer power. A few minutes later, the plaza had no living bandits left. The ones alive were either running around in other parts of town or simply fled for their lives.

 **You have leveled up!**

Robin slumped down on the crate with a sigh.

"How are you holding up?" I asked. "Great work on directing us in all that chaos by the way."

"I'm fine." she said with a smile. "Just a little tired from keeping stock of everything happening around me. But I think I have this whole tactics thing down now. It almost felt…natural."

"I'll say. You looked like you've done this for years. Hidden talent of yours?"

"I'm not sure. I lost my memories, remember?"

That…was a good point. I heard footsteps approaching and looked up to see Chrom. Man, all that fighting, and he hardly looked winded. And how the heck did that cape on his back keep billowing so majestically? There was hardly any wind blowing here, for Naga's sake!

"Those strategies of yours worked out really well, Robin." he said smiling. "Honestly, I didn't think even half of them would work out." Then he looked at me. "Oh sorry, my name is Chrom."

"My name´s Jack." I answered back. "Robin told me about you and your companions during the battle. It's good to have people like you on our side, especially with the way you were fighting."

Chrom chuckled. "Yeah, I get that a lot. So, you're a friend of Robin's?"

"Well, more like a temporary companion. I'm the one who found her outside town and led her here."

"Well, it's a good thing you did. Thanks to you, Robin managed to find us and help seize the plaza from the bandits. Now driving them out should be easier." That's when Frederick walked up to us.

"Milord, I am done searching the streets with the town militia. It would seem almost all bandits that attacked the town are either dead or ran away."

"Phew, looks like it's over then." Lissa said as she followed soon after.

"Not quite, milady." Frederick corrected. "It would seem their leader has yet to give up. Some of the townspeople claim that they saw a particularly savage looking bandit head for the town cathedral."

Chrom scowled in the general direction of the cathedral, which was easily visible from the town plaza. "Then that's where we're going too. It's high time this town got free of bandits once more so the people can rebuild it in peace. Who's with me?" Chrom began walking towards the cathedral, Frederick, Lissa and Robin following him without another word. Oh, and I tagged along as well.

* * *

 **Chrom joined your party!  
** **Frederick joined your party!  
Lissa joined your party!  
Robin joined your party!**

 **"Party" has been unlocked in the menu!**

* * *

"Jack? You're coming too?" Robin asked surprised.

I nodded. "I want to finish this just as badly as the rest of you do. Besides, I'm the one who got you into this mess in the first place. It's only right that I help you out of it."

"I appreciate your concern, but we're up against a bandit, a stronger one than what we faced previously at that. Facing him down will be dangerous."

I could say the same to you, Robin, but I had to do this.

"Look, I know facing down bandits with little to no combat experience is a bad idea, but I'd say I've been doing pretty well so far. And if things get hairy, well, that's why Lissa's here, right?"

Said Cleric turned to me with a smile. "Right! Just give me some cover and I'll have you right as rain in no time. That should teach my brother who's delicate!" Then her expression became concerned. "By the way, how are you feeling?"

"Oh, I'm fine. A bit shaken after a few one-on-ones, but I'm unharmed."

"That's not what she meant, Jack." Chrom said from the front. "What she's worried about is how you feel about having taken a life."

Oh yeah, the whole "first kill" thing. I set my face in a grimace to make my next words more believable.

"Honestly, it was not a pretty sight. I took no pleasure in it if that's what you're worried about. I'd prefer not killing anyone, but if there's no other way to protect someone I care for, I think I can bear staining my hands in blood."

Both Chrom and Lissa nodded at that.

"Good. You're taking your first kill pretty well, all things considered."

"Yeah, it would be scary if we found out you turned into some serial killer because you thought killing others felt good."

Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, Lissa.

"That being said, I find it quite odd that someone, who claims to have practically no combat experience, singlehandedly managed to defeat two brigands who can kill without a second thought and come out unscathed. It's almost unheard of." Frederick said while frowning at me. Man, I forgot how difficult Frederick could be in the game until you fought your way through the first three chapters or so.

"Believe me, I'm as surprised as you." I replied. "Must've been a combination of a little talent, dumb luck and the fact that they didn't have any real training themselves. They weren't really any more skilled than some violent civilian who got their hands on a proper weapon and practiced for a day or two."

Frederick didn't seem too convinced at my explanation, but let it slide with a "Hmph."

"Don't mind him. Frederick's always wary of strangers. As long as you behave, he won't do anything to you." Lissa said with a smile.

"Alright, enough chat. Get ready, everyone." Chrom said while drawing Falchion.

* * *

 **You have reached Southtown cathedral! You gain 220 EXP!**

* * *

Just in time too. We all noticed a man with very defined muscles and a bigger axe than the ones we saw the other bandits use, sitting right at the cathedral entrance.

* * *

 **WARNING! WARNING! Boss level enemy detected!**

 **New enemy observed! Discovered Bandit leader! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Observe is now level 17!**

 **Bandit leader Lvl 7 Class: Barbarian**  
 _In the world of thugs and rouges, strength is the only law. And this particular thug is much stronger than the average pillager, making him both respected and feared among most of his peers. While he prefers letting his underlings do the dirty work for him, he's more than ready to take matters in his own hands should the situation call for it. Approach with caution._

 **HP: 1000 / 1000  
MP: 75 / 75**

 **STR: 12  
VIT: 13  
DEX: 5  
INT: 5  
WIS: 3  
LUCK: 4  
CHAR: 3**

 **Items:**

 **Steel Axe (equipped)  
Hand Axe**

 **New weapon observed! Discovered Steel axe! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Steel Axe, Axe, Base damage: 45, Rarity: Uncommon**  
 _An axe made of steel. Improved design makes this weapon more practical than the bronze or iron variants. Its increased heft also makes the blows dealt much more damaging. While quite uncommon among trained soldiers, axes are favored among bandits due to their high attack power and simplicity. Just aim and swing, right?_

 **New weapon observed! Discovered Hand axe! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Hand Axe, Axe, Base damage: 20, Rarity: Uncommon**  
 _An axe with a peculiar design that allows it to be thrown like a boomerang. This allows it to be used both in close combat and at range, though accuracy when throwing the axe tends to be quite low. The design makes forging Hand Axes more difficult and expensive than the conventional axe. As a result, these weapons are most often found among experienced axe wielders who can afford the time and coin needed._

* * *

"Feh! I let the lads run free in an unpatrolled town and they all end up gettin' killed by the only armed people in the whole d-mn area or just run away. Those no-good blokes! When I get my hands on 'em, I´ll give 'em a piece o' my mind!" the bandit leader yelled angrily as he stood up. "But first, I'll take all ya sheep an' bring ya to the slaughter."

 **Bloodlust detected!**

 **Detect bloodlust is now level 4!**

This one…was definitely stronger than the other bandits. One-on-one, he would've given me trouble for sure. But I wasn't alone; it was five against one! Chrom alone could hold his own against the bandit leader thanks to being plenty strong himself and backing it up with some really good technique. Frederick came rushing in on his horse whenever the two broke up in order to take passing hits with his lance. Between the two powerhouses, it was easy for me and Robin to sneak pot shots through sword or magic, slowly wearing the bandit leader down. And if anyone suffered any injuries, Lissa was always ready to heal their wounds while the others provided cover. Long story short, the guy didn't stand a chance. Eventually, the bandit leader was on his last legs, wobbling uneasily on the spot and bleeding from several wounds that had piled up over the course of the battle. Right as he overextended an axe swing, I took my chance and rushed him while shouting.

"You're right where I want you!"

 **Critical hit! You deal 39 damage! Bandit leader is suffering from heavy bleeding! Bandit leader´s movement speed is reduced by 30 %!**

 **Bandit leader Lvl 7 HP: 142 / 1 000**

Did I just make a critical quote on instinct? Eh, I could think about it later. While I normally would've pulled out the sword when retreating, I left it in his side for a very specific purpose.

"Robin, now!"

I wanted Robin to aim a Thunder spell right at the blade still stuck in his body. And she caught on to my plan immediately. Sure, bronze may not the most conductive material in the world, but it was a great deal better than the bandit leader's clothes. The result was immediate when the spell hit the blade of the sword and went straight into his body. The leader roared and spasmed for a few seconds before he collapsed face-first on the ground. We all stood silently a safe distance away in case he was still alive. After a minute, Chrom walked up and flipped the bandit's body over with his foot. The bandit leader was, beyond the shadow of a doubt, dead.

* * *

 **Bandit leader has been killed! Nice assist! You gain 300 EXP!**

 **Chrom has leveled up!**

 **Frederick has leveled up!**

 **Lissa has leveled up!**

 **Robin has leveled up!**

 **Due to constant strenuous activity, STR goes up by 3!**

 **Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT goes up by 3!**

 **Due to plenty or running and quick maneuvering, DEX goes up by 2!**

 **Quest alert: The verge of history  
** _Escorting Robin to Southtown led you straight into the prologue battle of Fire Emblem Awakening. You not only helped the tactician meet with the Shepherds, you even had a hand in driving those pesky bandits out of town yourself! You won't get to savor your victory for long, however. We all now what's waiting at nightfall…  
_ **Objectives cleared:** _Escort Robin to Southtown. Defeat all bandits, either by killing them or forcing them to flee. Don't let Robin, Chrom, Lissa or_ _Frederick die.  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
Rewards: **_You gain 1 500 EXP! You gain 1 500 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective cleared:** _Save the town librarian's life. Prevent the library from being burned down.  
_ **All bonus objectives cleared!  
Bonus rewards: **_You gain 500 EXP! You gain 500 gold! You gain a skill book! You gain a skill book!_

 **You have leveled up!**

* * *

Whew! Finally it was over. I fell down on my butt as I read the quest alert in front of me.

"Jack, are you okay?" I heard Robin shout.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think exhaustion finally caught up with me now that the fighting is done." I replied back. "I should be good in a few minutes." Honestly, I think it was mostly realizing that I had survived multiple life-or-death scenarios that exhausted me more than the physical activity. My body didn't actually feel that tired. Must've been thanks to Gamer's body.

* * *

A few minutes later, we were all gathered back in the town plaza. The townspeople were hard at work rebuilding any damages done to the buildings. Things were shaping up fine now that no one had to look out for bloodthirsty bandits. Lissa was busy more or less fangirling over Robin's skills.

"Holy wow, Robin! You were incredible! Swords, sorcery AND tactics! Is there nothing you can't do?"

Frederick decided to add his own two gold coins. "I am curious about that myself, milady. For example, perhaps she could explain how she could direct others in battle like a seasoned tactician despite claiming to remember little more than her name. If anything, a tactician of your caliber should be at least somewhat famous, yet I've never heard of any tactician by the name of "Robin"."

"I wish I could, sir Frederick" Robin sighed. "But I'm afraid I've already shared everything I know."

"Well, you fought to save Ylissean lives, and my heart tells me that's enough." Chrom said smiling. "That goes for you too, Jack. This was your first time fighting against trained killers, yet you willingly took up arms to help defend the people."

"Thanks, Chrom. That means a lot hearing it from you." I said. Man, I love this guy, and that's not even in a romantic way.

"And your mind, milord? Will you not heed its counsel as well?" Frederick asked.

"Frederick, the Shepherds could use someone with Robin's talents and Jack's bravery. We've brigands and unruly neighbors, all looking to bloody our soil. We'll need every able man and woman we can get if we're to fulfill our duty, wouldn't you agree?" Then Chrom turned to me and Robin. "So how about it, Robin? Jack? Will you join us?"

"I would be honored." Robin replied.

Time to play the ignorant one. "Wait a minute, you guys are shepherds? As in tending to sheep? Why in the world would brigands and your neighbors want to steal and slaughter your livestock? That sounds petty, by any standard." I said with a bewildered expression.

Chrom chuckled. "Well, we don't tend to sheep in the literal sense. It's just a manner of speech."

I pretended to mull it over in my head, but really, I had already made up my mind from the moment I met Robin on the field outside of town. "Alright, Chrom, I accept your offer as well. I don't think I'm _that_ capable of fighting and protecting others just yet, but I refuse to stand by and watch innocents get plundered or murdered."

 **Displaying your sincerity and resolve has increased your CHAR by 1!**

"And I'll gladly accept the both of you. Welcome to the Shepherds, my friends." Seriously, Chrom must have the most charming smile in the whole halidom. No wonder Cordelia went all ga-ga over him, despite never having the option of marrying Chrom in the game. That was a pretty sad move from the game developers, especially with how they interact in the DLC episodes. Awakening is still an awesome game though. No hate.

Now that all the Shepherd business was taken care of, there was still one thing that kept bugging me. Among the rewards in the quest alert, two skill books were mentioned, yet I had yet to see hide nor hair of any books after the battle except for Robin's Thunder tome.

"Um, excuse me." We all turned to the voice to find the lady that I saved before arriving at the plaza. Were those books she was carrying?

"Oh, hey." I greeted back. "You made it. How are you feeling?"

"Jack, who is this?" Robin asked.

"Well, before I found you guys in the plaza, I heard someone screaming as I ran through the streets. This lady here was about to get assaulted by a bandit, so I rushed to her aid. It took some struggling, but I managed to kill the bandit and save her life. After telling her to hide somewhere, I found my way to the plaza and, well, you know the rest."

The lady in question nodded. "It's true. If it wasn't for him, I would most likely be dead or-" she shuddered "worse. Much worse."

"Well, I suppose all's well that ends well." I commented with a smile. "So what can we do for you?"

"Well, you see… I never got to thank you properly for all that you did for me. You didn't just save my life. You saved the town's library too."

"I did?"

She nodded. "Yes. I am the town's librarian. I was trying to stop the brigand that you killed from destroying the library. That's why he attacked me. If you hadn't come along, he would have most likely set the whole library on fire after he killed me."

Oh, so that's how I completed the bonus objectives. The pieces were starting to fit together. "So then…?"

"I know it´s not much, but I would like to give you these books as thanks for saving both me and the library. Don't worry, we can manage with a book or two missing on the shelves."

* * *

 **You got a skill book for "Basic mana manipulation"! You got a skill book for "Mimicry"!**

 **New item observed! Discovered Skill book! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Skill book, Consumable, Unique**  
 _To the untrained eye, this is nothing more than an ordinary book containing instructions about how to perform certain techniques. In the right hands, however, these books can unlock new skills and powers, even those beyond the scope of human ability.  
Can only be consumed by a character with the skill Gamer's body. When consumed, the character will immediately gain a new skill. Which skill that is gained depends on the skill book. A skill book cannot be consumed if the character already has the skill that the skill book grants._

* * *

"Thanks!" I said smiling. "I'll definitely put these to good use."

That seemed to please her. "Oh, thank goodness! I wasn't even sure if you were interested in books."

"No, no, these look great! I'll take good care of them." As in consuming them at the first opportunity I got, which was away from prying eyes.

"Did you notice, milord?" I heard Frederick say. "The brigands spoke with a Plegian accent."

"Plegian? What's that?" Robin asked.

"Plegia is one of Ylisse's neighboring countries. I've heard that there's quite a bit of bad blood between Ylisse and Plegia that goes back over two decades." I replied.

"You're not wrong, Jack" Chrom said. "They send small bands into our territory, hoping to instigate a war."

"And it's the poor townsfolk who suffer! Totally innocent, and totally helpless…" Lissa commented sadly.

"They have us, milady." Frederick corrected. "Shepherds to protect the sheep. Do not be swept up in your anger. It will cloud your judgement."

"Oh, so that's how you came up with the whole shepherd concept." I said. "It makes sense when you put it that way. Well, Chrom, if I had any doubts about joining the Shepherds, they just got swept away. I'll help you in protecting these people."

That's when some of the townspeople approached us.

"Milord, please! You must stay the night! We are simple folk of simple means, but we would gladly toast your valor with a feast." Yeah, I remember these guys offering a party for us after wiping out the bandits. Well, prepare to get disappointed, Lissa.

"A most generous offer, sir, and no doubt your generosity would be grand. But I'm afraid we must hurry back to Ylisstol." Frederick said smiling.

"Dark meat only for me, medium well, and no salt in the soup. I simply-" And then Lissa registered Frederick's words. "Wait, what!? We're not staying!? But Frederick, it's nearly dark!"

Frederick turned to Lissa, still smiling that content smile. "When night falls, we'll camp. Eat of the land, make our bed of twigs and the like. I believe you mentioned you would be "getting used to this"?" I swear, he almost sounded sadistic at the end.

"Frederick? Sometimes I hate you." Poor girl looked like someone kicked her non-existent puppy.

Robin sweatdropped. "You've quite the stern lieutenant there."

"Yeah, well, "stern" is one name for it. I can think of a few others!" Lissa said tiredly.

"Frederick only smiles when he's about to bring down the axe." Chrom added.

"Duly noted." me and Robin said in unison. And yes, I totally planned that.

"*Ahem* You do realize I AM still present?" Frederick said.

Chrom smiled. "Oh, we realize." That had the rest of us laughing.

Frederick's eyebrow started twitching. "Milord remains as amusing as ever. Now then, shall we be going?"

"Alright, alright. Ready to go, Robin, Jack? The capital isn't far."

With that, we set off for the capital, with only me knowing what awaited us in just a few hours.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. This is the story of how I became the most powerful warrior in the history of the realm.

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Preview of next chapter**

*"Marth" dives out from a time portal*

 **Lissa:** He's so dreamy...

 **Jack:** Not now, Lissa! We've got a zombie apocalypse to stop!

 **Robin:** Zombie? What's that?

*Risen rise up and glare at Chrom*

 **Risen:** Ueeeeergh…

 **Jack:** THAT is a zombie.

*Risen starts fighting with Chrom*

 **Chrom:** We can't let these things run loose. We have to stop them here!

 **Virion:** Then it is a good thing that the archest of archers is about to make his grand debut.

 **Sully:** Save the drama for later, Ruffles. Get moving!

 **Virion:** Oof! Please ease up on that lance, dearest Sully.

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Only you can stop forest fires! Attack of the undead in the dead of night!**

 **Jack:** Brook, pass me the salt! Wait, wrong series…

* * *

 **Jack´s character sheet, post chapter 1**

 **Name: Jack Lvl: 7 EXP: 1 020 / 2 800  
** _A youth who woke up in the world of Fire Emblem Awakening with abilities tied to a storyline known from his home as "the Gamer". Jack joined the Shepherds after helping Chrom and Robin drive out a group of bandits who were pillaging a town. Pragmatic and intellectual, he is a natural problem solver who always tries to find ways to put his knowledge into practice. The one with the fastest thought process. Born on June 21_ _st_ _._

 **Class: Traveler (+10 % EXP when reaching new area in city/town/village or landmark)**

 **Titles:**

 **The Gamer (grants Gamer's body and Gamer's mind)  
Self-aware observer (+ 5 % INT, gains 50 EXP for new observations)**

 **Status condition: None**

 **HP: 1050 / 1050  
HPR: 12.08 (10.5*1.15) / minute**

 **MP: 1 600 / 1 600  
MPR: 20.48 (16*1.28) / minute**

 **STR: 8  
VIT: 7  
DEX: 5  
INT: 52.5 (50 * 1.05)  
WIS: 28  
LCK: 4  
CHAR: 10**

 **POINTS: 46**

 **Gear:**

 **Mysterious medallion  
Common shirt  
Common trousers  
Mysterious bag  
Leather boots**

 **Items:**

 **Bronze sword (Equipped)  
Skill book (Basic mana manipulation) (1)  
Skill book (Mimicry) (1)**

 **Skills:**

 **Gamer's body, Lvl MAX, Passive**  
 _You have the body of a video game character. Eating, training, meeting with people, everything has been translated into game mechanics for you.  
Allows the user of this skill to interact with the world as if they were playing a video game. Sleeping in a bed restores all HP and MP and removes all negative status ailments. Sleeping on a bed roll restores HP and MP by 50 % of their maximum value and removes all negative status ailments. Other sleeping arrangements restore HP and MP by 10 % of their maximum value._

 **Gamer's mind, Lvl MAX, Passive**  
 _You perceive everything in the world as if it were part of a videogame. This allows you to see things others don't see, like all the menus, alerts and whatnot. Gives total immunity to all negative mental status ailments._

 **Observe** , **Lvl 17 [75 %], Active, Cost: 9 MP**  
 _The ability to analyze just about anything and anyone you see. The better you are with this skill, the more information you can gather from a single observation. A master can glean myriads of info with just a single glance._

 **Detect bloodlust, Lvl 4 [0.0 %], Passive**  
 _Not everything in the world greets you with good intentions. This skill allows you to detect when someone approaches you with a genuine desire to harm or even kill you.  
Range: 4 meters._

 **Stealth** , **Lvl 2 [0.0 %], Passive**  
 _The art of staying undetected is a vital skill for any thief or assassin. After all, if no one knows you're there, they can't prepare any defense in time.  
Passively reduces an enemy's range of detection by 3 %. Reduces the likelihood of an enemy spotting you by 6.7 % when sneaking or hiding. Performing a successful sneak attack guarantees a critical hit. Additionally, any damage dealt increases by 100 % and ignores all defense._

 **Blunt weapon mastery** , **Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive**  
 _Weapons don't need to be sharp and pointy to be dangerous. Wielding a blunt, weighty weapon can reduce even the toughest fighters to mush with a heavy enough blow.  
Increases attack speed and attack power by 5 % when attacking with a blunt weapon such as a hammer or any object with a dull impact surface._

 **Sword mastery** , **Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive**  
 _The sword is quite possibly the most well-known weapon in history, often being depicted as the weapon of choice by hero and villain alike or even as a symbol of power. While swords generally deal less damage than other weapons, they make up for it by being easier to wield.  
Increases attack speed and attack power by 5 % when attacking with a sword or dagger of any kind._

 **Taunt** , **Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 0 MP**  
 _A sharp tongue can have just as much effect as a sharp blade. Hurling insults at someone can make them angry, and angry people make rash decisions and ultimately decisive mistakes.  
Has a chance of inflicting an enemy with the "enraged" debuff. Chance of success: 1 * (your total CHAR – enemy´s total CHAR)%._

* * *

 **Will there be detailed fighting scenes? Well, I've seen and read my fair share of those, so I should hopefully be able to write up something good in future chapters.  
Will there be romance? A little bit further down the chapters, but that's not the main focus of this story.  
Will there be humor? I'll try.  
Will there be references? Oh, you can bet your magnificent looks there will! This chapter was only the warm-up.**

 **I mainly decided to write and post this story as a way to nerd out. Hopefully you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoy putting this idea into words. With that being said, please rate and review.**

 **Sincerely: CrossVipeR316**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here with another chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 ** **I'm very grateful for the reviews and the positive response I got from you. One thing that stood out was the comments about the constant alerts affecting the reading experience negatively - and I agree completely. That's something I fixed (I hope) while writing this chapter, and you'll most likely notice how. A consequence of the way I intend to fix it will be that I won't keep track of Jack's growth as meticulously in the future. I will keep track, just not on a super detailed level.****

 ** **Another important change is that this chapter and the future ones will mainly be written in present tense instead of past tense. I decided this because I have an easier time telling the story from Jack's perspective this way. Writing everything in past tense makes me fell like I'm writing a single giant flashback, which is not my intention with this fic.****

 ** **Regarding some specific reviews:****

 ** **Sugouxxx:**** To each their own, I guess. Though I'm curious which pairings you prefer (if any), both for the Avatar and for an OC.

 ** **killblade373:**** No, I won't integrate any crafting or forging system in this fic. While weapons and gear have some significance in this story, I want to focus on the skills and personality of the characters. Besides, I think DrakenSword0z handles that concept way better than I could.

 ** **BBWulf and guest reviewer:**** I admit, censoring my swearing might look weird, but that's because swearing is a bit of a sensitive area for me. Just think of swearing as a concept that I prefer to avoid. And to make this statement seem even more inconsistent, I have no problems writing innuendos or double entendres. XD ** **  
****

 **Copyright disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Fire Emblem or The Gamer. For a full copyright disclaimer, please check chapter 1.**

 **With that out of the way; enjoy!**

 _Every experience makes us stronger, milady. Even those we don't enjoy. -_ Frederick

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Only you can stop forest fires! Attack of the undead in the dead of night!**

Did you read the entire last chapter? Good, that means you've caught up to where I am right now. You can basically count everything up to this point as a diary entry of sorts.

It's been about an hour since we left Southtown behind. Lissa's been complaining every now and then about not staying the night, but Frederick seems to take it all in stride while neither Chrom nor Robin seem to mind being on the road as the sun is setting. With nothing of note happening to us while traveling, I took the time to look through my stuff more carefully. Specifically, the bag that I received after I completed my first quest. It's pretty small, small enough that I can attach it to the small of my back via the rope belt. But there's gotta be more to this thing than just a little extra storage space. I mean, the game calls it a _mysterious_ bag. Observe, do your thing.

* * *

 **New item observed! Identified Dimensional Pocket Bag! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Congratulations! You have identified an item of extraordinary rarity! You gain 5 000 EXP!**

 **You have leveled up!**

 **Due to identifying an extraordinarily rare item, Observe is now level 25! The cost of Observe goes down by 1 MP per use!**

 **Dimensional Pocket Bag, Accessory, Transcendental  
** _While it looks like an ordinary bag on the outside, the inside is lined with complex spell runes, turning it into its own pocket dimension. No matter what you put in here, or how much of it, it will fit without any problems. Even stranger is that you can reach for anything stored inside and pull it out without any problems, no matter how much else is stored within. It's essentially a hoarder's best friend!  
Provides infinite inventory space. The weight of this bag is unaffected by the items stored in it. This item is indestructible._

 **System updating. Please wait…**

 **Inventory menu updated. Check the menu for further details.**

* * *

Holy dragonstones… I had this thing on me from the beginning? Well, I'm not complaining! If this thing lets me carry as much as I want, I'll carry as much as I want! And the first things going in here are those skill books. Ah, much better. You have no idea how tiring it can be carrying a pair of thick books non-stop for an hour.

 **Due to constant strenuous activity, STR goes up by 1!**

See what I mean?

Second order of business is something that I should've taken care of before I arrived in Southtown. Thinking back, there were A LOT of alerts popping up. Sure, they provided me with plenty of useful info, but having all those alerts popping up in my line of sight got really distracting. Just imagine if one of those alerts pop up right when I'm in the middle of a hectic battlefield and I get distracted? No, that won't do. Besides, the constant alerts are starting to annoy the read- Er, I mean, over-analyzing everything kind off ruins the fun in adventuring.

Hmm… The description of the "Options" menu in my Observe log _did_ hint at something regarding constantly appearing alerts. Some looking around in that menu should provide a solution to my problem.

Hello, what have we here?

 **Do you wish to disable automatic alerts?**

Just what I was looking for. Yes, please.

* * *

 **Automatic alerts have been disabled. Automatic alerts for quests, increase of level or stats, obtaining items, the appearance of boss level enemies and important happenings in combat will still appear. To view all alerts, check the "!" sign on the interface.**

* * *

And that's when I notice an exclamation mark appear above my money count. A quick check shows a list that doesn't just contain all alerts that I've seen up until this point, it even shows when they popped up. Well, that's handy.

* * *

 ** _Time skip_**

After another hour of walking, we finally stop in a forest clearing. More importantly, the sun has set.

"I told you – it's getting dark already! …Ech! And now the bugs are out!" Lissa complains. "Noisy, disgusting bugs that buzz around and crawl all over and bite you when-" Lissa suddenly looks a bit green in the face. You okay, girl?

"Agh! Won goph in mah mouph! Blech! Ptooey!"

Chrom just chuckles. "Aw, come on now, Lissa. Hardship builds character. Want to help me gather firewood?"

"Thpt! Thpt! Yeeeeeuck! …I think I swallowed it… I'll pass on finding firewood, thanks. I think I've built QUITE enough character for one day!" Heh, this coming from someone who practically lives with Frederick.

"We should probably think about food. I don't know about you, but I'm starving!" Robin pops in.

Frederick nods. "Yes, I think a little hunting and gathering is in order. Now, who wants to clear a campsite?"

I volunteered for the gathering part. It was the perfect opportunity to consume those skill books. Something unexpected happened right after I absorbed the book for "basic mana manipulation" though.

* * *

 **Due to your high intelligence, you gained the skill "Elemental mana manipulation"!**

 **Elemental mana manipulation, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _A skill originally created by a great sage who had learned much about the works of nature. By combining this knowledge with his mastery over mana, the sage gained the ability to bend the elements to his will.  
Allows the bearer of this skill to add elemental properties to their skills. This increases both their cost and potency. Some skills gain unique properties when infused with the right element. _

* * *

Imagine my surprise when I found this out. This opens up a world of possibilities for the kind of skills I can create in the future. And that's before we take "Mimicry" into account, which basically allows me to mimic the personality traits, physical appearance (when leveled up) and – most importantly – skills of any person, including fictional ones. Yeah, I'm on a roll! When we get to Ylisstol, I'm _so_ gonna look for a place to train my skills in peace. But I'm getting ahead of myself. It's back to food gathering with lots of Observe spamming. And let me tell you, healthy forests are teeming with all sorts of plant- and wildlife. Gathering berries and mushrooms did wonders for my survival know-how. Good thing I spammed Observe, since some of the more delicious-looking berries turned out to be poisonous. Nothing deadly, but fighting with an upset stomach sounds awful. And then there was this weird white flower that I found among the bushes…

* * *

 **Dragon jade, Consumable, Rare**

 _A flower native to the land of Chon'sin. Its petals can be brewed to make an exquisite tea. Processed in a specific way, however, and the brew is turned into a potent poison instead. Pick whichever tickles your fancy. Delectable tea? Or deadly poison?_

* * *

I could've sworn I had heard the phrase at the end of the entry from somewhere… Meh, I can think about it later.

* * *

It's not long before everything is in order, with fresh berries for everyone to enjoy while the mushrooms are cooked over an open fire alongside bear meat. Yeah, apparently, Chrom found a bear and then physically overpowered the animal through brute strength alone. I repeat; Chrom overpowered a freakin' _bear_ before impaling the poor thing on a tree branch and carried it to our camp site like it was an everyday occurrence! Sheesh, am I the only one who bats an eye at that? Ah, screw it! The bear meat looks just about ready. Never tried any myself before, so this should make an interesting experience.

Chrom enjoys his share with a big smile. "Mmm… It's been too long since I last had bear meat. Delicious! …What's wrong, Lissa? Dig in."

Said princess looks less than thrilled. "Pass. Gods, why couldn't you spear us an animal normal people eat for once? I mean, come on! Who eats bear?! You're messing with the food chain. Right, guys? …Uh, guys?"

Robin looks like she hasn't eaten for days. Was her piece of bear meat that small when she- aaand it's gone. And now she reaches for another piece. Speaking of which, I'd better taste this meat before she eats my portion too.

Hey, this is pretty good. Nice fragrance, the flavor spreads pleasantly in my mouth. I could get used to- Oh Naga, the aftertaste! Nasty! Think it'll go away if my tongue gets used to it? One more bite. There, good taste is back. That wasn't so- Guh! It's back with a vengeance! Quick! Water! Where's a bottle of water when you need it?

"Are you okay, Jack? You look a little pale." Lissa asks.

Huuh… hah… okay. I'm fine now. "The bear meat tastes fine at first, but that aftertaste is just terrible! Chrom, how do you put up with it?"

"Simple. Meat is meat." Chrom answers.

"Since when does meat smell like old boots?!" Lissa exclaims. "Wait, I take it back – boots smell better!"

I can't resist this one. "I assume you know this from personal experience?" My grin may or may not be friendly.

Hah! Lissa looks so flustered, it's hilarious! "Wha- No, I mean- Rrgh! That's not my point!"

I don't care. I'll just sit and laugh it up.

"Every experience makes us stronger, milady. Even those we don't enjoy." Frederick chips in.

Lissa glares at the Great Knight. "Really? Then why don't I see YOU eating, Frederick?"

"Me? Oh, well… I'm not hungry. I… I had a large lunch! Yes, quite." Frederick, you're not going to convince anyone with that kind of argument. Lissa's about to retort when the argument breaks up by Robin snatching Frederick's portion of the bear meat. Aaand it's down the hatch. Wow, girl wasn't kidding when she said she was starving. If this is her normal appetite, she'd need one heck of a training regimen to keep her figure.

* * *

It's soon time for sleeping, which means we take turns as night watch. I volunteer for the first watch. It's not because I want uninterrupted sleep later or anything. There's a few things I want to do. I decide to sit in a tree a few paces away from the campsite. The branch I picked gives me a good view of the place, so any intruder passing in my direction will get to know me and my sword. Any intruder coming from another direction will easily get spotted. Now for the reason I volunteered for first watch. There are some skills I want to create. The first one should help me immensely in my training. I lean back against the trunk and get comfortable. Cross my legs. Deep breaths. Close my eyes and concentrate.

* * *

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action. You gained "Meditation"!**

 **Meditation, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive/Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _The art of relaxing and focusing the mind has been practiced in certain cultures for millennia, enabling the user to sharpen their focus and clear the mind from distracting elements. This kind of focus allows you to draw out strength in ways that were previously unavailable to you.  
Passively increases STR, VIT and WIS by 20 %. While active, increases HPR and MPR by 100 %. This skill cannot be active during combat._

* * *

Yep, this skill will serve me well in the long run, especially when I level up my skills. Now for the other one.

* * *

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action. You gained "Reinforcement"!**

 **Reinforcement, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 60 MP  
** _A skill where the user circulates mana through the body to strengthen it. A master of this skill can achieve physical feats that belies their seemingly inappropriate physique.  
Increases STR, VIT, DEX and movement speed by 20 %. Duration: 30 sec. Can be stacked up to three times._

* * *

I'm well aware that my physical abilities are lacking. This skill should help me make up for it until I get stronger. If the progress I made with Observe was any indication, leveling up this skill shouldn't just make the boost bigger and last longer, it should reduce the cost of the skill as well. In fact, thanks to the regen-boost I get from Meditation, I can use Reinforcement right now and get some practice in without using too much MP.

Back to the topic of getting stronger, there is the question about how to spend my stat points. I mulled this question in my head while meditating. Some of my stats had increased independently of how I spent my points when I was in Southtown. It makes sense, now that I think about it. The body grows stronger the more you exercise (within reasonable limits, of course). Since I was involved in so much fighting, it only made sense that my physical stats increased as a result. Maybe I don't need to use my points just yet in order to get stronger. Heck, my physical stats should probably increase just by training with the Shepherds. From what I remember from Frederick's support conversations, he has his own patented training program called "Frederick's fanatical fitness hour". That should help me with my stats immensely – for the time being. The benefits will be great in the beginning, true, but I'm sure those will get smaller as I get stronger. That's how it works in real life. The better you are at something, be it raw strength or a specific skill, the more training you need in order to improve. So I'll save up my points for now and find alternate ways to get stronger until the benefits become too small for my tastes. _Then_ I spend my points.

 **You've made a wise decision in how you wish to grow stronger. WIS increases by 1!**

The game seems to agree with me (probably because it works that way in the Gamer manga as well). INT might fall into the category of small benefits at this point. I mean, I was just about ready to graduate from a modern university as an engineer before I ended up here. The INT stat primarily increases by studying and learning new stuff, right? The thing is, the technological level and knowledge in every Fire Emblem game I've seen is on a level that would be considered laughable in the modern world. I highly doubt I'll learn something new from the books of this world, with the exception of the arcane sort. Unless… I can learn new stuff through Observe… I may be book smart, but there's a lot of stuff that I might still be able to learn by observing. Now _there's_ an interesting idea. If I keep observing and then spend time reading through all those entries, that should count as studying, right?

 **You have perceived an unconventional way of getting stronger. WIS increases by 1!**

Game says: yes.

Guess I'll meditate and keep Reinforcement up while I keep watch. I might take some time to go through my Observe log as well to read up on all the stuff I've seen. Better yet, I might as well Observe my companions and expand my log.

Not much seems to stick out since I already know a lot about them from the game, but one observation does deserve some note. The entry on Chrom's sword.

* * *

 **New weapon observed! Discovered Falchion! You gain 50 EXP!**

 **Congratulations! You have identified a weapon of extraordinary rarity! You gain 3 000 EXP!**

 **You have leveled up!**

 **Due to identifying an extraordinarily rare weapon, Observe is now level 30! The cost of Observe goes down by 1 MP per use!**

 **Falchion, Sword, Base damage: 40, Divine  
** _A sword that was forged from a fang from the divine dragon Naga over 1 000 years ago. Due to the properties of the material and the forging method, Falchion is virtually indestructible and has been passed down through the bloodline of the exalts to this day as a family heirloom. The sword is currently in a sealed state, limiting its cutting power to that of an ordinary sword. However, you can feel the power it possessed a millennium ago still pulsing within the blade.  
Deals 300 % more damage against draconic creatures. Can only be wielded by one of the exalted bloodline._

* * *

Rare objects seem to hold a little bit of lore from the world of Awakening. Forget books! If I can find the objects themselves, I could make my own encyclopedia over rare artifacts!

Hmm… Not much to do on night watch other than keeping watch on my surroundings. Might as well go through the rest of my Observe log and catch up on that studying.

Ugh… The list of Observe entries is really long… Better get comfortable on my branch and crack down on the stuff. Sigh. This is just like when I studied at the university. Literature and texts as far as the eye can reach…

* * *

 ** _Time skip_**

 **Due to diligent studying INT goes up by 2!**

Maaan… Reading through all those entries took its sweet time. I hope I can find a more efficient way of reading all these Observe entries, 'cause there's no way I'll spend nights on end reading up on every little thing I discover in the hopes of raising my INT a little bit. Especially not when I could use the time for other activities, like training my body or practice my skills.

Hmm… Looks like Chrom and Lissa have a hard time sleeping. They wave in my direction before walking off into the forest.

…

Sure is a quiet night. No bugs buzzing in the air, no birds making any noise, no-

Wait a minute, no birds? This sounds awfully familiar-

*Rumble!*

* * *

 **Quest alert  
Main quest: Unwelcome change  
** _It's a zombie apocalypse! Or rather, the beginning of an invasion. The Risen have arrived and they even have the nerve of setting half a forest on fire! Find Chrom and Lissa ASAP and send those walking corpses back to the grave they crawled out from!  
_ **Objectives:** _Accompany Frederick and Robin to find Chrom and Lissa. Don't let Chrom, Lissa or Robin die. Defeat all Risen.  
_ **Rewards:** _2 000 EXP, 2 000 gold, ?, ?, ?, ?  
_ **Failure:** _Chrom meets an untimely demise, resulting in the inevitable return of a great evil with no one to oppose it (Oh, you already know who it is!)._

* * *

Oh cr-p, the Risen are here! I quickly jump down from the tree and run to the camp site. Fortunately, Frederick and Robin are already on their feet. A quick whistle from Frederick has his trusty horse at his side in seconds.

"Jack, where did milord and milady head off to?" Frederick shouts in a stern voice.

I point in the general direction. "I saw them go in that direction. Hopefully they're still somewhere over there."

I barely finish my words before Frederick's off like an arrow. Robin and I make a mad dash after him. Good thing I have Reinforcement active, or else I would've been left behind. As it is, I try to slow down a bit so Robin can keep pace with me.

"Jack, what's going on?"

"I don't know, Robin, but I've got a bad feeling about this. Get ready for anything. I don't know much about earthquakes, but this is NOT natural!"

I notice something glowing in the night sky that seems way bigger than the moon. That would be the time portal that the Risen came from. Something else dives out. A single caped figure. Is that…"Marth"? Has to be.

We soon catch up to Frederick. Good, he already found Chrom and Lissa.

"Chrom! Lissa! What happened here?" I shout as me and Robin arrive.

Lissa turns to us. Poor girl looks white as a sheet. "Frederick! Robin! Jack!"

Robin takes a look at the undead creatures not far from us and flinches in shock. "Are such horrific creatures commonplace in these lands?"

Chrom narrows his eyes in the same direction. "They're not from Ylisse, I promise you that."

"No one is injured, then? Thank the gods…" Frederick says after taking a quick look on us all.

"Thank the masked man who saved me!" Lissa comments. "If it wasn't for him, I'd be- Hey, where did he go?"

I walk forward and draw my sword. "Not sure who you're referring to, Lissa, but we've got bigger problems right now. These… whatever they are don't look friendly. If we let them run loose, who knows what they'll do to anyone they cross paths with?"

"Agreed." Frederick comments while drawing his lance and getting in a battle position. "We'd best put these creatures to the blade as quickly as possible. Eyes open, now. We know nothing about this enemy."

The rest of us immediately get ready for battle as well, with Chrom and Frederick standing protectively in front of Lissa. Good call, guys. Always protect the healer. Now then, what can these zombies tell me?

* * *

 **New enemy observed! Discovered Risen! You gain 52 EXP!**

 **Risen Lv 6  
** _The corpse of a fallen soldier animated through a corrupt and sinister power. They only have one objective in mind; kill any living being in sight. A Risen will only stop when all living creatures in an area have been killed or they are utterly defeated themselves. Until then, these undead abominations will attack anything and everything relentlessly, with no regards to injuries or wounds.  
Note: as they are undead enemies, Risen are immune to "Bleeding"._

* * *

So they can't bleed, huh? Makes sense. They're just animated corpses, not living people.

"Everyone, these things don't care about wounds! You have to hit a vital area to kill them!" Chrom shouts from the side. Alright, what areas are vital now, again? Neck, heart, spine, lungs, liver, brain. Yeah, sounds about right.

The Risen scream a battle cry before charging us with all the finesse of a pack of rabid dogs. Those guys seem to get a lot of momentum in those dashes. Better not stand in their way when they do that.

*Boom!*

Unless, of course, your name is Frederick and you're a Great Knight with the ability to hit like a truck! That one charge from Frederick completely shattered whatever formation the Risen had and left them in disarray. Chrom and Robin immediately take the initiative by going in sword swinging and magic blazing. Hey, don't leave me behind, guys!

I run up to a Risen that was knocked down on the ground. Guess what, corpse? I'm getting pretty good at aiming for the neck!

 **Fatal hit! You killed Risen! You gain 220 EXP! You gain 180 gold!**

Judging by the dark-purple mist that the Risen dissolves into after my sword sinks in, I hit the right spot. One down, many more to go. And the next one is right in front of me, charging in with a sword held high above the head. Seriously, these things have no finesse in their movements! I block the overhead slash with little difficulty and redirect it to the side to unbalance the Risen Mercenary. Its neck is completely exposed.

"Bullseye!"

 **Fatal hit! You killed Risen! You gain 220 EXP! You gain 180 gold!**

A clean hit severs the neck, and that Risen dissolves into mist as well. That's two down! Now who's- Yikes! I almost got shot in the head! Great, they've got Archers in their ranks. Looks like Robin noticed too. After frying another Risen with a Thunder spell, she turns to Frederick.

"Frederick, they've got archers! Take them down!"

Frederick changes course and barrels straight into the mass of Risen. If I remember correctly from that almost-headshot, that's where that sneaky Archer fired its arrow from.

We're doing pretty well, all things considered, but those Risen keep coming. We need a better position! That's when I notice something to the right, roughly 15 paces away. Is that…an abandoned watchtower? A quick Observe confirms my guess. Better yet, the structure apparently holds up well despite some signs of disrepair.

"Hey, Robin, there's an old watchtower over there! Try climbing it. You might get a better view of the battlefield!"

Robin turns in the direction I point at and nods. She runs off, leaving me and Chrom to cover her temporary retreat. Hopefully she can use the view to coordinate us better.

The move soon pays off as Thunder spells fly from the direction of the watchtower and fry more Risen. But wait, now they're flying somewhere else?

"Lissa!" I hear Robin shout. Cr-p! We completely forgot about Lissa in the heat of the battle! I frantically look around and find her being chased by three Risen. They almost have her cornered!

"Oh no, you don't!" I shout as I make a mad dash towards Lissa.

Lissa's been doing a good job at dodging the Risens' attacks, but there's only so much she can do before she runs out of room. The silver lining here is that all three Risen are concentrating on her and show no indication of having noticed my running approach. Their backs are completely exposed and easy pickings. Let's begin with that Risen Myrmidon. Back slash!

 **Fatal hit! You killed Risen! You gain 200 EXP! You gain 180 gold!**

The Risen barely has time to convulse before dissolving into mist. By the time it's gone, the other two turn their heads and decide that I'm the more immediate threat.

Uh, maybe fighting two opponents at once wasn't exactly my brightest idea. Better start dodging and parrying! Good thing these freaks have no teamwork whatsoever. They're so desperate to attack me that they get in each other's way rather than coordinating their attacks. Sidestep the Soldier's lance, duck under the horizontal axe swing, roll to the right to dodge the lance again and jump to the side to dodge the axe a second time. Like with that bandit back in Southtown, the Risen Fighter's axe got stuck in the ground. Good, that gives me an opening on the Soldier. Said undead tries a few stabs, but honestly, it's not even that fast. A well-timed parry to the left, and its chest is wide open. I'm going for the heart!

 **Critical hit! You deal 140 damage!**

 **Risen Lv 6 HP: 460 / 600**

Cr-p, I missed the heart! And now my sword is stuck in the corpse! The Risen Fighter just pulled the axe out of the ground and is looking this way. Double  
cr-p! Gotta think fast! Curses, let go of my sword, you stupid corpse! I can't fight while I'm stuck with you!

Or…can I? Okay, crazy idea time. Need to time this carefully. The Risen Fighter's going in for a mighty overhead strike, while its Soldier buddy clings to me for dear (after)life. Just as the axe is about to come down, I activate Telekinesis to lift up the Risen Soldier and twist around so our positions are reversed. The axe comes down – and goes right through the Soldier's head, stopping mere centimeters from where I stabbed it. The Risen Soldier gives of a final cry before dissolving into mist, thus freeing my sword. While the other Risen is busy looking dumbly at where it axed its buddy, I rush in and stab it in the neck.

 **Fatal hit! You killed Risen! You gain 220 EXP! You gain 180 gold!**

Phew, that's all of them. Looks like Lissa made it without any injuries. Wait, why does she look so horrified?

"Jack, behind you!"

I barely have time to turn around before spotting another Risen Soldier charging right at me. It's aiming for my stomach! Side ste-

 **You take 92 damage! You are now suffering from "Bleeding"!**

Oh Naga, the pain! I was too slow! The Risen nailed me in the side and now I have a lance stuck in my body! My vision's getting blurry. No, can't stop now! This is gonna suck. I grab the lance to stop the Risen from pulling it out. Instead, I pull in (The pain! The agony!).

 **You take 46 damage! Your bleeding got more severe!**

The walking corpse does the undead equivalent of a "Huh?" before it gets a sword through the face and dissolves into mist.

 **Fatal hit! You killed Risen! You gain 220 EXP! You gain 180 gold!**

I fall down on my bottom, panting. The lance is still stuck in my side and I'm losing blood fast. Gotta get this thing out and heal up!

"Jack!" Oh thank goodness Lissa's still here!

"Lissa, keep your staff at the ready. I'm going to pull the lance out and I need you to heal the wound immediately."

"Are you crazy?! Wait, I take it back. Of course you are! No sane person impales themselves further on a lance after they got stabbed with it just to get a hit on an enemy!"

I'm about to try arguing with her when I hear the sound of hoofs. Frederick?

"Captain Chrom! Wait! I'm coming! …Agh, I knew I shouldn'ta left 'em." Wait, that's a _red_ person on a horse. What was her name again? The blood loss makes it kinda hard to remember…

"Alright, you ash-faced freaks! Which one of ya wants to try my lance on for size first?"

"Sully!" Lissa shouts. Oh yeah, that was her name.

"Muh? Lissa? What are ya- Whoa! Are you okay?" I _think_ that question's meant for me. Pain makes thinking difficult.

"Hold, milady!" Hey, Virion's here too. "Life may be long, but attraction is fleeting! Would you leave- Good heavens, what happened here?!"

"Need a little help…" I groan out. "Can you help me pull this lance out so Lissa can heal me?"

Sully kneels down in front of me. "Alright, I'll do it. Hey, Ruffles, hold him steady so I won't pull him along with the d-mn thing!"

"R-Ruffles? Please, milady, will you not at least-"

"Just do it!"

"Y-yes, ma'am."

Virion gets behind me and grabs my shoulders. "Fear not, my friend. It will be over soon." I hope you're not referring to my life. Sully carefully grasps the shaft of the lance.

"Okay, look at me. Good. I'm gonna pull out this lance on three. You ready?"

Nod

"Three!" Wait, wha-

*Squelch!*

"Guaagh!" Oh Naga, the pain! And now blood's flowing out of the wound freely. Is this how I- Oh, that feels nice…

 **You are no longer suffering from "Bleeding".**

"You're a lifesaver, Lissa." The Cleric looks relieved and pretty pleased with herself. I turn to Sully and Virion. "And thanks for getting that lance out. I don't think I would've made it on my own."

"Eh, don't mention it. A friend of Lissa's is a friend of mine." Sully says with a grin.

"'Tis the least the archest of archers can do to help a fellow man in need." Virion begins. "Fear not, for as long as I am here, victory is all but-"

"Look, as inspiring as your speeches are, we have more immediate concerns. We can't let those monstrosities out of the forest. We have to kill them here." I tell them. Virion looks less than thrilled about being interrupted but readies his bow nonetheless.

"Phew. All done!" Lissa says. Hey, she healed me up completely while we were busy talking! Girl knows how to do a good job.

"Thanks, Lissa." I then turn to Sully. "Hey, your name is Sully, right?" Sully nods. "Does your horse have space for one more person? Lissa almost got killed because no one watched over her, so I think it's a lot safer if you let her ride on your horse."

Sully nods again and calls her horse to us. "Sounds like a plan. C'mon, Princess. Let's go for a ride." With that, they're off.

"Clever." Virion notes with a smirk. "Clerics are often vulnerable because they can rarely fend for themselves in battle. Letting her ride with cavalry not only helps her reach wounded comrades easier, the rider can also provide protection for her at all times. My good man, you wouldn't happen to be a tactician, would you?"

Well, does playing through Awakening multiple times count?

"Not really. Our tactician is in the abandoned watchtower over there to direct us on the field while providing covering fire. Or rather, she provides covering _Thunder_."

Virion's face lights up at the mention of Robin. ""She", you say? My, my, your tactician wouldn't happen to be as beautiful as she is brilliant, would she? Perhaps I should make her company in that watchtower and help her shoot these foul creatures down."

"Feel free to join her if you wish. The watchtower should be able to hold the both of you despite not having been used for a long time. Should give you a good vantage point of the battlefield too. Though I wouldn't try being too forward with her if I were you. Her lightning magic packs a mean punch."

Virion gulps. "D-duly noted." We hurry back to the battlefield and find that Chrom and Frederick seem to handle things pretty well on the ground. I know I've mentioned this before, but those two are so strong it's almost ridiculous. Risen fly everywhere in the wake of our powerhouses' attacks. Sully's off to the side and sticks to hit-and-run attacks since Lissa's still with her. I run into the fray and join Chrom and Frederick in taking the Risen down up close and personal.

"Thanks for running off to help my sister." Chrom says as we briefly stand back-to-back.

"Anytime, Chrom. She's with the red Cavalier over there right now. Sully's her name."

"Sully's a Shepherd just like us. It's a good thing she got here in time. We'll need all the help we can get."

An arrow pierces the head of a Risen Mercenary who tried to attack Chrom.

"By the way, who's the archer?"

"Sully calls him "Ruffles", but I don't think that's his real name. He claims to be, and I quote, the "archest of archers"."

"Boastful or not, he certainly seems capable." As if to prove Chrom's point, Virion scores three more headshots on the Risen within as many seconds. Chrom and I disengage to continue the fight. With the added help of Sully and Virion, the number of Risen finally starts to thin. I think we should be done pretty soo-

* * *

 **Warning! Warning! Boss level enemy detected!**

* * *

Uh oh, forgot about that one. Among the few remaining Risen, a bigger one steps forth and gives off a might roar.

"Ruueegh!"

* * *

 **New enemy observed! Discovered Risen Chief! You gain 52 EXP!**

 **Risen Chief Lv 12  
** _Among the Risen, these undead possess exceptional strength and resilience. They often lead the charge whenever Risen attack, but let the underlings attack first and only step in themselves when their numbers begin to thin. As they are significantly stronger than the average Risen, it is inadvisable to engage them one-on-one._

* * *

That thing…looks like bad news. Based on what Observe tells me, it makes the bandit leader from our previous battle look like a pushover. And unlike the last battle, this boss still has plenty of allies for backup.

"I'll hold off that monstrosity. Take out the others as fast as you can and then help me bring this one down!" Chrom commands.

Not that Frederick would agree on that. "Milord, I cannot allow you to face such a foe on your own! I shall assist you in this battle."

"I'll be fine, Frederick. I'm more than capable of handling myself against this foe."

"Actually, Chrom, you should listen to Frederick's advice. I know you can tell that creature is much stronger than the others, and Frederick might give you the edge you need against an opponent like that." I add. Both men look at me in surprise.

"What? I agree with Frederick on this one! It's not _that_ weird, is it?"

Chrom frowns for a bit before nodding. Without another word, he and Frederick charge the Risen Chief, leaving the mooks for the rest of us to finish off.

Let's see… There's about a dozen Risen left, give or take a few. Should be doable. Wait, make that eleven. Virion just nailed another headshot. And here they come!

Uh-oh, looks like they're headed for the watchtower. Guess the Risen are finally wising up after all those long-range attacks coming from that direction. Better intercept them before-

*Crash!*

What the- The watchtower is collapsing? Cr-p! Robin and Virion are still there! Sully's riding towards the remains at full speed while swiping at any Risen running too close. I start running and place myself between the Risen and the collapsed watchtower.

"Ueergh… Ragh!"

Maybe facing down these many Risen on my own was a bad idea…

"Jack, get down!" I hear Robin shout behind me.

I immediately throw myself at the ground. Not even a second later, the Risen get blasted back by lightning magic and a few arrows. I get back up and find Robin and Virion surprisingly in good health.

"Thank goodness you guys are safe!" I say as I run up to them. "How did you make it?"

"Lovely Robin here saw that monstrosity wind up for throwing an axe towards the tower." Virion answers while indicating the clearing where the Risen Chief fights against Chrom and Frederick. "'Tis a good thing she told me to jump. I never expected an axe, of all things, to be thrown against us, much less destroy an entire watchtower in a single blow."

Axe? I glance at the fallen watchtower and notice an Iron Axe sticking out from the rubble. My word… The Risen Chief one-shot the watchtower with _that_? We'd better help Chrom ASAP, 'cause I'm sure that undead has more weapons on hand. Before that, though, we still have the underlings to take care of. Robin's and Virion's assist managed to hit home well. They're down to six now.

"Save some for me!"

And there's Sully flanking them and running over two more with her horse. Lissa's taken shelter behind some trees, leaving the fighting to us. Well, four-on-four sounds like pretty good odds in my ears. We each take one and soon finish up. Now all that's left is helping Chrom and Frederick finish off that Risen Chief.

*Wham!* "Milord!" *Thump!*

Did Chrom just fly through the air and land at our feet? Uh-oh, he's bleeding from the mouth!

"Chrom!" Lissa rushes to his side and begins healing him.

I look towards where he flew in from and pale. That Risen Chief has another weapon, alright. A massive war hammer!

* * *

 **New weapon observed! Discovered Hammer! You gain 52 EXP!**

 **Hammer, Blunt weapon, Base damage: 60, Rare  
** _Hammers have been used both for construction and de-construction for generations. In times of war, however, human ingenuity soon weaponized this mundane tool into a brutal instrument of destruction. The immense weight of hammers allow for powerful swings, but it also makes them very unwieldy. The amount of metal needed to make even a single Hammer and the difficulty of wielding them in battle make them a rare sight. But when one does appear, expect the wielder to have plenty of raw strength.  
Deals 300 % more damage against heavily armored units._

* * *

Looks like the Risen Chief got Chrom with a clean hit. The blood from his mouth probably means internal injuries. Frederick's a lot more cautious now that the hammer is out. We'd better help him.

"Thank you, Lissa. I'm ready to go again." Chrom says while trying to stand up. Lissa immediately grabs him by the shoulder and pulls him down.

"Oh no, you don't, mister! You have at least two broken ribs on your left side. I need to heal this properly before it gets any worse."

"But-"

"No buts! Now sit down and let me work!"

There's something oddly entertaining in seeing Chrom get bossed around by a Cleric much smaller than him, even if said Cleric is his younger sister – _especially_ when said Cleric is his younger sister. Guess she's still sore from that "delicate" comment.

Robin and Virion open fire on the Risen Chief, giving Frederick some much needed breathing room and an opening for me and Sully to charge in. Sully flanks the Risen on the left and scores a blow on its shoulder. I use the distraction to stab it in the leg.

"Raagh!"

I don't think I did anything more than piss it off. The Risen raises the Hammer and brings it down. Roll!

*Thoom!*

The Hammer blow left a pretty sizable dent on the ground. Yikes! Chrom got hit by a swing like _that_? I'm amazed he got away with _only_ two broken ribs! Still, this gives me the opening for another crazy idea.

"Hupp!"

Before the Risen can raise the Hammer back up, I cling to the arm with both legs and one hand. The Risen disapproves and starts shaking its arm around wildly. Man, this thing's strong! It lifts up the Hammer AND my entire body weight! Oh no, it's got a free arm! It's reaching for me!

"Hryah!"

Oh thank goodness! Sully to the rescue! She follows my lead and grabs the other arm. Okay, while it's distracted, I flip my sword and hold it in a reverse grip. That shoulder looks important.

 **You deal 64 damage!**

 **Risen Chief Lv 12 HP: 860 / 1 600**

The Risen looks back at me and seems even angrier. Sully takes the opportunity to punch it in the face.

*Crack!*

Ouch. That sounds like a mean left she's packing. But that makes the Risen look back at her. So I'll just take another pot shot.

 **You deal 67 damage!**

 **Risen Chief Lv 12 HP: 730 / 1600**

This basically goes back and forth a few times before the giant undead has enough and begins swinging around both arms wildly. I hang on for dear life but realize that it's only a matter of time before my grip slips. In a last-ditch effort, I stab my sword near the base of the Risen's neck.

"Sully, let go!" I shout as I release my own grip on the undead arm and fly off. Good thing she complies, else this would count as friendly fire.

"Robin!"

The Tactician picks up on my improvised plan and launches a Thunder spell right at the sword jammed in the Risen's body. Just like the last battle back in Southtown, the electric spell is conducted straight into the undead. We got da combos, people!

The Risen roars in anger and pain as it twitches from having a deadly electric current running rampant in its body. It's not dead, but that wasn't my end goal. While the Risen is busy recovering from Robin's Thunder spell, Frederick comes charging in full force and impales it on his Silver Lance. The Risen is pushed backwards and staggers, but it's still not down. That's when Virion runs up, jumps onto the back of Frederick's horse, and then jumps again over the head of the Risen. It takes note of the Archer – and then the arrow aimed right at its face.

"Die with magnificence!"

Virion lets the arrow fly at point-blank range and nails the Risen right between the eyes before landing gracefully behind it. He could call himself fabulous right now, and I would agree wholeheartedly.

The Risen gives off a final pained cry and collapses on its knees. The Hammer falls from its limp fingers and then vanishes in an explosion of dark purple mist along with the Risen itself.

* * *

 **Fatal hit! Virion killed Risen Chief! Nice team combo! You gain 500 EXP!**

 **You have leveled up!**

 **Chrom has leveled up!**

 **Lissa has leveled up!**

 **Frederick has leveled up!**

 **Robin has leveled up!**

 **Sully has leveled up!**

 **Virion has leveled up!**

 **Due to constant strenuous activity, STR goes up by 3!  
** **Due to prolonged exhausting activity and recovering from a grievous wound, VIT goes up by 5!  
** **Due to plenty or running and quick maneuvering, DEX goes up by 4!**

* * *

I pick up my sword, relieved and quite surprised that channeling lightning magic through it hasn't done any damage on its structure, and sheathe it as I look around the battlefield. That should've been all the Risen, right? So where's the quest alert? Eh, I can think about it later.

We head back to Chrom to check up on him. Looks like Lissa finished healing him up completely sometime when Robin and I pulled off our combo move, so he had no real opportunity to rejoin the fight. He's a bit annoyed about that, since he was the one to declare himself capable of holding the Risen Chief on his own, but still glad that none of us died when we fought the undead group. Lissa does a quick round of check-ups and heals any minor wounds or scrapes that we received during the battle. Just as she finishes up, Frederick returns (When did he even walk away?) with a certain masked individual in tow.

"It seems all the creatures are vanquished. This young man took care of the others." Frederick reports. The masked person takes a glance at all of us without uttering a word.

Lissa fidgets a bit before walking up to them. "Um, I never got to thank you…for before. So… thank you. You were very brave."

Chrom approaches with a smile. "You saved my sister's life. My name is Chrom. Might I ask yours?"

"You may call me Marth." the masked individual replies after a little more silence.

Chrom raises an eyebrow. "Marth? After the heroic king of old?" Though he doesn't dwell long on the matter. "You certainly fight like a hero. Where did you learn your way with a sword?"

"I'm not here to talk about me." "Marth" answers curtly. "This world teeters on the brink of a horrible calamity. What you saw tonight was but a prelude. You have been warned."

With those words, the masked sword wielder leaves, vanishing among the trees within moments.

"Huh? What's teetering where now?" Lissa asks. "Hey, wait!" But her question remains unanswered. The forest grows silent once more.

"Not much for conversation, is he?" Robin comments.

"It appears his skills lie elsewhere." Frederick replies. "I wager we'll hear his name again… But for now I'm more concerned about the capital. We should make haste."

* * *

 **Quest alert: Unwelcome change  
** _With the help of Sully, Virion and a mysterious individual calling themselves "Marth", you manage to contain the Risen to the forest they landed in and defeat them all. It's relieving that everyone made it out alive and well, but "Marth's" ominous words about an incoming calamity still echo in your minds. Frederick's concern may actually be justified for once. Next stop: Ylisstol!  
_ **Objectives cleared:** _Accompany Frederick and Robin to find Chrom and Lissa. Don't let Chrom, Lissa or Robin die. Defeat all Risen.  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
Rewards: **_You gain 2 000 EXP! You gain 2 000 gold! Your relationship with Chrom has improved! Your relationship with Robin has improved! Your relationship with Lissa has improved! Your relationship with Frederick has improved!_

 **"** **Social status" has been unlocked in the menu!**

 **Your relationship with Frederick has advanced! Your relationship with Frederick is now "Neutral".**

* * *

There's the quest alert! Phew, glad that's over. And I unlocked yet another slot in the menu. Hey, that's all of them! But…my side quest is still ongoing. A look into the new menu screen shows that it has sub menus, out of which only "Relationships" is available. Guess I have to unlock all of them in order to finish the side quest.

I managed a quick sweep over the battlefield before we moved on. Much to my surprise, what happened to the Hammer at the end of the boss battle seems to be the norm when fighting Risen. When the Risen are all defeated, the weapons they carried into battle vanish. Bummer. And here I hoped I could loot a field full of weapons. Right when I got my infinite storage bag all settled in too… Ah, well. Guess I can't get it all.

Here's another strange thing though. When the Risen arrived, their entrance set at least half the forest on fire. Now that all the Risen are gone, the fire vanished as well, the only traces left being the foliage that burned during the battle. Weird. Really weird.

But I have little time on dwelling on that as well, since Lissa just realized that we'll walk all night long to get to the capital as fast as possible. Let's just say; I've never heard anyone rant for nearly an hour with anger practically radiating off of them – without uttering even a single vulgar word.

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter**

*Camera shows Emmeryn in the audience hall*

 **Jack:** Your Grace, I am not worthy!

 **Chrom:** Yeah, she has that effect on people.

 **Lissa:** Part of what makes her the best sister ever.

 **Robin:** Wait, she's your sister?! But that makes you and Chrom-

 **Frederick:** The princess and prince of Ylisse? Indeed.

 **Lissa:** Never mind that. Come on, I want to show you something.

 **Jack:** Lissa, wai- Whoa!

*The Shepherds are gathered in their barracks*

 **Lissa:** Tada! Meet our new recruits, everyone!

 **Vaike:** Looks like Teach got some newbies to show the ropes!

 **Maribelle:** The only thing _you_ will teach them, Vaike, is how abhorrent your manners are!

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Meeting the Shepherds. Intros and infos in the capital.**

*Sumia trips face-first hard*

 **Jack:** Someone tell Diddy Kong he has to clean up his banana peels. This isn't Smash Bros.

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Basic mana manipulation, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _Harnessing the power of mana is an essential skill for anyone who wishes to practice the art of magic.  
This skill allows the bearer to manipulate the mana in their body for whichever task they intend to fulfill. Enables creation and use of magic based skills._

 **Elemental mana manipulation, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _A skill originally created by a great sage who had learned much about the works of nature. By combining this knowledge with his mastery over mana, the sage gained the ability to bend the elements to his will.  
Allows the bearer of this skill to add elemental properties to their skills. This increases both their cost and potency. Some skills gain unique properties when infused with the right element._

 **Mimicry, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 80 MP  
** _It is said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. A practitioner of this skill has the ability to mimic the mannerisms and abilities of another person, so long as the user is knowledgeable enough. A master of this skill can even alter their physiology to become an exact physical replica of another person.  
Grants the ability to mimic another person's speech patterns, voice and reactions. Any new skill used while in a mimicking state is added to the user's skill set. Leveling up this skill will grant the ability of shape shifting and voice altering._

 **Meditation, Lvl 5 [35.0 %], Passive/Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _The art of relaxing and focusing the mind has been practiced in certain cultures for millennia, enabling the user to sharpen their focus and clear the mind from distracting elements. This kind of focus allows you to draw out strength in ways that were previously unavailable to you.  
Passively increases STR, VIT and WIS by 20 %. While active, increases HPR and MPR by 120 %. This skill cannot be active during combat._

 **Reinforcement, Lvl 6 [68.0 %], Active, Cost: 60 MP  
** _A skill where the user circulates mana through the body to strengthen it. A master of this skill can achieve physical feats that belies their seemingly inappropriate physique.  
Increases STR, VIT, DEX and movement speed by 20 %. Duration: 35 sec. Can be stacked up to three times._

* * *

 **And** **that's a wrap! This chapter is significantly shorter than the last one, most likely because I reduced the number of alerts a lot. I'll try to add alerts if they're of great importance or tell something I find interesting.**

 **BTW, the "Dragon jade" entry contains a small reference. If you don't know which one, just look up "delectable tea or deadly poison" on Youtube. Such a short clip, but it speaks volumes XD**

 **There's a specific reason why I set June 21st as Jack's birthday. That's the day I published the first chapter of this fic on this website. In a way, that was the day the character Jack left the womb that is my computer and was born into the internet. In other words, it's the day he was born into the world.**

 **Please rate and review.**

 **Until next time.**

 **CrossVipeR316**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **First off, there's something I need to apologize for; I changed the title of the chapter. The reason? This chapter grew much longer than I expected while writing it. I decided to stop earlier to prevent this chapter from becoming excessively long (it already is, IMO). Don't worry, though. The plot should be back on track by the next chapter.**

 **As usual, thank you for the reviews and positive response from you. Each and every review is important, as they tell me what I do good and what could use improvement. Now, onto some specific reviewers.**

 **Sugouxxx:** Yeah, the Chrom/Robin pairing is actually one of my absolute favorite pairings in Awakening, mainly because it adds a layer of depth to the story that no other Avatar pairing can offer - especially if you go for the "true" ending. As for the suggested ladies for Jack: Hm... Hmmm... Those are indeed some good picks. In fact, there was a point where I had some ideas for this fic that involved pairing Jack with either Cherche or Maribelle, depending on the situation. The real eye-opener, however, was that you suggested Miriel. Now that I think about how I've portrayed Jack up until this point, pairing him with Miriel makes a lot of sense. So kudos to you for suggesting an idea that I didn't even consider. In the end, however, I chose to pair Jack with Robin because I feel that it gives me some more options for this fic. Who knows? You might be able to write a Fire Emblem fic one day that picks up on some of the ideas suggested here.

 **pataponvideo:** Oh, I've got some stuff planned with Mimicry, all right. In fact, this chapter will be the first time Jack will use the skill. Feast you eyes on what happens when an otaku can mimic any fictional character they can think of.

 **Naga Mada:** I'll see what I can do to streamline the text further. I can't guarantee that it'll be as streamlined as the fic you suggested, but I'll try in my own way. BTW, thanks for the review. :D This is the kind of input every writer needs (not that I'm ignoring every review before yours, 'cause I'm not).

 **MADRABBIT0702:** I admit, Jack's bag is already pretty OP. Depending on how you look at it, it should be the most OP item in his possession until somewhere near the very end. I want Jack to be OP, but not because of items he gets from thin air, but because he trains 'til he drops while abusing certain game mechanics. I think you'll get what I mean in this chapter.

 **Quest:** Thanks for understanding regarding the swearing. Having someone support you openly can make a world of difference, and that's exactly what you provided. As for the encyclopedia; well, that's an interesting idea... Jack technically already has that in the form of his Observe log. I'll try posting some of the entries as a separate section in this fic, starting with this chapter. Enjoy!

 **Anonymous reviewer:** It is indeed Frederick who's behind the training regimen! The man can come up with exercise programs that burn more calories in an hour than the flames of Naga can burn forests in a full day! And don't worry, the line of questioning has been dropped. Jack has enough survival knowledge to know how dense of a mine field _that_ particular topic is.

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 **With that out of the way, enjoy the reading!**

 _...everyone starts out small. Me, you, everyone, with no exceptions. So what if you feel like a burden? That doesn't have to be true forever. If you keep striving to improve yourself, it's only a matter of time before you become irreplaceable for us all. I'm sure of it. -_ Jack _  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Meeting the Shepherds. Intros and infos in the capital.**

"-or so help me, Frederick, next time I see you injured, I'll leave you to tend to your wounds yourself!"

"That I can manage, milady. I always carry some medical supplies in a small pouch should I sustain any debilitating injury while you're out of reach."

"Aargh! That's not my point!"

Sigh. Yet another argument between Lissa and Frederick. After Lissa was done with her angry ranting, she decided to switch tactics, resulting in her arguing with Frederick nonstop. They've been at it for…half an hour, give or take a few minutes. Lissa makes some kind of threat about making Frederick's life harder unless we stop for some shuteye "right this instant". Frederick either doesn't realize it's a threat or simply doesn't care and explains how he will handle it. Rinse and repeat. I'm amazed that a princess who insists she needs her beauty sleep can have so much energy to make sure she gets it. Seriously, I couldn't think of half the threats she's thrown Frederick's way the last _15 minutes_ from the top of my head, and Lissa just keeps going like it's natural. And I'm even more amazed that Frederick has a response to every single one. How prepared is this guy?

Now that I take a closer Observe, I notice that Frederick carries a title.

* * *

 **The wary  
** _You're vigilant to a fault. Nothing escapes your notice. And most importantly, you're practically impossible to catch unprepared because you make it a point of being ready for (almost) anything. You're great to have around in dangerous areas, but you could afford to lighten up among allies. Gaining new friends is hard if you suspect every new person you meet to be out for their own personal gain.  
Passively makes the bearer of this title immune to sneak attacks. All new relationships start at "Distrusted". _

* * *

Well… that certainly explains a lot about Frederick. It also explains why my relationship with him advanced to another level. Maybe I've finally gained some trust with the wary Great knight. Speaking of relationships, what does Observe say about the new menus?

* * *

 **Social status, menu screen  
** _No man is an island. Unless you decide to become a hermit, your life will inevitably contain some form of interaction with other people. It begs the question: How well will these interactions go? How trusted are you? And how much can you insult someone before you get slapped in the face? It all depends on how others view you. That kind of information is stored right here. Remember: you can go far with the right connections. Just ask any politician you meet._

 **Relationships, menu screen  
** _This menu displays how well things are between you and the people who know you personally, be they friends, rivals or enemies. A healthy relationship has many benefits: a friend to laugh with, an ally in battle, a shoulder to cry on, the list goes on. Who knows? The future love of your life may even be on this list (Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge.). Just remember that relationships are always mutual. No one wants to be friends with a selfish person._

 **Current relationships:**

 **Robin:** Trusted  
 **Chrom:** Neutral  
 **Lissa:** Neutral  
 **Frederick:** Neutral  
 **Sully:** Neutral  
 **Virion:** Neutral

* * *

So, judging by what I can see here, I can conclude two things:

1: My efforts during the last battle earned me enough of Frederick's trust that he won't watch me like a hawk anymore (or at the very least, he will watch me _less_ like a hawk).

2: Being so helpful to Robin from the onset worked wonders for our relationship. Must have something to do with helping her when she was completely lost.

"Do you _really_ want us to look dead on our feet when we see my sister in the capital?!" I hear Lissa shout. Oh, Lissa, you did NOT pull the royalty card!

Frederick freezes up for a moment and looks at Lissa. Unlike before, he looks hesitant.

"Very well. You've made your point clear, milady. Milord, might I suggest we take a few hours to rest?"

"I certainly wouldn't mind." Chrom sighs. "I think we could all use some sleep right now." Several tired groans echo from our group. To be fair, we _did_ fend off a horde of armed zombies and their steroid pumped leader not even two hours ago. After nightfall.

"Finally!" Lissa shouts and lays down under the nearest tree. She's out like a light five seconds later. Well, that was fast.

The rest of us decide to follow Lissa's lead and get comfortable with what we can put together on short notice. Some twigs here, a cloth bundle there. It's not exactly five-star, but it's leagues better than sleeping on the bare ground. The only one not sleeping is Frederick, who lays a blanket (that he pulled out from _somewhere_ ) on Lissa and then volunteers for night watch. And then there's me.

See, the abilities of a Gamer allow for so many loopholes, it's absolutely ridiculous if you can exploit them.

Observe? Know your enemy before your enemy knows you.

Food? The only meal I've had was the one by the campfire before the Risen literally came crashing down. And I've never really felt hungry since arriving in this world either, so it's safe to assume that my body doesn't need food to survive.

Sleep? Well, the main purpose of sleeping is to let the body recover from the fatigue that's been building up over the course of the day. Neglecting your sleep is a surefire way to mess up your health because your body just doesn't have the strength to function properly. But I have the body of a videogame character. And with a few exceptions, videogame characters can go for as long as they want without sleep and suffer no consequences for it whatsoever.

"Gamer's body OP", you say? "Plz nerf", you say? Well, I don't care! I'm gonna abuse this to get stronger. Count on it!

So, no, I'm not sleeping. I'm meditating.

*Chirping crickets*

I swear, I am! Just because I shut my eyes doesn't mean I've fallen asleep! If anything, it's a great ruse so no one suspects that I plan to stay awake through the whole night! There's a few things I can improve on while meditating on the ground. Aside from leveling the obvious Meditation, I can keep up Reinforcement too. And as long as I'm careful with how much MP I use, I can even train Telekinesis a little. I just need to apply a _tiny_ amount of force on myself, and no one will notice.

…

There's only one problem with this kind of training.

It's so boring!

Seriously, I'm lying on the ground and try to not move at all. It's one thing to do it for, say, a few minutes. But doing it for hours? That could drive anyone mad! I need something to do before I expose my own ruse!

What I really want to do is level Telekinesis quickly because of how versatile it is. But how do I do that with my eyes shut? Hm… Telekinesis works in that I focus on an object, envelop it with my mana and then use that mana as a medium to move said object with my mind. But in order for me to pull it off, I need to know where the object I want to manipulate _is_. I wonder… If Telekinesis works as a mental extension of myself, can I use it as more than just a hand? How about, say, a sensory organ? Let's see what happens if I reach out blindly.

I soon feel something with Telekinesis.

*Squish, squish*

It's… soft.

*Squish, squish*

And… yielding.

*Squish*

A little broadening of my mental scope tells me that whatever I'm touching has a round shape.

"Mmn…"

Was that Robin?

…

By Naga's divine countenance! Did I just grope Robin with my mind?!

* * *

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action! You gained "Telekinetic sense"!**

* * *

Oh man… Oooh man… If she finds out what I did, she'll Thunder me to the Demon's ingle and back! And _then_ she'll kill me for good measure – assuming I even survive the trip.

It did feel nice, though…

No! Bad thoughts! Bad thoughts! Stay down, or I'll lock you up in the back of my mind and throw away the key! Just try me!

…

Thought so. *Ahem!* Now, where was I? Oh yeah, don't freak out.

Now, then. Let's take my new skill for a spin.

* * *

 **Telekinetic sense, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 10 MP  
** _The human body is said to perceive the world through five separate senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. There are even rumors of a sixth sense, separate from the other five. But this one is none of the above mentioned. By using your ability to project a mental force on objects outside yourself, you can use that very mental contact to perceive the objects as if you used your sense of touch, except there's no need for physical contact. The Byakugan ain't got s-it on this!  
Range: 3 meters._

* * *

Well, this is interesting. It's not like I'm actually seeing things around me. It's more like I can…feel the shapes of everything within a certain distance. And then my mind subconsciously constructs a mental image of what my new skill perceives. It's like seeing everything in shades of grey, with the shade varying depending on what my new sense picks up on. Heck, I can even "see" what's underneath me! This is so cool! And the best part is that I'm not even suffering from any headache due to sensory overload. I can perceive my entire mental image with no problems!

Now that I know what's around me, I have everything I need to practice my Telekinesis on a broader scale (without accidently groping someone again). Heh, I'm getting stronger by the minute, without lifting even a single finger.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

The sun begins its rise over the horizon as we're all woken by Chrom (who took the latest watch shift). A little cleaning up on our impromptu camp site, and it's like we were never here. The others only had like five hours of sleep, but it should be enough to at least last us until Ylisstol without people mistaking us for zombies due to exhaustion. I for my part had plenty of time to practice my skills. And I wasn't even the least bit tired despite not catching a wink of sleep. Gamer's body rules!

"Ah, that's better." Lissa sighs contently while stretching.

"Indeed." Virion agrees. "I couldn't possibly have made myself presentable had I stayed awake all night. Why, the ladies would have positively run in fright at the sight of my fatigued countenance."

"No news there, Ruffles." Sully chuckles. "Ya send gals runnin' for the hills as you are already."

"Oof! Please, dearest Sully! You wound me!"

Chrom takes a closer look at Robin. "Hm? Is something the matter, Robin?"

The others look at said tactician, who has a frown on her face.

"I'm fine, Chrom. I needed that sleep. It's just…last night, it felt as if someone *shudder* felt me up."

Don't think about it. Don't think about it! Don't you freakin' think about it!

…

Her moan was cute…

Naga d-mn it!

"Scandalous!" Virion exclaims. "We must find the perpetrator and bring that scoundrel to justice right this instant!"

"Ya sure it wasn't you, Ruffles?" Sully asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course not, my dear! I know I may come off as overwhelming for a lady seeing me for the first time, but I would never tarnish her honor!"

"I can attest to that." Frederick adds. "I was on night watch when I heard you…react to something. But when I looked at you, I saw no one by your side. No one could have reached you where you lay."

Robin keeps her frown for a while longer before releasing it with a sigh. "Looks like I can't think of anything. I suppose it was just my imagination."

Phew… Dodged an arrow there. Frederick, I really owe you a favor for covering for me, even if you're not aware of it. I'll make it up to you someday, I promise.

With the camp site cleaned up and everyone ready to go, we continue our trek towards the capital.

…

There really isn't much happening when walking on a dirt road, unless some freak ambush comes our way. And judging from what I can percieve through Telekinetic sense, there's no one by the road, and therefore, no potential ambushes.

Wonder if I can do something else while leveling my skills. There's only so much you can do when all the entertainment you have is an Observe log and a group of allies to Observe. Since just about everyone is still a bit groggy from having woken up, no one's up for any conversation either. What to do, what to do?

You have anything for me, Options?

…

A rename feature? Sounds nice. I might rename some skills in the future to make them sound better.

Hmm… The alerts during battle _are_ starting to get a little redundant. Maybe I should change that first.

* * *

 _ **Later**_

It took some searching in the menus, but I've disabled most combat related alerts now. Though I still want to be kept up to speed in case of boss-level enemies or item drops mid-battle. Aside from that, I think I can decide whether I've killed an enemy or not. Should make things smoother for both me and the read- Never mind…

And, hey, we finally reached Ylisstol!

The capital looks fine to me. Hope the Risen only fell down in the forest we were in last night. Not everybody has a safety measure named "Chrom". Speaking of Chrom, it only takes a few seconds for the gate guards to recognize him and Lissa before they open the front gates into the capital. I could imagine getting past that gate would've taken a great deal longer if I didn't travel with Ylissean royalty. So, thanks, Chrom and Lissa.

"So this is Ylisstol, capital of Ylisse…" Robin says as she looks around in awe. "I've never seen so many people!"

"It appears the capital was spared the chaos we encountered, thank the gods." Frederick says relieved. "I see no evidence of the great quake. It must've been limited to the forest."

"Well, that's a relief!" Lissa agrees.

"Look! The exalt has come to see us!" An elderly citizen exclaims.

And here she comes. Exalt Emmeryn herself walks through the streets and greets the people with a smile. The people, in turn, wave in her direction with enthusiasm or bow in respect. Behind Emmeryn are a small group of armed soldiers and the occasional Pegasus knight, though it looks more like a formality than actual security due to the small size of the group and their level of equipment.

"The exalt is your ruler, yes?" Robin asks curiously.

"Yes." Frederick answers. "Her name is Lady Emmeryn."

Robin frowns at the small guard force. "Is it safe for her to walk among commoners like this?"

"The exalt is a symbol of peace – Ylisse's most prized quality." Frederick explains. "Long ago, at the dawn of our age, the fell dragon tried to destroy the world. But the first exalt joined forces with the divine dragon and laid the beast low. Exalt Emmeryn reminds us all of the peace we fought for then."

"With Plegia poking at our borders, the people need her." Chrom piques in. "She's a calming presence, when some might otherwise call for war."

Everyone has a smile on their faces at this point – Robin most of all. "Then the Ylissean people are indeed lucky to have her."

"She's also the best big sister anyone could ask for!" Lissa says happily.

"Yes, I imagine she…" Robin stops mid-sentence with her mouth agape. "Wait, what? She's your… But wouldn't that make you and Chrom-"

"The prince and princess of the realm, yes." Frederick confirms with his unflappable smile. "You remember Chrom's name and not this?"

I raise an eyebrow. "Didn't the way Frederick's manner of speech when he talks to Chrom and Lissa seem odd to you, Robin? The way he addresses them should indicate that they are at least of _some_ noble birth. Heck, even the people back in Southtown addressed Chrom in a similar manner."

"But you said you were "shepherds"!" Robin protests.

"And so we are…in a manner of speaking" Chrom replies. "We just have a LOT of sheep."

Robin starts to bow in a rapid manner, animé style. "C-Chrom… I mean, Prince Chrom! Sire! Forgive my dreadful manners!"

Chrom chuckles uneasily. "Just Chrom is fine. I've never been much for formalities." Chrom, you have NO idea how badly my home world needs politicians with your kind of personality and sense of responsibility. No offense to the politicians who _actually_ do a good job, just saying.

"The prince and princess…" Robin says with a contemplative look. "That explains why Frederick tolerates all the teasing, eh?"

"Indeed." The Great knight sighs. "Oh, the sacrifices I make for the good of the realm…"

Too bad no one really cares about his brief moment of drama.

"It looks like Emm is returning to the palace. Would you two like to meet her?" Chrom suggests.

"Er, don't you normally need to request an audience in advance or something like that first?" I ask as I scratch my head.

"Not for us!" Lissa says happily. "Emm always has a door open for family. And since you're with us, you can come in too." There you go pulling the royalty card again, Lissa. The strange thing is that she ends up helping us when she does it. It's like she's acting like a spoilt child, yet her behavior helps others in the process. Like a real princess, I suppose.

Our walk takes us to the palace gates, where we're once again let in after the guards take a brief look at Chrom and Lissa. Just as we're about to enter the palace itself, Sully walks in a different direction.

"Well, this is where we part ways for now. Catch ya later! Come on, Ruffles."

"Gladly, my dearest Sully." the Archer replies smiling. "Where are we headed, by the way? A humble tavern? The marketplace? Oh, perhaps a little spot only you know of? Why, I'm honored that you would invite-"

"Keep babbling and I'll kick ya outta the gates!"

"I'll be good!"

With that, the two head off to somewhere else. Chrom, Lissa and Frederick lead me and Robin into the palace. And let me tell you, this place is fancy! The floor is made of stone that's been cut into identical squares. The corridors and stairs are covered with red carpets that give off a homely feel even though I don't even live here. Guards and the occasional maid walk in every corridor and bow towards Chrom and Lissa when they see us. After a few minutes of walking, we come up to a particularly ornamental double door.

"Well, here we are." Chrom says and pushes the doors open.

The doors open to reveal what has to be the throne room. This room is huge! Really tall ceiling, extra pillars for support and interior decoration, intricate tapestries on said pillars and torches in between them, a stained-glass window on the back wall, above and behind the throne, and a massive brown carpet leading forward. And standing in front of said throne is the exalt herself.

"Chrom! Lissa! Welcome home. Oh, and good day, Frederick." Emmeryn greets the ylisseans. "How fared you all?"

"Well – we shouldn't have any bandit problems for a while." Chrom replies.

"Wonderful. And our people?"

"Safe as they can be, Emm. But we still need to watch the borders." Chrom narrows his eyes. "The brigands crossed over from Plegia."

"Forgive me, milord. My pegasus knights should have intercepted them." Phila says with a bow.

Chrom shakes his head. "No, Phila. Your duty was here, with the exalt."

"And besides, we had plenty of help!" Lissa adds happily.

"Ah, you speak of your new companions here?" Emmeryn asks curiously. "Would you please rise, young man? I wish to see your face, so I can address you properly."

"Gladly, your Grace." I respond and rise from my kneeling position.

…Wait…

When did I kneel?!

"Wha-?"

Chrom chuckles, Lissa giggles, and Frederick and Phila look at me with amused smiles.

"What's wrong, Jack?" Robin asks.

"I don't- I- I kneeled and I wasn't even aware of it?!"

Lissa finally loses it and doubles over in laughter.

"A ha ha ha ha! Oh gods! Your face looks priceless!" she says while pointing at me unsteadily.

Chrom smiles at me. "Emm has that effect on people who see her for the first time. You're not the first one to unconsciously kneel before her."

"I certainly hope it ceases soon though." the exalt sighs. "It gets difficult to address others when they keep kneeling before me."

Something's going on here. What's up with this woman?

* * *

 **Emmeryn Lvl 30 Class: Sage  
** _The exalt and current ruler of the halidom of Ylisse. Emmeryn succeeded the throne after the untimely demise of her father, the previous exalt. Unlike her predecessor, Emmeryn strives for peace with anyone she meets and demonstrates it by embodying this virtue. This is a result of having seen what horrors the previous war wrought for her people while she was still a child. She loves her younger siblings Chrom and Lissa above all else and is willing to risk her life for their sake. The one with the most radiant smile._

 **Titles: Exalt of Ylisse (+ 10 % CHAR)  
Paragon of peace (+ 15 % CHAR)**

 **HP: 3 700 / 3 700  
MP: 2 800 / 2 800**

 **STR: 12  
VIT: 14  
DEX: 10  
INT: 52  
WIS: 58  
LUCK: 10  
CHAR: 253 (200*1.1*1.15)**

 **Items:  
\- None  
**

* * *

O_O…

That CHAR stat… No wonder people kneel before her unconsciously.

Considering other characters that I've met so far don't display any stat points to use, it's safe to assume that all their stat gains are a result of their actions. Which begs the question; What has she gone through to become such a charismatic person? Well, I kinda know from the game, but, yikes! The game doesn't even begin to illustrate everything Emmeryn's been through!

Well, with that sidetrack out of the way, Chrom turns back to his elder sister.

"This is Robin and Jack. They fought bravely with us against the brigands. I've decided to make them both Shepherds."

Emmeryn smiles at this. "It sounds as though Ylisse owes both of you a debt of gratitude, Robin and Jack." Remember when I thought Chrom had the most charming smile in the halidom? I take it back. Emmeryn wins that award by miles (any kind of miles).

"Not at all, milady!" Robin answers hastily.

"I am honored, your Grace." I answer – and find myself kneeling once again. Drat!

That's when Frederick enters the conversation. "Forgive me, your Grace, but I must speak. Robin claims to have lost her memory, and Jack claims to be a simple traveler from a place he has yet to disclose. But they are only that: claims. We cannot rule out the possibility that they are brigands themselves or even Plegian spies." Oh, for crying out loud, Frederick! Just when I thought we were finally getting somewhere!

Chrom narrows his eyes at his lieutenant. "Frederick!"

Emmeryn intervenes before an argument can break out. "Yet you allowed both of them into the palace, Chrom. Do they have your trust?"

"Yes. They both risked their lives for our people. That's good enough for me."

"Well then you two." the exalt says to me and Robin smiling. "It seems you both have earned Chrom's faith, and as such you have mine as well."

"Milady." we answer in unison.

Emmeryn turns to Frederick. "But thank you, Frederick, for your prudence as always. Chrom and Lissa are blessed to have so tireless a guardian. I do hope they remember to mention that from time to time…" Was there a slight edge in her voice? Scary…

Frederick gives a short bow. "They occasionally express something akin to gratitude, your Grace." He then turns to Phila. "Phila, I assume you've heard about the deathly creatures we encountered, yes?"

Phila nods grimly. "Yes, milord. They've been sighted all across Ylisse."

"Chrom, we are about to hold council." Emmeryn tells her brother. "I was hoping you could join us."

Chrom nods. "Of course."

"I think that's our cue, Robin and Jack. C'mon, there's a place I want to show you. And you might want to get up, Jack."

Wait, what is she- How did I end up kneeling _again_?! Oh, come on! I was actively trying to _not_ kneel this time!

Any further thoughts are interrupted by Lissa grabbing me and Robin by the wrists and dragging us out of the throne room. Wow, girl's got a strong grip! Not to mention she's quick on her feet. Both me and Robin struggle not to end up getting dragged along the floor as Lissa pulls us through the castle corridors like we're dolls in the hands of a little girl.

* * *

 _ **One harrowing trip with the Lissa express later…**_

 **Due to running nonstop while in an awkward position, DEX goes up by 1!**

Finally…she stops…

Now that I have my chance to catch my breath, I notice that Lissa dragged me and Robin into the palace grounds on the right side. There's lots of open space and a three-story building that reminds me of a military barracks – complete with stables. Sully walks out from said stables and waves in our direction.

"Hey! Nice to see ya again! So, how'd meeting with the exalt go?"

"Probably as well as it could." I reply.

"Jack even went through the whole kneeling thing three times before we got here." Lissa adds with a smile that's way too innocent. Sigh… Will I ever live that down?

Sully chuckles. "Yeah, it happens. H-ll, it happened to me too when I first met her!"

Lissa's practically bouncing on her feet. "Enough about my sister though. Come on, this is what I wanted to show you!" Lissa walks into the building with the rest of us close behind.

"Is she always like this?" Robin asks Sully.

The Cavalier nods. "Pretty much. I honestly like her more like this than those other nobles with sticks up their asses."

"Hear, hear." I comment. I've read enough about those guys in the history books back home to get a feel of what they're like. Noble in name, and name alone.

As we walk into the barracks, we see several faces that I recognize from the game. There's Sumia fidgeting and looking out a window in the general direction of the palace. Vaike's off in a corner and flexing his muscles to no one in particular. Probably busy admiring his own physique. And…is that a suit of armor standing on the middle of the floor? Hold on… Wait, that's Kellam!

"Here we are! The Shepherds' garrison." Lissa proudly presents while gesturing around the big room we're in. "Go on, make yourselves at home."

Robin and I take a moment to take everything in. The place is loaded with stuff, from crates to furniture to the odd Concoction bottle sitting on the floor. Heck, they even have a decorative suit- wait, that's just Kellam in his armor again.

Didn't I notice him 10 seconds ago? Seriously, you would think a big guy in a big suit of armor sticks out like a sore thumb everywhere, but Kellam just vanishes from your perception the moment you stop thinking about him.

A fancily dressed girl with blonde curls comes running in Lissa's direction. That would be Maribelle, and she looks deeply upset. "Lissa, my treasure! Are you all right? I've been on pins and needles!"

"Oh, hey, Maribelle!" Lissa greets with an easy smile.

""Oh, hey" yourself! I've sprouted 14 gray hairs fretting over you!"

"Aw, you worry too much. I can handle a battle or two!" …Says the girl who got cornered by a trio of murderous zombies last night. "…Although I could do without the bugs and the bear barbeque…"

"Hey, squirt! Where's Chrom?" Vaike shouts as he approaches us from his corner. "I bet he had a hard time without ol' Teach and his trusty axe!"

Lissa turns to the Fighter with a smirk. "Oh, so you're "Teach" now, Vaike, is that it? Hee hee! And here I thought people were just born lacking wits. It can be taught?"

Vaike grins proudly. "Ha! Never doubt the Vaike!" Then his face morphs into confusion. "…Wait, was that an insult?"

Before Vaike has the chance to make himself look even sillier, Sumia drops in. "Beg pardon, but when might we see the captain?"

Maribelle sighs. "Poor Sumia. She's been simply beside herself with concern… Her eyes were scanning the horizon all day during training. She might have earned fewer bruises fighting blindfolded."

Lissa smiles at the yet-to-be Pegasus knight. "Aw, Sumia, that's so sweet of you to worry about Chrom."

Sumia's face turns pink. "Worry? Well, I… He's our captain and our prince – of course I'd worry!"

"So, who're the strangers?" Vaike piques in.

"No one's stranger than you, Vaike…" Lissa replies. "But allow me to introduce Robin and Jack! They just joined the Shepherds. Chrom's made Robin our new tactician and Jack our… Um, what role do you play here anyway, Jack?"

That had me thinking. What role will I play in the Shepherds, other than "just another member"? Lissa and Maribelle are obviously the healers, Kellam's the wall (when the Shepherds remember he's actually around), Miriel and Ricken are the mages, Vaike's the heavy hitter, Frederick is Chrom's second-in-command and Stahl and Sully charge in first as cavalry. With the addition of Virion, that's the sharpshooter and lookout slots filled in. And Sumia and Cordelia will eventually join to cover the skies.

Out of all the remaining roles, which one does my current skill set fit the best? Wait, I know! "Hm… I think I'd fit as the new scout. At least for the time being."

Robin looks at me in surprise. "You? A scout?"

I grin happily. "Yeah. I may not look like it, but I'm pretty good at sneaking around and gathering information. I mean, I did spot that old watchtower when we fought back in the forest. I think I just need some more practice, and I'll fit into my new role in no time."

Lissa looks at me with a raised eyebrow before shrugging. "Eh, what he said. Jack says he's hardly fought before, but he comes up with the craziest ideas when fighting – and they work! And Robin's strategies are incredible! You should see all the tricks she has up her sleeve!"

Vaike smirks. "Oh, yeah? Can any of 'em do this?" The Fighter lets out the loudest and most drawn out non-food related belch I've ever heard. If I remember correctly, this is where Maribelle throws a hissy fit over Vaike's manners. Better run damage control before Robin ruins her image in the noble's eyes.

My face turns into slight disgust. "I'm torn between amazement that you pulled that of and disgust because of how bad your breath smells. Well, nice to meet you all – minus the belching."

And here comes the hissy fit. "Ugh, Vaike! That was abhorrent! Must you baseborn oafs pollute even the air with your buffoonery? As for you, Jack, I suppose I should be glad that you are at least a _little_ civilized. Rest assured, I'm more than happy to give you lessons in proper etiquette in the future, not some tomfoolery like Vaike would."

With that, the blonde Troubadour walks away with her nose held high in classic stereotypical snob fashion. Ah, Maribelle. She can look like a total pain in the beginning, but once you pull that stick out of her ass, she becomes indispensable. She's actually one of my favorite characters in the game, and not just because she has personality to spare. Given enough time, she can build a skill set that makes her an absolute terror as a Dark flier (Galeforce + Lifetaker + Tomefaire + flier mobility + high magic stat = one h-ll of a spell slinger). Sure, she's fragile on the physical side, but she tanks magic like a pro no matter what her class is.

"Don't take it to heart, Jack." Sumia says comfortingly. "Maribelle warms to people slowly."

"Or burns too quickly! Hee hee!" Lissa adds. "But yeah, just give her time."

And that's when Chrom comes walking in. Sumia's smile could practically light up the entire room, even at night.

"Ah! Captain! You've returned! I was- I mean, we were so- Eep!"

*Bam!*

Ouch. That faceplant looked painful. I notice a few sheets of paper fluttering down to the floor in the corner of my vision. Did she slip on those papers? Talk about unlucky girl.

"Sumia! Are you all right?" Chrom asks concerned. "…Those boots of yours again?"

Sumia dusts herself off with an embarrassed look on her face. "No! I mean, yes! I mean… *sigh*"

Weird… She just did an epic faceplant on the stone floor, and yet her face looks as pristine as before the fall. What's her deal?

Hm? A skill?

* * *

 **Stone face, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _You may look delicate, but you're no stranger to taking impacts to the face, be it from others or because you're just that clumsy. Having suffered so much facial trauma during your life has strengthened every facet of your countenance to the point that almost nothing can mar it, not even stone. In fact, you may even be able to break something with your face alone due to how hard it's gotten. And yet, your cheeks remain as soft as ever. No, it doesn't make sense. Negates all damage caused by attacks hitting the face unless it's a bladed weapon._

* * *

The heck? I- I'll just leave it at that…

Chrom continues as if it's an everyday occurrence. "All right, listen, everyone: in the morning, we'll be marching to Regna Ferox."

"Regna Ferox?" Robin asks curiously.

"A unified kingdom to Yilsse's north." Sumia explains. "Inhabited by barbarians, or so it's said."

"Warriors are what they are, and we'll need their strength to quell this new menace." Chrom corrects. "Typically, the exalt would request such aid in person. But given recent events… Well, the people might worry should my sister suddenly leave the capital. So the task has been passed to us. Now, this mission is strictly voluntary. So if, for any-"

"I volunteer!" Lissa immediately replies.

"Me too!" Vaike follows confidently. "You'll be needin' ol' Teach along for such a delicate mission!"

"I'll go as well." we hear a voice say from seemingly nowhere.

Hang on a sec. Did that suit of armor just talk?

I walk up to said armor and knock on it twice. "Uh, anybody home?"

"*Sigh* I'm right in front of you."

Yikes! Kellam, don't scare me like- Oh, it was _his_ voice. How did I miss him like that again?

"Uh, great. Glad to have you aboard." I say awkwardly as I shake Kellam's hand.

"Jack? Who're you talking to?" Chrom asks bewildered.

"The big guy right in front of me." I reply as I use my free hand to indicate Kellam. "He says he's coming along. It's fine by you, right?"

Chrom takes a few steps closer. "Who? All I see is- Whoa! Kellam? When did you get here?!"

The big Knight sighs again. "I've been here the whole time, sir. Like I said, I'm coming along as well. That is, if you'll have me?"

Chrom looks as uncomfortable as me. "Um, yes. Having you along is reassuring. Just…stay close to where we can see you."

"I… I, um…" Sumia says hesitantly.

Chrom turns to the brunette. "Yes, Sumia?"

"It's just that… I'm not sure I'm quite ready for a proper mission just yet. I'd probably just get in the way."

"Well, you could stay behind the main group, and if a battle is met, just watch and learn? Your choice, of course. But some lessons can only be learned on the battlefield."

"W-well, if you think it wise, Captain."

Chrom gives Sumia an easy smile. "Just stay by me and you'll be fine."

Sumia looks overjoyed. "Oh, yes! I mean– Yes, sir, I'll do that!" Wow… Girl's got it bad for him.

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: Feroxi alliance  
** _As peaceful as things seem to be in the halidom for the time being, it's only a matter of time before things go south. Between Risen spreading across the land like a plague and Plegians bullying the poor civilians, Ylisse's standing army is spread paper thin in their attempt at keeping a handle on the giant mess. It's been decided that Ylisse request aid from their old ally Regna Ferox, but with Emmeryn being busy staying in the capital to keep panic from spreading, it falls on Chrom and the Shepherds to forge the alliance the halidom needs. Join up and make sure this diplomatic venture becomes a success.  
_ **Objectives:** _?, ?, ?  
_ **Rewards:** _Increased closeness with Robin, increased closeness with Chrom, ?, ?, 4 000 EXP, 4000 gold  
_ **Failure:** _Ylisse has to face the incoming hardships alone, resulting in the halidom inevitably falling to ruin._

* * *

After some small talk, we're all dismissed with orders to gather outside town the next morning. Until then, we're basically free to do whatever we want. The first thing I decide to do is check on my new room.

It's pretty small. Big enough for a bed, a desk and a closet for clothes and equipment, but there's room for little else. Much to my surprise, the closet comes with a small mirror mounted on the inside of one of the doors. That gives me the opportunity to take in my appearance.

I've retained my east Asian traits, thank goodness. It would feel weird if I looked like I'm from another part of Earth. Oddly enough, however, that's where the similarities between my past body and current body end. Physically, I look like I'm 16 or 17 again, instead of someone in their 20's. I think I even have some baby fat left on my face. My physique is slim, but a closer look shows some visible muscle on my arms. In fact, I can feel a little bit of notable muscle everywhere on my body. Must be from all the physical exertion since I arrived in this world. I'm sure I'll be able to put on more muscle as I grow stronger physically, though I would prefer keeping my body streamlined. The bodybuilder look just isn't my style.

Well, my physical appearance looks okay. Next on the list is a piece of equipment that's been on my person from the beginning and that I've been ignoring up until now; the mysterious medallion. As far as I can remember, I woke up with this thing around my neck, but I have no idea of what it is. Let's see…

* * *

 **Error! Cannot identify item!**

 **Mysterious medallion, Accessory, ?  
** _A medallion of unknown origins that you found around your neck when you woke up. You can't make heads or tails about this thing, no matter how you try. The only lead you have is the cryptic inscription on the back side._

* * *

 _When the great calamity seeks a new vessel, the two that cannot coexist will become one in the hands of the arcane prodigy to open the path to the realm_ _of souls. Only the truest of bonds can overcome the wicked soul and tame its power to become an instrument of good._

* * *

Well…that doesn't tell me a lot. Call it gamer's instinct, but I get the feeling that this medallion will be crucial for me in the future. Kinda like many other mysterious objects that the main character starts out with, but has no idea what it's good for until an important turning point in the story or even at the very end. Meh, if nothing else, it _does_ make for a fine accessory.

I hear someone knocking on the door.

"Jack? Are you in there?"

Hey, it's Robin! I open the door and let the Tactician in.

"Hi, Robin. How's it going in getting settled with the Shepherds?"

"Quite well. I didn't have much on me when I came here. Just my clothes and weapons."

Robin takes a look around my room.

"It looks pretty sparse in here…"

"Yeah, but I think I still have everything I need." And if I can't fit anything in my room, there's always my bag. "The closet even comes with a small mirror. Same for you?"

Robin shakes her head. "Actually, my room isn't here. Chrom gave me a room in the palace, as I'm the new tactician of the Shepherds."

Well, what do you know? Must be one of the perks of effectively being a commanding officer in a military unit.

"And?" I ask. "How's your room?"

"Lots of space – enough for at least a couple of bookshelves along with everything you have here. I think my bed is bigger. And I even have a washing room with my own bathtub."

Oh, you lucky girl, you. Yeah, we "ordinary" folks have to share a common washing area, which is basically a well surrounded by a fence. Sure, it's got enough stuff to make yourself clean, but I would really appreciate if there was something resembling a waterconduit, so I could take a proper shower. And the less said about the *ahem* restroom, the better. Freakin' nobles get all the good stuff around here… (*Grumble, grumble*)

"Well, I didn't come here to ask you about your room, Jack." Robin says, breaking me out of my grumbling. "I wanted to talk to you about the role you took upon yourself when Lissa introduced us to the other Shepherds."

"Oh, you mean the scout thing?"

Robin nods. "Yes. Jack, I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but the scout is one of the riskiest positions you could take. You will be the first to head towards enemy lines in order to gather information about them, and you'll almost always do it alone. Should anything happen to you, the others may not know before it's too late."

"I'm aware of that, Robin. That's why I'm taking this role."

Robin raises her eyebrow, silently asking me to elaborate.

"Like I said during the introductions, I'm good at gathering information while remaining undetected. I know I'm not the most experienced soldier around, but I think I can do this better than anyone else that's part of the Shepherds at the moment (conveniently forgetting Kellam)."

"That's good and all, but knowing that you put your life at risk like that worries me, Jack. Lissa told me about how you suffered from a severe wound during the battle last night when you fought to protect her. If she, Sully and Virion hadn't been around, you might've died!"

I let it sink in for a moment. She has a point. Even with my regenerative abilities, that wound would've probably harmed me faster than I could recover. Without Lissa nearby, I'd be a sitting duck until someone handed me a Vulnerary – provided someone could even reach me in that hectic battle.

"You're right. If anything, that wound showed me how careful I need to be in the future. But you have to understand, Robin, this isn't just about me. Everyone among the Shepherds put their lives on the line on the battlefield, even you. You're the tactician, yet you fight right alongside us on the frontlines."

"That's so I can relay my directions to the others more efficiently."

"And that's exactly my point. The frontlines are among the most dangerous areas of a battlefield, and yet you put yourself there for the sake of your comrades. I'm going as the scout for the same reasons. The information I gather could be crucial in order for you to form good strategies in the incoming battle. I know you can plan things on the fly, but having some time to plan ahead generally leads to better strategies. I'm not risking my life because it's exciting, Robin – I'm doing it because I believe that I can help you direct us and help us all in turn."

Robin takes a moment to think about my words and nods with a nervous expression. "That's a lot of trust you're putting in me, Jack. Honestly, I'm not sure if I can live up to your expectations."

I smile at the nervous Tactician. "I think you sell yourself short, Robin. I may not have known you for more than a full day, but I get this strange feeling that I can trust you with my life – at the very least until I feel confident that I can easily hold my own against any foe. And even then, we're a team. We stand together in battle and help each other. If one of us falls, the other will be there to pick 'em up. I have your back, and you've got mine."

Robin smiles back. "Now _I'm_ the one who thinks _you're_ selling yourself short, Jack. You started out as a total novice at combat when we met on that field, yet look at yourself now. You've survived two battles in a single day and emerged stronger from them, and you're even fighting alongside Chrom and the others to protect the people of Ylisse. You've already become an ally that I can rely on – both inside and outside of a battle."

She trusts me that much already? Gee…that makes me feel happier than I thought…

"You think so?" I ask hesitantly.

Her smile widens. "Jack, I _know_ so. You said that you have this feeling that you can trust me with your life. Well, I feel the same. You're the first person I can remember meeting, and the first thing you did was doing everything in your power to help me. How can I _not_ trust someone like that?"

That brings a smile of my own to my face. "Thanks, Robin. I look forward to aiding you in any way I can in the future. Hopefully this'll be the start of a great friendship."

"My thoughts exactly, Jack."

* * *

 **Due to expressing a strong sense of duty and solidarity, CHAR goes up by 1!**

 **Your relationship with Robin has advanced! Your relationship with Robin is now "Allies"!**

* * *

I suppose that would be the equivalent of having a support conversation. And what a conversation it was. No wonder the characters improve their relationships so fast through them. Some conversations may look unproductive at first glance, but they always get very personal.

After my conversation with Robin, I head out to the courtyard to see if there's anything to do. I might find a good place to practice at daytime.

That's when I notice Sumia. I walk over and greet her.

"Hello, Sumia."

The brunette turns to me with a startled expression.

"Oh! Hello… Jack, was it?"

I nod. "How are things going?"

"Oh, fine. Same old, same old."

Her expression looks a bit downcast for someone who claims to be fine.

"I can tell something's eating at you. Care to share?"

Sumia sighs. "It's just that, it all sounded so inspiring when Captain Chrom was all "some lessons can only be learned on the battlefield" and "you can stay behind if a fight is met". But now that I've had some time to calm down, I feel like me being there would be a terrible idea after all. I mean, I can hardly fight, I'm not sure if I'm ready for any missions – I just feel like a burden for everybody."

Well, this won't do! Sumia has the potential of becoming a great fighter, no matter what others say. It's just a matter of nurturing her carefully.

"I wouldn't say that you're a burden. The fact that you're part of the Shepherds means Chrom trusts you to become a great ally in the future, unless you're there already. And going by the levels of strength he and Frederick display in battle, that says a lot about his faith in you."

Sumia's face turns hopeful. "You mean…you think I can make a difference?"

I nod smiling. "Sure do. Just look at me, Sumia. Would you believe I hadn't done so much as touch a sword when I had my first run-in with a bandit who had no qualms cutting me down where I stood? And that happened yesterday."

Sumia looks at me in surprise. "What? But Lissa said Captain Chrom made both you and Robin members yesterday! She even said you come up with crazy ideas in battle that work!"

I nod. "It's true. Apparently, Chrom was so impressed by my performance in helping everyone drive out the bandits who were pillaging a town, that he offered me to join too. By the way, do you know _how_ I managed to get past that bandit and then helped in driving the rest out?"

Sumia shakes her head. Oh, this is gonna be good.

"I ran and hid behind some crates. Then I snuck up behind him with a frying pan and clocked him clean over the head. He dropped like a sack of potatoes. I took his sword and killed him with it before running of in search for Robin and the others."

Sumia's in awe. "Wow… I had no idea…"

"My point in all of this is that everyone starts out small. Me, you, everyone, with no exceptions. So what if you feel like a burden? That doesn't have to be true forever. If you keep striving to improve yourself, it's only a matter of time before you become irreplaceable for us all. I'm sure of it."

Sumia smiles at me. "Thank you, Jack. I think I needed to hear that. I don't think I'm much good in a fight yet, but I'll keep training until I am!"

I grin happily. "Great! In fact, I think we can help each other in that regard. See, I was just looking for some place to practice my own skills, but I think I would benefit more from having a sparring partner. So, what do you say, Sumia? Up for a spar?"

That throws Sumia for a loop. "Huh? You mean, right now? But… But I-"

"Hey, you said yourself that you'll train until you're good in a fight. But training won't complete itself. If you want to get good, you have to work for it. There's no time like the present!"

Sumia looks hesitant before she steels herself. "I- No, you're right. I can't keep fretting over everything forever. I'd love to spar with you."

That's the spirit, Sumia! You'll become awesome soon enough, you'll see. "Cool. One problem, though. Where do we spar?" I ask as I scratch my head sheepishly.

Sumia sweatdrops before leading me to a small area with crates. A quick Observe reveals that the crates hold a plethora of wooden practice weapons. Heavier than conventional weapons to make soldiers have an easier time swinging around the real deal, low base damage, perfect for training. I walk up to a crate containing practice swords and pick one up before walking to a circle that's been drawn on the ground. That would be the sparring ring. Sumia soon joins me with a wooden staff.

I've had my fair share of opponents before, but those were either untrained bandits or zombies. Unlike before, my opponent is a trained soldier, clumsy as she may be. I'd better think about my form now.

Let's see… Stand sideways, point my weapon towards my opponent, square my shoulders, slouch forward slightly, bend my knees, stay on my toes. There, that should work.

"Ready when you are." I tell Sumia. Sumia nods and settles in her own stance.

We circle each other carefully, trying to look for an opening. Sumia takes the initiative and charges me. Makes sense. Her staff gives her the longer reach.

I quickly step to the left and parry her strike to the right. Before I can retaliate, Sumia pivots and brings back the staff for a horizontal sweep. I duck and step inside her guard for a stab against her heart, but I'm forced back by her shoving the butt end of the staff against my torso. Yikes, Sumia's way better than she gives herself credit for!

I take a few steps back, effectively bringing us back to our starting positions. Okay, now I know that Sumia can handle polearms pretty flexibly. She's quick at melee range as well, eliminating some problems that most novice lance users struggle with. One thing's for sure – Sumia is no novice!

I decide to take the initiative this time and charge her. Sumia answers by bringing up the staff and stabbing towards my solar plexus. I parry to the left this time and slide my sword along the length of her staff towards her hands. Just as I'm in range, however, Sumia shoulder tackles me. Cr-p, I'm off-balance!

"Here goes!" Sumia shouts and goes in for what promises to be a painful blow-

-and then she trips mid-charge. Was that pebble always there?

*Bam!*

Sumia lies facedown on the ground, her staff dropped to the side. She groans as she raises herself up on her arms. Wait… Did her face leave an imprint on the ground? We're standing on packed dirt! What is her face made of?

"Oh, horse plop! Just when I had the perfect chance too!"

I bend down and help her up. "That was incredible, Sumia! You wielded that staff in ways I didn't even know of."

Sumia blushes at my praise. "Oh, thank you. I do make sure to practice every day, and both Sully and Frederick help me whenever they have time. It's just that…I always mess up somewhere! How can I help anyone if I keep tripping all the time?"

I mull the question in my head. Sumia's definitely ready for combat. The only things holding her back are her tendency to trip as well as her lack of confidence.

"You know… I think you might be able to solve your problem if you're just more aware of your surroundings – especially the ground in front of you."

Sumia looks at me questioningly. I might be on to something here.

"Like you said yourself: you had me back there. If you didn't trip, I would be the one on the ground with a bruise on my chest. Had we used real weapons, you could've easily landed a killing blow. While practicing your lance play is important, I think some running would do you good."

"What?! But I trip all the time!"

"Maybe you do right now, but running is about more than just getting from one point to another on foot – you also need to be aware of your surroundings and make sure you have a good foothold while keeping up the pace. Running outside in, say, a forest will allow you to practice on keeping an eye on where you can go without having your foot hit a snag or root. Give it some thought. You might train yourself out of all that tripping. And even if you don't, you still get the benefit of increasing your endurance."

Sumia smiles. "Thank you, Jack. I'll definitely give it a try. I think I'll go running in the forest outside the capital."

"Sounds like a plan. Just make sure to bring a weapon with you. You can't be too careful these days."

Sumia nods and runs off.

"Eep!" *Bam!*

And trips again. But unlike before, she peps herself as she gets up and keeps going with more enthusiasm. She might've said something along the lines of "For the Captain!", but I might be wrong.

Looks like holding that conversation with Sumia increased my CHAR by 1. I even noticed my relationship with her increasing. Well, that sparring session was fruitful.

* * *

One issue that became clear to me during the spar was my lack of armor. I really should've addressed this earlier, what with all the fighting and the only protection I have is a bunch of civilian clothing. Heck, that wound I suffered during the battle last night probably wouldn't have been as bad if I had some armor on my body. Maybe I should've asked Sumia if she knows a good armorer in the capital.

I hear a horse neighing and notice someone leading a horse into the stables. Hey, that's Stahl! He'll also join us to our trip to Ferox tomorrow. Too bad Vaike forgets to tell him, resulting in the poor guy missing out on breakfast. Well, time to rectify that.

"Hi there!" I greet Stahl. He turns around and greets back.

"Hi! You're a new face."

I nod. "Yep. My name is Jack. I joined the Shepherds after Chrom asked me yesterday."

Stahl and I shake hands.

"My name's Stahl. I've been a Shepherd for a few years. It's nice to meet a new member."

"Then you'll have some great company. Chrom didn't just pick up me – he also got you guys a new tactician."

"Really?"

"Yep. Her name is Robin. Her abilities as a tactician are top notch. I think you'll get along just fine."

Stahl smiles. "That sounds great. The more, the merrier."

I nod in agreement. "Oh, by the way – we'll be marching north towards Regna Ferox tomorrow, so if you want to join, you better get ready outside town in the morning. Your choice, though. Chrom says it's voluntary."

"Thanks. I'll be there. Good thing you told me, or else I might've missed breakfast. Gods, that would be awful!"

That's that problem taken care of. "Good to have you along, Stahl. Say, do you know where I can get some armor? It won't do if I get into any more fights without proper protection."

Stahl nods in agreement. "Yeah, I know just the place. Just let me get my horse boarded and I'll take you there."

* * *

A few minutes later, we're walking down the streets of Ylisstol. Stahl leads me through an alley to the left near the capital plaza and stops in front of a building with a sign that says "Smithy of secrets". Okaaay…

"Well, here we are. In fact, most of the Shepherds come here whenever we're in need of something related to our equipment. It's a small establishment, but they offer a wide range of services at an affordable price."

Luckily for me, I can tinker with my map to mark important places, and if Stahl's judgement is to believed, this place makes the list. We walk into the smithy to meet-

"Welcome to the Smithy of secrets! How can I help you?"

No way… Red hair done in a ponytail, slim build, charming smile on her face… The smithy is managed by an Anna! Those girls are everywhere!

 **(AN: Fun fact: In the Fire Emblem/Persona crossover game "Tokyo mirage sessions", the salesclerk in one of the shops you have access to bears a striking resemblance to Anna, right down to the charming smile. She even has a twin sister who manages a shop in the alternate world.)**

"Hello, Anna! How's business?"

"Well, if it isn't Stahl." the merchant/blacksmith greets cheerfully. "Well, business could be better, and I think you could help me with that right now. So, watcha need?"

Stahl shakes his head. "Actually, I'm just here to show your place to my new comrade Jack here. He needs some armor now that he's joined the Shepherds."

The redhead's smile lights up like a sun. "Yay! A new customer- I mean, you came to the right place, young man!"

Oh man… I hope I can get some new armor without having to sacrifice my nonexistent purse.

As it turns out, Stahl was right in that Anna offers a wide range of services. Aside from working on metal equipment, she also offers armor made of cloth or leather and can even work on most weapons – aside from legendary or divine ones, of course. She's good, but not _that_ good. After some searching in what Anna has to offer (she even has a catalogue for that purpose), I decide on a piece of chainmail and some leather armor to cover my upper body. That should protect the most important parts without sacrificing any mobility. And speaking of sacrifice – my money count made it out of that affair just fine. Here's to hoping that the Annas only try to screw the bad guys over. You never know with these girls…

"I'll have everything ready by tomorrow morning, so make sure to stop by!" the smithy owner says with her trademark smile as we leave.

Stahl and I return to the Shepherds' barracks just in time for supper. It sounds nice – until we find out that Sully's on mess duty tonight. The moment we hear the news, Stahl vanishes in a cloud of dust. Before I can follow my new comrade, Sully has me in an iron grip on the shoulder.

"Nice of ya to join me for supper, Jack. I'm tryin' out this new recipe I got from the palace kitchens a week ago, and you look like just the person to test if it works!"

I know I can't argue my way out of this one without suffering Sully's wrath. A quick look around the mess hall (which coincidentally is the very same room where Lissa introduced us earlier today) shows that me and Sully are the only ones here. Sigh… Better get this over with. May Naga have mercy on my soul…

* * *

 **You have ingested terribly cooked food! You now suffer from "Poison"!**

Why, Naga, why? That was awful beyond words! Just one bite of…whatever it was Sully tried to cook knocked me unconscious. When I came to, Lissa was there (bless her soul) with some medicine and strict orders that I'm to stay in bed until tomorrow. So here I am now, in bed and feeling miserable. I think the fever's passed at least. Ugh. If Sully's cooking didn't look as bad as it is for your health, that stuff could become a dangerous murder weapon. As it is, it might be good for torturing POW:s or executing criminals of the worst kind.

Oh, well. I might as well make the most of my situation. With no one to disturb me, I might have a great opportunity to make new skills and practice them along with my already existing ones. And the first step is making a space where I can practice undisturbed no matter what I do.

"I- ID…Create…" I groan out.

* * *

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action! You gained "ID Create"!**

 **ID Create, Lvl 0 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 50 MP  
** _The ability to create an ID (which is short for "Instant Dungeon") is now in your hands! Having your very own parallel dimension opens up for plenty of possibilities, but most casters use it as their private training grounds. It's a useful trick, since any damage done in here doesn't happen in the real world. You're technically somewhere else, after all.  
Creates an ID that only the caster can enter. Any creature or object that the caster is in contact with when this skill is used is taken into the ID as well. Any change that is done in the ID does not affect the outside dimension._

 _Current ID:s available:  
Lv 0: Empty_

* * *

A dome of mana spreads out from my body and covers everything I can perceive in less than a second. Unlike the real world, everything in the ID is tinted red, with the exception of the sky, which is colored black, and every cloud being pure white. I get up on shaky legs and stumble my way down to the "restroom" area in the courtyard. There I find a place that no one would mind if it got dirty. I steel myself, bend over the place and stick my fingers down my throat. This is gonna suck…

"Bluuuerrgh!"

I know regurgitating is not the most pleasant way of getting rid of food poisoning, but I need it out of my system yesterday. Sickening feeling aside, my efforts soon pay off.

 **You are no longer suffering from "Poison"!**

Ugh, good riddance! A quick stop by the well to rinse my mouth, and I'm right as rain again. Before I can begin my epic training session through the night, there's one more thing I need to do first. I get back to my room and will the ID away.

"ID Escape".

* * *

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action! You gained "ID Escape"!**

* * *

The ID shatters like glass, bringing me back to my room just the way I left it. Time to make a skill that will leave no one the wiser that I've gone off on a brief training trip in another dimension. I concentrate my mana and will it to take shape outside my body.

"Shadow clone."

*Poof*

* * *

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action! You gained "Shadow clone"!**

* * *

In a puff of smoke, a perfect replica of myself emerges. Just for testing, I poke it on the chest.

"Relax, Boss. I'm a solid, perfect replica of you. And if this skill does just what it says on the tin, you just made the perfect training skill." my clone says.

I grin at the news. "Awesome! This means I can finally put my real training plans into motion. As for you, you already know what to do."

My clone does a mock salute and heads for the bed. "You got it, Boss."

My plan is very simple. By leaving a Shadow clone in my bed, everyone thinks I'm sleeping when I'm actually in an ID training through the night. When morning comes, I just need to exit the ID in my room, dispel my clone and climb into bed, and it'll look like I never left it at all. Of course, my clone will be busy during the night. Remember all the skills I trained while feigning sleep last night? That's what my clone will be doing every night when it fakes sleep in my stead.

With my cover set, I once again activate ID Create and head back to the courtyard.

Now to begin my real training. There's plenty of skills that I wish to create, and I have all the time until sunrise, at the very least.

Considering how MP intensive my training sessions will become, I'll need some good MPR to last me through the night. So I open my Status menu and dump points into WIS until it hits 50. The results are immediate.

* * *

 **Due to holding great amounts of wisdom, you have gained "Mana savant"!**

 **Due to holding great amounts of wisdom, you have gained "Intermediate mana manipulation!"**

* * *

Oh, baby! Judging from what I can read here, these new skills will keep my MP up a lot better than before! Just what I need for a night of intense skill grinding!

The first skill I want to make is one of the most versatile skills I have ever seen. The versatility comes from my vast knowledge in everything animé and game related. The skill already has a chant for activation, but I'll try putting my own spin on it. I settle in a stance with my arms stretched out in front of me and a little bit on either side. My palms are open and point forward and slightly down. I once again concentrate my mana. Considering the scale of this skill, the MP cost will likely be huge. I take a deep breath and begin chanting. Mimicry, go!

* * *

 _Life, death, and the border between.  
My craft reaches beyond what is seen.  
Pain and toil was all I could feel  
as I stood, day and night, forging my steel.  
Yet those hardships were a small price to pay  
to make these creations see the light of day.  
They will slay my foe, peasant or lord,  
for __**I am the bone of my sword!**_

 _ **Unlimited Blade Works!**_

* * *

Flames appear in the air as I chant. When my chant reaches its end, the flames expand until they cover everything in sight. Next thing I know, I stand on a plain, with grassy hills as far as the eye can reach. In the sunset horizon I see massive gears turning.

* * *

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action! You gained "Unlimited Blade Works"!**

* * *

I notice that the plains are empty. I suppose it makes sense. UBW is basically a manifestation of the caster's soul. All the weapons that Shirou has at his disposal when using this technique come from the experience gained from countless battles. Every weapon that he wields tells a story. Since I just made my own UBW, it's only natural that there are no weapons here. I haven't experienced that many battles yet.

That's where my next skill comes into play. Making sure that Mimicry is still active, I draw my trusty Bronze sword and channel my mana through it while using Observe.

"Trace on."

The results do not disappoint.

* * *

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action! You gained "Trace on"!**

 **Would you like to synchronize Trace on with Unlimited Blade Works?**

* * *

Heck yeah, I do! This way, I don't need to experience countless battles in order to fill my reality marble with all kinds of weapons. With my vast knowledge of weapons, both real and fictional, I can make them instantly!

I hear the sound of a hammer striking an anvil in the distance. Then a Bronze sword appears on one of the hills, sticking out of the ground. Oh, I am gonna have fun with these two skills!

Now, which weapon is next? Oh, maybe I should try making a zanpakutou!

 **Error! Living weapons cannot be created.**

Well, that's a shame. And here I had hoped I could go bankai on the Grimleal. Heh, it would've been hilarious to see their faces go from shock to contempt to pants-sh-tting terror as their numbers get ground to dust in a wave of razor sharp cherry blossom petals. Oh well, guess I can't have it all…

So, what weapons does that leave me, aside from every weapon in Fire Emblem history? The seven swords of the hidden Mist (except Samehada), Smoker's seastone jitte, every weapon wielded by a lancer class Servant, every keyblade ever (including the χ-blade), Laphicet's spell paper, Wonder Blue's valiantium blade, the Final Fantasy weapons (I'm especially looking at your swords, Cloud and Sephiroth), Erza Scarlet's entire weapon arsenal, every Blazer's device, major Armstrong's alchemy gauntlets, Goku's extendable staff, lightsabers… The list goes on and on and ON. Hm…wonder if I can trace suits. That would enable me to make some costumes from My hero academia (Bakugo's grenade gauntlets sound very tempting if I can get some nitroglycerin), or even a gunman from Gurenn Lagann.

Okay, maybe I'll skip the suits. Those things sound pretty complex in my book, and I have enough on my plate already.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

Phew… I think I've recreated every fictional weapon I know of. And let me tell you, that's a LOT. Probably the result of being a guy who's part gamer, part otaku, and with more memory capacity than I know what to do with. Well, I have a massive arsenal of weapons at my beck and call. Now to train in using them. I dump a load of MP into making shadow clones and soon find myself in a small crowd of…me.

"Alright!" I shout to get every clone's attention. "Each one of you grab a weapon and go to some remote place to practice until you exhaust yourselves. Don't worry about dropping your weapon, just go nuts in mastering them and I'll handle the rest."

My clones salute and go every which way in search for a weapon to practice with. There are two clones that I stop, however.

"You two get an exceptionally important task. As you're already aware of, we lack any skill in unarmed combat, and that's a massive weakness we need to cover quickly. Your task is to train in a style of martial arts that is fast, effective and deadly in the right hands. Then you spar against one another."

"Sounds good, Boss." one of the clones reply. "Any style you want to learn in particular?"

Well, since I've recreated skills from the Fate series, I might as well mimic one of the deadliest martial artists from the same universe. My grin may or may not look scary.

"I want you to learn the martial art that can let even an ordinary man beat the cr-p out of a trained warrior – the fighting style of Souichirou Kuzuki."

My clones shudder for a moment before one of them speak up.

"The high school teacher who almost singlehandedly handed Rin, Shirou and even Saber their asses in just over a full minute?"

I nod. "The very same. If a former assassin can curb stomp the wielder of Excalibur barehanded, imagine what his skill can do in the hands of someone who's trained themselves to super-human levels."

"Sheesh, Boss. You sound like you're trying to take over the world."

I shake my head. "You know me. I simply like being OP. And considering we might go up against the draconic incarnation of the apocalypse and his evil cult in the future, I'll need every advantage I can get. You know the drill."

My clones nod and walk towards an open space to begin practicing.

There's one more skill that I need to check off. While it is powerful in its own right, this skill is mainly a stepping stone in the process of making an even more powerful skill. I settle in a stance with my right hand stretched out and the palm facing upwards. I activate Mimicry once more and then start concentrating mana above my palm. Then I rotate the mana in a circular direction. Then in two. Four. Eight. And eventually every which way. Next, I pump more mana into my construct and concentrate all of it into a small shape. Lastly, I take a strong grip on the rotating mana and contain it in a spherical shell.

* * *

 **A new skill has been created through a special action! You gained "Spiraling mana sphere!"**

* * *

Perfect. Now I just need to rename the skill – and what better name than the original one that has become about as well known as the Kamehameha itself?

"Rasengan!"

*Boom!*

The crater I left in the ground has a diameter close to my own height. And that's while I'm still a novice with a skill that's only the first step towards something even greater. All in due time, though.

I make one more clone with the instruction to focus solely on the Rasengan (and Meditation of course). There, that should be every skill I want at the moment.

The cool thing about this particular mass training isn't just that I'll master a wide range of weapons. See, before I made my army of clones, I reminded myself that all weapons training is to be done while in Mimicry. The result? Not only will every clone recreate the moves of the original wielder, those skills will all be passed on to me when they dispel. My combat skills in general won't be the only things skyrocketing – Mimicry will get plenty of use tonight from each and every clone. The same, of course, goes with the other skills that I train whether I feign sleep or travel: Reinforcement, Meditation, Telekinesis, Telekinetic sense (which I renamed into "Mind's eye") and Observe. If a clone dispels, I just replace it with another one. Ah, the beauty of Shadow clones.

As for me, I start doing every physical exercise I can think of, with Reinforcement deactivated and instead focusing Telekinesis to weigh me down. I'm trying to simulate training in stronger gravity to increase my stat gains faster.

* * *

 **Due to constructing an extremely efficient and comprehensive training regimen based on your abilities, WIS goes up by 1!**

* * *

Well, that's probably all I will do until sunrise. Now, if only I could trace an mp3-player or something similar so I can train with music…

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter**

*Risen wander the highroad*

 **Risen:** Raagh…

 **Chrom:** Great… The Risen have spread all the way here.

 **Frederick:** Gods, will this undead menace ever stop?

 **Vaike:** Hah! They'll be _re_ dead after they taste my axe- Hey, where'd it go?!

 **Chrom:** Not now, Vaike.

 **Vaike:** But I had my axe just a second ago, I swear!

*An axe is thrown right at a Risen's head*

 **Miriel:** Are you referring to _this_ axe?

 **Vaike:** Hey, thanks, Miriel!

 **Miriel:** Take better care of it, or I'll fix it to your wrist with magic – permanently.

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Highroad to hectic! Risen as far as the eye can reach!**

*Wounded Pegasus thrashing about*

 **Jack:** I hear Link is a great horse tamer. Maybe he can lend a hand. Now, if only I knew how to reach Hyrule…

* * *

 **Omake: Reviewing the recipe**

Sully looks at the unconscious Jack after the Traveler had a taste of her cooking.

"Strange…" the Cavalier mutters while scratching her head. "I could swear I followed the recipe perfectly this time."

Miriel walks in and finds Jack on the floor.

"Fascinating. He seems to have been knocked unconscious, though there are no signs of physical trauma."

"Miriel?"

"Good evening, Sully. I came here to prepare some supper for myself."

"Well, no need for that." Sully says proudly. "I made enough food for everyone. But it's weird how Jack just went down after only one bite. There's no way the palace chefs would make a recipe that terrible."

Jack's face turns green.

"Er, is that normal?"

"Heavens, no!" the Mage exclaims. "That is a symptom of food poisoning."

"What? But I followed the recipe perfectly! I even made sure every ingredient was as fresh as can be!"

Miriel takes a look at the bowl with Jack's mostly untouched serving. The black substance gives off a sinister aura – and even seems to move a bit. Parts from critters like newts and mice float around here and there.

"If I may inquire, what kind of recipe includes newt and mouse?"

Sully hands Miriel a note with the recipe. After reading the whole list, Miriel blanches.

"This is no recipe for consumable food! This is the recipe for Ricken's latest experimental potion! We had to reject the recipe and destroy the entire batch due to how dangerous of a failure it was! Goodness, did that boy throw it out near the palace kitchens?"

Sully sweatshops. "Well, cr-p… That explains where I got that note from…"

Jack's face turns purple.

"Uh, I think it's getting worse."

"We have to get a healer here, immediately!"

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Mind's eye, Lvl 27 [68.1 %], Active, Cost: 8 MP  
** _The human body is said to perceive the world through five separate senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. There are even rumors of a sixth sense, separate from the other five. But this one is none of the above mentioned. By using your ability to project a mental force on objects outside yourself, you can use that very mental contact to perceive the objects as if you used your sense of touch, except there's no need for physical contact. The Byakugan ain't got s-it on this!  
Range: 16 meters._

 **ID Create, Lvl 0 [50.0 %], Active, Cost: 50 MP  
** _The ability to create an ID (which is short for "Instant Dungeon") is now in your hands! Having your very own parallel dimension opens up for plenty of possibilities, but most casters use it as their private training grounds. It's a useful trick, since any damage done in here doesn't happen in the real world. You're technically somewhere else, after all.  
Creates an ID that only the caster can enter. Any creature or object that the caster is in contact with when this skill is used is taken into the ID as well. Any change that is done in the ID does not affect the outside dimension.  
Current ID:s available:  
Lv 0: Empty_

 **ID Escape, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _A skill used to exit an ID. Any objects in the caster's inventory is taken out of the ID as well. This skill can only be used outside of combat._

 **Mana savant, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _A skill only found among a select few who have gained a great understanding of the workings of the world. It is said that a great sage who reached this point had the ability to tap into his natural source of mana on a level previously believed impossible.  
Passively increases maximum MP by 30 %. All magic based skills deal 10 % more damage._

 **Intermediate mana manipulation, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _Mages who ascend beyond mere apprenticeship and find themselves masters in their own right consider this skill to be a mark of experience. By gaining an intimate understanding of the flow of mana, those who practice the arcane arts are capable of channeling their mana with efficiency they could only dream of during their apprentice days.  
Passively reduces the MP cost of all skills by 10 %._

 **Shadow clone, Lvl 5 [50.0 %], Active, Cost: 100 MP / clone  
** _A skill originally created by the second hokage Tobirama Senju. Uses the caster's mana to make a physical replica of themselves. Each clone can act and think independently of the caster and can use any skill that the caster can use.  
The stats of each clone is 10 % of the caster's own stats. A clone will dispel if its HP or MP reaches 0. Any information, EXP, new skills and leveling of already existing skills that the clone gained will automatically be transferred to the caster upon dispelling._

 **Unlimited Blade Works, Lvl 9 [42.0 %], Active, Cost: 500 MP  
** _A skill originally created by the heroic spirit Shirou Emiya. Creates a reality marble; a manifestation of the caster's own soul in the shape of a separate dimension. Within this reality marble, any weapon that the caster has traced can be used at their will. Does your enemy have enough weapons stocked up? Maintenance cost: 80 MP / minute  
Synchronization effect: Any weapon that the caster analyses with Trace on is automatically added to UBW._

 **Trace on, Lvl 32 [24.0 %], Active, Cost: 44 MP  
** _A skill originally created by the heroic spirit Shirou Emiya while he was still a magus-in-training. By using Observe while channeling mana through an object, the caster can analyze the object's structure on a molecular level, as well as its history from the moment of making until the present day. Any weapon that has been traced can be recreated and wielded as the caster's own weapon by using this skill again. Should a traced weapon enable use of a skill, the caster can use that skill while wielding the weapon.  
Maintenance cost: 28 MP / minute  
Synchronization effect: While UBW is active, all costs related to this skill is reduced to 0._

 **Polearm mastery, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive  
** _The spear is believed to be the first weapon man ever wielded, mainly for the purpose of hunting. Long and slim, polearms are easy to use but difficult to master due to their length and rigidity. Those who master these weapons not only gain an advantage in range – they can also attack in more ways than many other weapons offer. It has the added benefit of looking awesome AF too.  
Increases attack speed and attack power by 5 % when attacking with a polearm of any kind._

 **Axe mastery, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive  
** _The axe was originally a tool meant for cutting wood. With war, however, came the weaponization of any tool available, including this one. Axes hold most of their weight as well as the bladed edge at the end of the shaft. With so much of their power concentrated at a small space, axes can deal more damage than most other melee weapons at the tradeoff of being among the most difficult to wield.  
Increases attack speed and attack power by 5 % when attacking with an axe._

 **Archery mastery, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive  
** _Building on the ranged options that the spear offered, man eventually engineered a weapon designed exclusively for attacking at range. The result was the bow. Handling a bow requires great commitment and dedication, as the user needs to take factors such as wind direction and the target's movements into account when lining up a shot – let alone having a clear line of sight in order to even aim properly. Those who can master this weapon, however, can send death from afar before most enemies even have the chance to react.  
Increases attack speed and accuracy by 5 % when attacking with a bow._

 **Martial arts mastery, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive  
** _There are those who train with a weapon until they can wield it like an extension of their body. Then there are those who train their body until they can wield it like a weapon. This skill falls into the latter category. While martial artists usually fight at a disadvantage in terms of range, they make up for it with techniques most weapon wielders could only dream of. Underestimating a foe due to their lack of weapons can be a fatal mistake.  
Passively increases STR, VIT and DEX by 5 %. Increases attack speed and attack power by 5 % when attacking unarmed._

 **The snake, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _The fighting style of the high school teacher under cover Souichirou Kuzuki. A martial arts style practiced by assassins who are sent undercover by an unknown organization. The style mainly focuses on grapples, as well as crippling blows to vulnerable areas like joints. Like a real snake, the practitioner strikes with blinding speed and lethal accuracy the moment they spot an opening. This style is not meant for combat – it's meant for disabling a target or outright killing them.  
Using this style while unarmed increases attack speed by 5 %. Attacks on joints and vital areas deal 50 % more damage._

 **Rasengan, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 150 MP  
** _A skill originally created by the fourth hokage Minato Namikaze. Performed by concentrating a high amount of mana and rotating it in multiple directions simultaneously while containing it in a spherical shell.  
Base damage: 1 000 % of the caster's INT stat. Can only be used at melee range._

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **Great Knight, Class  
** _Combining the tremendous strength and rock-solid defense of armored Knights with the mobility and versatility of Cavaliers, Great Knights are commonly seen on the frontlines as elite soldiers. With the many benefits also come many risks, however. The Great Knight combines both the best and worst of two worlds.  
Increases attack power and attack speed by 10 % when attacking with a sword, lance or axe. Damage taken from physical attacks is reduced by 10 %. __Magic spells of any element do 10 % less damage. Damage taken from magic spells of any element increases by 10 %. This unit counts both as mounted and heavily armored._

 **Chain mail, Armor, Uncommon  
** _A piece of armor made by combining small chain links into the shape of a shirt. The material allows for good coverage of the upper body without sacrificing any mobility. As the armor is made of chain links, its main purpose is to stop incoming arrows rather than melee attacks. Often worn under a more rigid piece of armor._

 **Poison, Status effect  
** _A foreign substance is wreaking havoc inside your body! Depending on its potency, your condition will range from mildly uncomfortable to dead. Get some antidote or a healer, pronto, or suffer the consequences! Continuously deals damage over time. The more potent the poisonous substance and the higher the amount, the higher the damage suffered. HPR is reduced to 0 while this debuff is active._

 **Intetsu, Sword, Base damage: 58, Unique  
** _The device of the Blazer-in-training Ikki Kurogane. While wielding this blade, Ikki was able to accurately analyze the skills of his opponent and then use them as his own. Due to his abnormally low levels of magical power, Ikki was constantly forced to struggle against an academic system where magical power was the measure of performance. He managed to prove his worth in the end, showing the world the fruits of his hard labor.  
Available skills when wielded: Blade steal, Itt_ _ō_ _Shura._

* * *

 **Maaan... This chapter got longer than I expected. Well, at least now everything should be set before the Shepherds head out for the highroad.**  
 ** **Hope you like the dialogues that deviate from the game script.****

 ** **Jack's encyclopedic corner contains entries from his Observe log, so if you're curious about the kind of stuff he reads about on a regular basis, that section will give you a little bit of that.****

 **As usual, please rate and review!**

 **CrossVipeR316, over and out.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, dear readers. This is CrossVipeR316 with another chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **Man, the response from the last chapter was stronger than I'd expected. Several points in the chapter were taken up in your reviews, so I've decided to address some of the most frequently pointed out ones.**

 **The massive influx in Jack's skill set.  
** Chapter 3 was mainly for transition between the in-game chapters as well as setting up Jack for the future chapters. The new skills that Jack gained from his training in the UBW are meant to lay the foundation for his fighting style and techniques in the future. I'm afraid I may lack the creativity to have a few skills get a massive variation of uses for the duration of the story (like how quirks are used in MHA), so I opted for a wide range of skills for Jack instead. And while Jack got a lot of skills during the last chapter, there is still more to come. Some skills will obviously get more use than others (Sword mastery is the perfect example). That being said, I will try to let just about every skill get at least one go in this fic. This brings me to the next point.

 **Jack's role as a scout.  
** As was implied in the last chapter, Jack's role as the Shepherds' new scout is only _temporary_. There are other members of the Awakening cast who fit the role as scout better than Jack does. They will shoulder that role in due time. As for Jack, don't worry. With the stuff I have planned, it's only a matter of time before he becomes a full-time frontliner. That's because I personally think the frontlines are more exciting (and dangerous) than the stealthy world of scouting.

 **Jack gets a lot of the spotlight.  
** Jack is the main character of this fic and the story is mostly told from his point of view. So it's only natural that he gets a lot of attention. That being said, I'm among the many people who think Awakening has a huge cast of characters with great designs and personalities. From Sumia's meek demeanor that steadily grows confident and determined, to Owain's over the top theatrics, and let's not forget Walhart's I'm-so-awesome-I'm-literally-in-a-class-of-my-own persona. Heck, I think _Gangrel_ is a well-written character, and I don't even like the guy. My point is, while Jack _does_ gets a lot of attention in this fic, I want to give the other characters their time to shine as well. The interactions that Jack has with them are not only meant to integrate Jack into the world of Awakening, they're also meant to flesh out the characters more, according to the way I see them (with some liberal exaggerations here or there for comedic effect). I even have some interactions planned between certain characters later on where Jack's not even involved. So you'll see Jack a lot, but he won't be everywhere (and no, Shadow clones don't count).

 **The groping scene.  
** Boy, did I step on a sensitive area with this one. First things first. This fic was rated M for safety – it literally says so in the summary. The groping scene was one of the reasons, aside from all the obvious violence, blood and the occasional vulgar language. And please understand what I'm about to say: while I do appreciate the female form, I have no intention of knowingly objectify women or fill this fic with sexual content. **_Have I made myself clear? Good!_** Also, let it be known that there will be more instances on Jack commenting on a woman's figure, though I will try to keep it limited. You have been warned.

 **Let it be known that I appreciate the reviews, as always. Now, onto some specific reviews.**

 **meteorce:** Ricken's one of the youngest members of the Shepherds and also one of the more childish ones (competing with Lissa and Nowi). Sully getting the recipe from him was more a result of his lack of responsibility than a grudge. As far as I know, Ricken's not one to hold on to grudges anyway.

 **Artyom-Dreizehn:** The knife + CQC combo would be a bit tricky to utilize to its true potential due to how Jack's passive skills are designed. Martial arts mastery only applies when Jack fights unarmed. If he wields a knife, Sword mastery would apply instead since the knife counts as a dagger. CQC may be an interesting concept, but Jack would probably need to train specifically for the knife version and make it a separate skill in order for it to work. Not something I have planned, unfortunately.

 **ShadowPhoenix34:** Iroh, definitely Iroh. Also, while I do enjoy making Jack OP, making him go Mihawk at this stage would not only be beyond his current physical abilities, it would be blatant overkill. There's dominating a fight and then there's being One-punch man levels of overpowered.

 **Naga Mada:** You're probably one of the most active reviewers for this fic, and I take that as a good sign in the sense that you're quite invested in how this story will develop. While our opinions may differ occasionally, I appreciate the feedback. As for any physical contact between Jack and Robin; yeah, I agree that they're better off getting closer on a personal level first before getting physically intimate. Relationships are far deeper than just physical intimacy, despite some people claiming otherwise.

 **sid99:** Aw, now I'll go around wondering what it takes to get a 10 from you.

Just kidding! XD I'll try to polish my writing as I go. The fact that you _did_ give me 9 out of 10 indicates that I still have room for improvement (even though I'm not sure where it lies yet). Anyway, 9 out of 10 is still awesome!

 **Quest:** While I prefer using the main story as a template for how things will go, I'll try to add my own twist on things. Some things will largely remain the same, and some parts of canon will probably get rekt with what I have planned. All in due time, though.

 **Memento Mori - The Truth:** No, in fact, I did _not_ know that piece of information. While I'm grateful that you let me know, this won't really change the way I plan to write this fic. It just means that I'll pull a few more deus ex machinas out of my non-existent hat than I originally thought. ;P

 **Guest reviewer:** Whoa! Cool your jets, will you? I can understand if the updates seem to have a long span of time between each other, but I just prefer writing at my own pace, irregular as it may be. You know what they say; haste work is waste work (it's a biblical proverb, kind off).

 **Carylart:** Oh, Jack will change his class during the course of this fic, all right. As for which class; well, it's- *The rest of this review response has been covered in a mysterious red substance. No living creature was hurt in writing this.*

Just kidding! XD It's a secret until Jack himself reveals it. Though you might find hints as the skill set develops. Watch out for red herrings.

 **Copyright disclaimer: Well, I kinda own Jack, since he's my OC. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 **Let's get the chapter started!**

 _What can I say? I have a big appetite._ – Stahl

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Highroad to hectic! Risen as far as the eye can reach!**

Wooo… That was some great training, alright. Some quick math based on the built-in clock on my minimap shows that I've been at it for about 8 hours. Thing is, though, I didn't train for all 8 hours non-stop. Just a few hours into training, I was so busy replacing my clone for Rasengan training while doing a set of squats that I missed my MP bar hit 0. Instead of materializing another clone, I instead fell on my back with an unexpected wave of tiredness washing over me. That's when this alert popped up.

 **You have exhausted your mana! You are now suffering from "Exhaustion"!**

* * *

 **Exhaustion, status condition  
** _Pushing past your limits to grow stronger is good and all, but there's a price to pay for it. Mana is present in all life forms, as it is connected to their lifeforce. Trying to draw out more mana than you have available can therefore have grave consequences. In response to this, your body shuts down all but the vital functions to make sure it has enough time to recover its mana. If it didn't, you would end up shortening your own lifespan (You idiot!).  
STR, VIT and DEX is reduced by 30 %. MPR is reduced to 0. Note: This status condition can be dispelled by consuming an item that restores MP._

* * *

Needless to say, I felt embarrassed for not managing my MP properly. The silver lining was that this happened while I was training and not while in the middle of a warzone.

With my body exhausted, all my active skills deactivated instantly. I was so tired that I couldn't even get off the ground. Fortunately, my clones remained. It was decided that they would keep up their training while I recovered. But even they ran out of MP and dispelled after a while. So there I was all by my lonesome, with no recovery of my MP and too tired to move more than the bare minimum.

With nothing better to do, I decided to pass the time by reading my Observe log. Just because I had recreated every weapon I could think of didn't mean I had read about them. Observing so many weapons _did_ increase my level by 1, however. I love my titles!

My status condition lasted for a total of about an hour. After that, I felt my strength return and my MP slowly increasing again. It's a good thing all my clones were using Meditation during their existence, 'cause they helped me level that skill a lot! I decided to keep reading for another 20 minutes to let my MP return to a good level before reactivating UBW, make more clones and eventually return to my training. This time, however, I wouldn't make any new clones until I had sufficient MP. Even my clones were more careful in their training, so they wouldn't run out of MP, despite my encouragement to go nuts. With some careful pacing, I kept going until about 5 in the morning. Knowing that some of the Shepherds can be real early birds, I decided to start the day along with them. After taking a good rinse in the washing area (clothes included), I went back into my room, dispelled the ID and took my bed clone's place after dispelling it too. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that my clone had taken time to read up on the Observe log on his own while covering for me. Combined with my own studies, the results were most pleasing:

 **Due to diligent studying, INT goes up by 1!**

I would pat my clone on the back, were he still here. Maybe I should pat myself on the back instead then, since it would technically be the same thing.

Food for thought: If I compliment my clones, does that count as narcissism? Meh, I'll leave that question for another time.

All in all, I'm satisfied with the results of my first real night of training. Just look at my stats.

* * *

 **Jack Lvl: 11 EXP: 120 / 6 600**

 **Class: Traveler**

 **Titles:  
The Gamer (grants Gamer´s body and Gamer´s mind)  
Self-aware observer (+ 5 % INT, gains 50 EXP for new observations)**

 **Status condition: None**

 **HP: 2 100 / 2 100  
HPR: 29.2 (21*1.39) / minute**

 **MP: 2 438 / 2 438 (1 875*1.3)  
MPR: 36.8 (24.38*1.51) / minute**

 **STR: 28.7 (19*1.44*1.05)  
VIT: 30.2 (20*1.44*1.05)  
DEX: 17.9 (17*1.05)  
INT: 55.7 (53*1.05)  
WIS: 73.4 (51*1.44)  
LCK: 4  
CHAR: 12**

 **POINTS: 66**

 **(AN: For those of you wondering about the 1.44 multiplier, that's from Meditation sitting on Lvl 35 at this point, providing a 44 % boost in STR, VIT and WIS. Shadow clones FTW!)**

* * *

I. Feel. AWESOME! And that's just from one night of training. I don't even have to worry about my physical stats gains slowing down, since I have my Telekinesis trick to simulate increased gravity. Thank you, Dragon Ball Z, for providing me with that little tip.

With my body fresh from the wash and my mood as bright as the rising sun, I'm ready to take on a new day! Yeah, the sun is actually rising right now. Funny how something I often saw as a natural part of the passing of time can look so beautiful. I don't care what the cultural elite say in their fancy schmancy painting halls. THIS is true art; the sun rising over the mountains and bathing the land below in the first rays of daylight. Truly, a masterpiece. But I digress.

I make it down to the bottom floor when I notice I wasn't the first one up. Surprise, surprise; that honor goes to Frederick. Come to think of it, this might be the ideal opportunity to speak about something with him that we should have covered yesterday.

"Oh, good morning, Frederick." I greet the Great Knight.

Frederick turns in my direction and nods back. "I see you're up. Did milady's aid help you recover from the poisoning?"

"*Sigh* Well, it helped with the fever, at least. The rest was taken care of on its own after she sent me to bed. Say, you wouldn't know any way to convince Sully that I would prefer to eat something _besides_ her cooking in case she offers, without upsetting her, would you?"

Frederick nods in understanding. "I'm afraid that is a problem I have yet to find the solution for. We generally vacate the barracks whenever she is on mess duty."

I shrug. "Oh, well. Worth a shot. Say, there is something else I wish to discuss with you. Do you have a few minutes?"

"This is normally when I prepare tea for milord and milady, as well as polish the silverware and plan today's lunch and supper. Before milord and milady awaken, I usually take time to-"

By Athos's epic beard, does this guy EVER rest?! I know that Frederick's practically a butler besides being Chrom's second-in-command and a generally fearsome fighter, but this guy could put the entire palace staff to shame and make it look easy!

"- and, should I have some spare time left when all of that is done, I use that time for personal training – provided the floors do not need sweeping, of course. But, considering you brought up a matter that might be important, I suppose I can spare a few minutes. Now, what do you wish to discuss?"

I nod dumbly. "Uh huh… Well, it's regarding both me _and_ Robin."

Frederick raises an eyebrow. "Go on, I'm listening."

"Frederick, ever since the three of us met two days ago, I've noticed that you constantly regard me and Robin with a measure of distrust and wariness."

The knight nods. "I do so with any new person milord and milady meets. One can never be too careful when it concerns them or her Grace."

I nod in agreement. "Yeah, that's what I though too when I considered Chrom's and Lissa's stations in the halidom. You being wary of strangers is actually a wise choice, all things considered. I've heard my fair share of stories about nobles sending assassins in disguise to murder other nobles for all manner of reasons – from attempting to seize more power right after the deed is done, to petty revenge. And that's before we consider whatever rouge simply trying to get into a noble's good graces for the sole purpose of leeching off their riches. All in all, you're simply fulfilling your duty as a knight, and I respect that. It makes sense that you would regard me and Robin carefully."

Frederick nods in response to my answer. "It pleases me that you see the situation my way. Though the way you expressed yourself earlier indicates you have more to say."

"Yeah. I think it's reasonable during the first few instances, but you've held the same measure of distrust towards me and Robin even after we both fought side by side with you and Chrom twice. And both times were against foes who had no qualms about killing anyone who opposed them. And even after all that, you openly expressed your distrust right when we met with the exalt herself. If nothing else, I feel insulted, Frederick. Did either me or Robin do anything to earn your mistrust?"

"You misunderstand, Jack. I always regard strangers with the same measure of wariness. Yours and Robin's cases are no different. And while neither of you have done anything to truly earn you any distrust, neither of you have yet to earn my trust either."

"Now that's unjust, no matter how you look at it, especially in Robin's case!" I object. "She fought right by our side and directed us from the frontlines instead of behind allies. Had she truly been a spy or rouge, she could've easily fled the field in the heat of battle, yet she chose to stay in both instances! That should more than earn her your trust."

The Great Knight raises an eyebrow. "Well, you do bring up a good point, though I'm surprised that you would defend her case before your own."

I cross my arms. "To be fair, her case is easier to plead than mine, at least as far as I can see it. But I still think it unreasonable that you would regard me with the same mistrust even after those battles. I fought alongside all of you! Tell me, Frederick, if that wasn't enough to earn your trust, what does it take? What do I need to do to convince you that I'm sincere about joining the Shepherds and aiding Chrom?"

Frederick takes a moment to think. "A fair question. You would need to prove it. As you've already noticed, I am slow to trust strangers."

I shake my head. "Considering how little progress I seem to have made with you, I doubt there is much I can say to convince you about my sincerity within the near future. So, I have a proposal."

"Oh? And what would that be?"

"Watch me."

"You need to be more specific than that."

"Let my actions prove my sincerity. You know what they say; actions speak louder than words. See if I act as someone who truly wants to help the Shepherds protect the people. See if I am a trustworthy ally."

Frederick contemplates my words for a moment. "I suppose that's an acceptable proposal. Very well, I shall watch you closely in the future to ascertain whether you are trustworthy or not. That is, as long as it does not clash with my duty of watching over Chrom and Lissa."

I nod in response. "Thanks, Frederick. I guess that's all I can ask of you for now."

 **Your relationship with Frederick has improved!**

* * *

With that conversation out of the way, I decide to get some practice done in the courtyard. Right as I exit the barracks, I hear a man shouting and the sound of something breaking. I run to the source to find Chrom standing in front of a broken training dummy and a broken training sword in his hand.

"Uh, good morning, Chrom." I greet.

Chrom turns to my direction and smiles in greeting. "Good morning, Jack. Had a good night's sleep?"

"Yeah. The bed may look simple, but it's very comfy to sleep in."

"And the poisoning?"

"Thank Naga we have Lissa around. I'd probably still be in bed if it weren't for her."

Chrom nods. "Sounds like you're fitting in just great. Say, I know this is sudden, especially when you just recovered, but would you like to spar with me for a bit? I've tried practicing with the training dummies, but they're not as durable as they used to be."

I'd say that has more to do with the guy having monstrous strength and zero restraint, but what do I know?

"Sure. I think I could use some exercise before breakfast. Just make sure we finish up before teatime. I talked with Frederick a bit earlier, and he's busy preparing tea for you and Lissa right now."

Chrom winces. "He's at it again?! Please tell me that's the only thing he has planned."

"Afraid not. I can't even remember half the stuff he's making himself busy with, and that's just the morning. Judging by the way you both phrased it, I'd say this happens often."

Chrom tosses the broken training sword to the side and starts to walk with me to the sparring ring. "It's not just often, it happens every single day! Lissa and I appreciate what he does for us, but Frederick takes it too far. It's starting to become suffocating."

"Have you tried talking about it with him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he'd definitely listen to you, so if you make it clear that he doesn't need to do the work of ten stewards just to make your and Lissa's lives "easier", I think he would at least consider it."

Chrom nods. "Thanks, Jack. I'll give it a try."

Guess I just set up the B-rank support for Chrom and Frederick. Nice.

We arrive at the sparring ring and each get a training sword before taking our positions.

"Ready when you are." I tell the prince.

Chrom nods before charging me with a battle cry. As he closes in, he brings up his sword for an overhead swing. I sidestep to the left and try to retaliate, but Chrom quickly counters with a horizontal swipe that I barely manage to block.

*Thwack!*

Yikes! I felt that blow, and that was just from a one-handed swing! I'd better be careful around him, or he'll knock the sword out of my hands!

Deciding to go on the offensive before he can put more pressure on me, I charge in for a horizontal swing from the left. Chrom blocks it easily, but I expected him to. I let the sword slide off before switching to a diagonal swing. He blocks that one too and quickly forces my sword down, getting in position for a shoulder charge. Remembering that particular move from my spar with Sumia yesterday, I throw myself to the right and manage to get my sword out of the blade lock in the process. I roll back up on my feet to see Chrom stumbling a bit before righting himself. Seeing an opening, I rush in for an overhead swing. Chrom turns in my direction and meets me with an overhead swing of his own.

*Thwack!*

Our swords lock together, putting us in a power struggle. Man, this guy is strong!

*Crck*

Huh?

*Crack*

Oh, s-it! My training sword's starting to crack from the pressure! Gotta think fast! Gotta think fast!

I quickly angle my sword until it points to the left instead of up, then I let Chrom's sword slide off of mine as I sidestep to the right. The move leaves Chrom unbalanced, making him stumble forward. I press my advantage and go for a swing at his side, but Chrom dodges by turning his stumble into a roll. He's back on his feet in a second and ready for another round.

He's a better swordsman than I am, that's for sure. He's got the clear advantage in strength and experience, so I need to pull a fast one on him to stand a chance.

Any plan that I could come up with is discarded the moment Chrom decides to take the initiative again. He's going for a diagonal swing to the left. I manage to duck under the swing and try a sweep kick. Chrom quickly jumps over my leg and comes back down for an overhead swing. With no other options, I raise my sword to block.

*Snap!*

Oh…snap!

*Thwack!*

"Guagh!"

Chrom didn't just snap my training sword with that last blow, he managed to get a clean hit on my shoulder. Had he used a real sword, I would've lost my arm for sure!

"Jack! Are you all right?" Chrom asks concerned.

"No…" I whimper out. "I think I need to let a healer check my shoulder."

"Then I guess we should end our spar here." Chrom says as he eases out of his stance.

"My thoughts exactly." I reply and toss the now useless training sword near a crate while cradling my hurting shoulder. "Sheesh, Chrom. I knew you hit hard, but that was crazy!"

"Well, my former instructor often said that I have a lot of natural strength, so we focused most of my training on technique. That was before Frederick and I founded the Shepherds."

"And I assume Frederick never mentioned anything about your strength."

Chrom takes a thinking pose as we walk towards the barracks. "Well, the only time he might have indicated it was when he muttered about his own training lacking. I just assumed that he felt he needed to improve something that he was aware of, but I wasn't."

Of course… Why am I not surprised? Far be it for Frederick to point out something as trivial as – oh, I don't know – his liege hitting like a truck?!

"I thought the broken training dummies and weapons would be good enough indications." I comment dryly.

Chrom shrugs. "Oh, I just thought that the materials were bad. But now that you mention it, they _did_ break more often after Frederick introduced his fanatical fitness hour."

That would explain a lot. Let's see what I can find out about that. "His what now?"

"He calls it "Frederick's fanatical fitness hour". A full hour spent on him leading the rest of the Shepherds though all manner of physical exercises under the sun. The reactions were mixed. Sully took to it like a fish to water. Vaike begged for mercy halfway through." Here he starts to smile amused. "Lissa didn't even make it that far."

I raise an eyebrow. "Is that why you call her delicate?"

Chrom chuckles. "Yeah. Neither Frederick nor I let her live it down until she can make it all the way through. But don't tell her I told you this. She'll throw a fit if she finds out."

"Duly noted."

 **Your relationship with Chrom has improved!**

* * *

We arrive back at the barracks just in time for breakfast and most of the current Shepherds present. While Chrom and Lissa usually have their breakfast at the palace, they occasionally eat it in the barracks instead. Today is apparently such a day, because I barely make it three steps in before Lissa steps in my way with a frown on her face.

"Jack, why are you holding your shoulder like that? And you better have a good excuse!"

The walls suddenly look interesting. In fact, everything _except for_ Lissa does. "Uh, heh heh… Funny story there, Lissa… You see, I had just come out of the barracks when I met Chrom, who was busy smashing dumm- I mean training. He wanted something better to practice on and offered to spar with me. I accepted and, well, he got a good blow on my shoulder…(please don't kill me)."

* * *

 _ **One very sharp tongue lashing later…**_

I can still feel my ears ringing after Lissa scolded me for "doing something so reckless right after I had recovered from severe food poisoning". At least she healed my shoulder and let me off the hook with an ominous "or else" hanging over my head.

And despite all that, my plight pales in comparison to what Chrom's going through right now. It's one thing to see the blue-haired prince get bossed around by his baby sister because she needs to heal him properly. It's a whole new level of comedy to see him bow his head in shame like a little boy as Lissa puts him through the verbal wringer for injuring one of her patients. Man, scary must run in the family. All three of the royal siblings can get threatening under the right circumstances.

With my shoulder healed, I can finally enjoy some good breakfast for the first time since arriving in this world. Like I've mentioned earlier, I don't really need food in order for my body to function properly (Gamer's body, remember?). But that won't stop me from enjoying a meal or two, especially among friends. In fact, some Observing told me that eating food actually replenishes a little HP. Wonder if I can stuff some food in my bag when no one's looking? Right now, a bowl of porridge and something to drink sounds wonderful.

Wait a minute. Is that…milk?

It is! Woo hoo! Look, I don't know if you're aware of this, but in the era when Awakening (and pretty much every other Fire Emblem game) takes place, milk is a precious commodity. This is before stuff like dairies and fridges are invented, so keeping the milk fresh all the way from the farm to the table can be a real hassle. And here they serve milk in a military barracks like it's a common occurrence! I love Ylisse!

So I grab a cup of milk along with the porridge and some salted meat (deer, apparently) for good measure.

I'm soon joined at the table by the other Shepherds. Sully's looking like she's fresh from a morning jog, Vaike yawns loudly before plopping down on his chair and then…there's…Stahl…

The green guy comes over to the table with both arms filled with food. Then he leaves the table, only to return with more food. And again. And again. And again…

In short order, Stahl has an absurd amount of breakfast in front of him, including (but not limited to): five loaves of bread, two bowls of porridge, a plate full of meat, half a dozen muffins, a whole cake, a large tankard of milk as well as an even bigger jug with more of the white drink.

"Stahl? What in the world-?"

"What can I say?" the Cavalier replies between bites as he demolishes his second bowl of porridge and his fourth muffin. "I have a big appetite."

My dumbfounded stare continues as everyone else continue with breakfast. I finally turn to Lissa and ask the question that begs to be answered while pointing at Stahl.

"Is that normal?"

Lissa shrugs. "Stahl's been like this ever since he joined the Shepherds. We were all weirded out the first few times before just going along with it. If anything, he keeps the bakers and farmers in the halidom busy."

I take another look at Stahl's massive meal (which, by the way, is down to about a third at this point).

"This kind of diet must cost a fortune in the long run."

Stahl nods halfway through the cake. "Yeah. In fact, I struck a deal with Captain Chrom. In return of getting bigger rations of food, my pay's lower than the others'. Good thing I don't spend much money on other stuff, so it all works out."

I guess the guy keeping a solid figure despite his appetite is a testament to an effective training regimen. Frederick's done a good job with this guy.

* * *

With everyone done with breakfast, we gear up and get ready to march to Ferox. I leave the palace grounds ahead of the others to make a quick stop at the smithy and pick up my new armor. True to her word, Anna has the stuff ready with her signature smile on her face.

No, really. Considering how crafty the Annas are, it wouldn't surprise me if they found a way to copyright their smile.

The chainmail and leather armor fit like a glove, much to my pleasant surprise. These were made by a person who didn't even take my measurements and she still got the fitting perfect. Since I'm confident that I'm doing good on money, I decide to leave an extra 100 gold on the counter "for a job well done".

Anna's smile gets a little brighter. "Did I ever tell you that you're my new favorite customer?"

"No." I answer with a smirk. "But with service this good, I might find myself returning here in the future. Here's to hoping that more people get to know your business."

I leave the smithy with a wave over my shoulder and Anna giving the customary "Come back soon!".

* * *

The Shepherds gather outside the capital gate a few minutes later. A quick headcount shows that everyone who volunteered is here. But I get this nagging feeling that I'm forgetting someone. Some big armored guy who's _supposed_ to stick out from everyone else, but just doesn't.

…

Nope, doesn't ring a bell.

"Is everyone ready?" Chrom asks us all. "We've a long march ahead."

Everyone gives the affirmative.

"By the way, Captain, Miriel should catch up with us soon." Stahl adds. Then he turns to me and Robin. "Miriel's one of our mages. Oh, and thanks for telling me about the marching, Jack."

That makes Lissa turn to Vaike angrily. "What?! Vaike, _you're_ the one who was supposed to tell Stahl! Did you forget _again_?"

"To be fair, Lissa, I ran into Stahl yesterday right as he got back to the barracks and told him about the mission. That's how I got to know him." I tell her.

That clams the Cleric down. "Oh. Well, that's good. It's such a relief that you're dependable, Jack, unlike Vaike here."

"Hey, that's low, Lissa!" the Fighter yells angrily. "Don't blame the Vaike just because someone else did his job!"

"I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true! You're so scatterbrained, you'd forget your own name if you didn't say it all the time. Speaking of which, are you SURE you remembered to bring your axe?"

"That was _one time_!" the Fighter yells indignant. "Okay, twice, but training sessions don't count! See? I got it right here. Teach is loaded and ready for action!"

True to his word, Vaike pulls out a big Iron Axe and places it confidently on his right shoulder.

I walk up to the Fighter and give him an appraising look. "Hm… Yeah, I think I'll feel safer with you and your axe around. Here's to hoping we'll fight well together." I say as I reach out with my fist.

Vaike grins as he accepts the fist bump. "Glad to have you along, Jack." Then he leans in to whisper. "And, uh, thanks for covering for me. I actually forgot to tell Stahl all about this mission."

I shrug. "You're welcome. If you really wanna return the favor, just keep a firm grip on the axe and help me take down whatever tries to stop us."

"Can do!" Vaike answers confidently.

 **Your relationship with Vaike has improved!**

* * *

We've been marching for a few hours at this point. It's a good thing we were supplied with two carts complete with oxen pulling them, or else we'd be lugging around an impractical amount of stuff on foot. I am NOT turning myself into the pack mule just because I have infinite inventory space. I'd have way too many questions thrown in my direction if I started pulling tons of stuff out of my bag.

I decided to make some small talk with the other Shepherds while marching. I got to learn quite a few interesting tidbits about them in that span of time. For example, Stahl originally wanted to work as a cook before answering the call of duty and joining the Shepherds instead. Turns out Frederick has done the "Chrom wants you" campaign at least once before this point in time (thankfully, the posters showed Chrom clothed and not in the buff). And, while Vaike had some humble beginnings, he was more or less the king of the streets in his hometown (or so he claims) before Emmeryn came along. When Emmeryn _did_ show up, he kneeled. He joined the Shepherds three days later.

One thing that's been bothering me during the march is that I've frequently heard the rhythmic clanking of heavy armor. My first guess would be that Frederick's the cause, since he wears the most armor in our group, but he's on the opposite side of where the sound comes from. I check things out with Mind's eye but come up with nothing. Weird… Did Frederick pack an extra suit of armor for himself for the trip?

I'm in the middle of discussing the applications of lightning magic with Robin when an alert pops up.

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: The Shepherds make their debut  
** _You're on your way to Regna Ferox when you stop at the sight of Risen. Bad news: They've spread far. You need to clean up the highroad off the undead menaces before you can advance. It's a good thing you're traveling with a larger group this time around. The time has come for the Shepherds to show what they're made of.  
_ **Objectives:** _Defeat all Risen  
_ **Rewards:** _2 500 EXP, 2 500 gold  
_ **Bonus objectives:** _?, ?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _?, 200 EXP, 200 gold  
_ **Failure:** _Death_

* * *

The game's not exaggerating. We see Risen wandering all over the road.

Chrom winces at the sight of the undead. "Gods, have the Risen spread this far?"

Robin looks at Chrom in question. ""Risen"?"

Frederick narrows his eyes. "We needed a new name for this threat, so the council gave them one."

Chrom draws Falchion. "Everyone, remember what we're up against!"

Vaike steps up with a confident grin. "Mya ha! They'll remember ME once I drive my axe into their-"

I take a look at Vaike's right hand. It's empty. When did he lose his axe? "Uh, Vaike? Where's your axe?"

Vaike twitches his fingers a few times, only to grab air. "What the- But I had it a second ago, I swear!"

Chrom sighs. "Vaike, this is no time for jokes…"

"But I'm serious! It's gone, but I JUST had it! It's got to be around here somewhere…"

Chrom steps into the lead with Falchion at the ready. "Keep to the rear, then! The battle is nigh!"

I push Mind's eye as far as I can in the hopes of finding Vaike's axe. Nope, nothing. He must've dropped it at least a few minutes back, considering the pace we've been marching at.

Lissa and Virion stay at the rear along with Vaike. The rest of us step up beside Chrom and get ready for combat. The Risen spot us and charge with a battle cry.

"Raagh!"

Or at least, as intimidating of a war cry _that_ counts as.

"Shepherds, charge!" Chrom shouts and runs towards the undead. The rest of us follow. Time to show the fruits of my training!

A Risen Soldier charges at me with its Iron Lance ready to impale me.

"Oh no. It was bad enough that your buddy got me with that last time I saw your ugly mugs. I am NOT getting a lance in my body again!"

I redirect the strike to the left and grab the lance with my free hand. Before the Risen has any chance to react, I yank at the lance and bring the wandering corpse close enough for me to stab my sword straight into its face. The Risen goes down in an instant. Next!

*Boom!*

I notice a few Risen fly out of a cloud of dust about a dozen paces away from me. Chrom runs out of the cloud a second later and beheads a Risen Fighter with a mighty cry. A Myrmidon tries to attack him from behind, only to be flattened under the hooves of Frederick's horse with a vengeance.

Sully and Stahl ride around on the field and pick off whatever Risen that manage to survive Chrom's and Frederick's brutal attacks. Adding Robin's lightning magic helps tremendously. We thankfully have the situation under pretty good control. Here's to hoping that we don't get overrun by a sudden wave of more Risen.

"Jack, go back to the rear and make sure Lissa and Vaike are safe. I don't want to repeat the same mistake we did last battle and leave those who can't fight back unguarded. I know Virion's there, but he can't handle too many enemies at once!" Robin shouts between lightning spells. Seeing as the others have a firm grip on the situation, I nod and run back to where the others have taken cover.

* * *

True to Robin's prediction, some Risen managed to circle the frontlines and find the others. Virion's firing arrows as fast as he can, but there are too many for him to hold back by himself. It only gets worse by the fact that the undead have enough numbers to have some of them hunt the Archer down. This forces him to stay on the move and only gives him time to shoot an arrow or two before running for another spot again.

Vaike's protecting Lissa from three Risen who managed to get past Virion's arrows. For someone who's left weaponless, Vaike's doing a remarkable job in holding the Risen back barehanded. Possibly a result of having his fair share of street fights when growing up. As skilled as he is with his fists, though, he's having trouble against the undead triple team, and he has the wounds to prove it.

This puts me in a dilemma. Should I head towards Virion and get the pressure off the Archer's back so he can fire arrows in peace, or should I run towards Vaike and get the Risen off his case before he gets any more wounds?

"Begone, foul miscreation! Hrah!"

Wait, that was neither Virion nor Vaike shouting…

*Thunk!*

An Iron Axe flies in from the side and nails one of the Risen that attack Vaike in the head. The undead corpse dissolves into purple mist moments later.

"Whoa! My axe!" Vaike exclaims as he picks up his trusty weapon and beheads the other two Risen in a single massive swing.

"I wondered what manner of ignoramus would mislay their weapon." We turn our heads and spot Miriel walk up to us. "Now I know."

"Thanks, Miriel!" Vaike grins happily. "…Er, for the axe, anyway."

The Mage scowls at the Fighter. "Perhaps next time I'll use a spell to fasten it to your hands – permanently."

"No need!" Vaike replies hurriedly and runs towards the frontline to join the fray. Smart move. Considering Miriel managed to headshot that Risen with a weapon she's not even trained to wield, in a manner that it's not even intended to be wielded, I'd take her threat seriously. That, and she's the closest to a scientist the Shepherds have. She'd find a way.

"Vaike! No running into battle while you're wounded!" Lissa shouts as she runs after him.

"So, your name is Miriel?" I ask as I walk up to the bespectacled Mage.

"Indeed." she replies. "I heard from Stahl yesterday that we had received new recruits. As I am unfamiliar with your face, I assume you are one of them."

I nod. "Yep. Name's Jack. The other one is Robin, your new tactician."

Miriel nods. "A tactician? How intriguing. I have yet to meet anyone who has made battlefield tactics their profession."

I stretch out my hand with a smile. "Well, here's to hoping that we'll get along in the future."

Miriel stares at my hand. "Offering to shake hands as a means of social interaction. Very well. I accept your proposal, as working in groups increases the probability of surviving a battle."

The handshake feels awkward, but I think I've made a good first impression on her. It feels weird to hear her pick apart and analyze everything as if it's part of a scientific study.

And why do I feel like hundreds of deadpan stares are directed at me at this very moment? Must be my imagination.

"Could you _please_ save your pleasantries for later?! I am in desperate need of assistance here!" we hear Virion shout.

Oh, right, Virion. Kinda forgot him with Miriel showing her latent axe skills and everything.

The poor guy is almost cornered by the Risen chasing him. Only his quick thinking and skillful archery has kept the undead at bay – barely.

I turn to Miriel. "I'll get up close. How well can you aim your magic?"

Miriel readjusts her glasses with one hand and pulls out a Fire tome with the other. "Well enough to score a direct hit on these creatures without incurring friendly fire."

I guess that works. I charge the Risen and use the opportunity to stab one through the spine. It barely has time to twitch before I rip out the blade through its side, dissolving it into mist. It's surprising how these guys can have such a one-track mind when it comes to killing. You would think they'd be more cautious with their surroundings, but, nope. They rely on overwhelming numbers and the simplest strategy ever: charge and attack.

The remaining Risen turn towards me upon noticing that they're one buddy short. Seeing as I'm the only Shepherd among us intended for melee combat, I take the opening given to me.

"That's right, corpses. _I'm_ the one you're after."

I emphasize my point with a come-hither motion. The Risen take the bait and charge me. The first Risen to reach me is a Myrmidon. It goes for an overhead swing – a terribly telegraphed one at that. I hold up my sword and angle it downward slightly to let the blow slide along the blade to the side, leaving the perfect opening to slice open the undead's neck.

Next up is a Barbarian going for a horizontal swing. I duck low at the last moment and swipe at the Risen's legs, making it stumble. That allows me to come up behind it and sever its spine with a clean slash on the back.

It's a good thing I have Mind's eye active, or else I would've missed the Soldier coming in from behind trying to stab me with its lance. I already told you undead bozos, I am NOT getting impaled on a lance again! I quickly step to the side just as the Risen Soldier goes for the stab. Its overcommitment makes it stumble forward, giving me the perfect opening to stab it through the heart. And there it goes.

I get ready to face two more Risen when they suddenly get an arrow each in the head and literally go up in flames a second later. That's the last of the Risen that were remaining after Vaike and Lissa left.

"Nice work, both of you." I tell Miriel and Virion as I walk back to them.

Miriel nods. "The predicted outcome."

Virion answers with a smile. "A magnificent display of skill, my friend. It is reassuring to have an ally on my side."

Uh huh, sure. Thanks, but flattery will get you nowhere.

"Say, Virion, were there any more of those Risen around before I came to aid you?"

The Archer rubs his chin for a moment. "Not more of them per see, but I _did_ notice that their chasing got more relenting when I ran through the convoy. I am unsure as of why, but it gave me some much-needed breathing room."

Now that sounds odd. "I'll go look around in the convoy in case there's any unwelcome visitors. You two join Chrom and the others in taking those things down."

Miriel frowns. "It is reckless to investigate such a matter on your own, especially during a battle. I advise you let at least one of us accompany you in your investigation."

I nod. "Good point. I take it you'll join me then?"

I get a nod for an answer. "That is acceptable, yes."

* * *

We all agree on the plan and set of in our respective directions (though Virion _did_ send a brief glance in Miriel's direction before running towards Chrom and the others). Miriel and I soon reach the convoy and begin searching the carts carefully. We notice plenty of footsteps in the dirt, which indicates that several people ran through the place recently, in accordance to Virion's story about being chased through here. I check our surroundings with Mind's eye, but find only the supplies stored in the carts, and nothing else.

"Some of these footsteps end abruptly with the shape of bodies hitting the ground." Miriel tells me as she gets back from examining the dirt road closer. "It would seem those creatures were ambushed by an unknown assailant."

"Any leads on who this mystery attacker could be?" I ask.

Miriel points at a set of footsteps that seem to turn every which way. "There is one set of footsteps that does not follow the trend that I just described. I surmise these belong to the assailant. Notice that these footsteps are slightly deeper than the others. That would indicate that the one we are searching for wears weighty gear – significantly heavier than any other person who has run through this place."

Wow, Miriel's got a sharp eye for details. She'd make an awesome investigator if she ever gave up scholarship.

We follow the set of footsteps until they stop – at a suit of armor standing between the carts.

"That's strange…" I mutter with a frown as I walk up to the armor. "I know I heard the clanking of armor while we were marching, but I never expected Frederick to pull out a spare suit of armor and put it up as a decoy in the convoy. Now that I take a closer look, I doubt armor this big is practical for mounted combat."

"*Sigh* That's because this armor doesn't belong to Lieutenant Fredrick. It's mine." the armor tells me.

I nod in agreement. "Yeah, I suppose that makes-"

…Wait a second…

"The armor can talk?!" I freak out.

"It's me, Kellam." the voice deadpans.

I try looking at the armor extra carefully and notice a face. Hey, it IS Kellam!

Hold on… This guy escaped my notice WHILE I was using Mind's eye when he was CLEARLY within range. How the heck did he do that?!

While I'm contemplating the possibility of Kellam being glitched, Miriel approaches with a thoughtful look.

"How fascinating… You stand right before us, and yet, we find it unnaturally difficult to see you."

Kellam shrugs. "It's always been like that. No matter what I do, people just don't seem to notice me. I could wave in their direction out in the open and they don't even glance my way."

I rub my chin in thought. "I guess this explains why Virion had an easier time dodging those Risen while they were running through here. It wasn't that they had a harder time chasing him, you simply held them off as they passed by."

Kellam nods. "Yeah. I tried to get his attention, but, well, he just kept running."

I nod understandingly. "Well, that clears up _that_ mystery. We'd better hurry and rejoin the others in taking those walking corpses down."

"If I may make a proposal." Miriel interjects. "I suggest you rejoin the others on your own, Jack. Kellam and I will stay here with the convoy and stand guard in case any bandits show up. It would be unfortunate if anything was stolen while we were all busy fighting."

"Hm… Sounds like a plan. I'll let the others know."

Kellam looks at Miriel. "Will you really be alright standing guard together with me? Won't it seem like you're doing it on your own?"

Miriel adjusts her glasses while looking in Kellam's general direction. "That is another reason why I wish to stay here with you. Your ability to remain undetected even when you wish to be noticed is most fascinating. I wish to study it."

With that, I leave the convoy behind. Huh. From my personal experience, Miriel treats most of her support conversations as if they were scientific studies, no matter who she's talking with. Out of all things she can study, Kellam's ability to go under everyone's radars might be among the most interesting. Conversely, most people who Kellam can have support conversations with simply try to get used to him being hard to spot, while Miriel takes a genuine interest in it. Their conversations develop an odd relationship that's generally professional, but slowly grows into something more.

Speaking of Kellam being hard to spot, I wonder if he'd do better as a spy or assassin. I mean, there's a reason why he can reclass into a Thief when given the opportunity. That would turn his ironic stealth into a crucial tool that borders on OP, right?

* * *

I eventually manage to rejoin the other Shepherds. Looks like they got some good momentum going while I was away. The bridge that I noticed before the battle broke out was quite a distance away from us when we started. Now they've moved the battle to the other side.

"I'm back. How's it going?" I call when I reach Virion, who's standing at the rear and providing ranged support.

"As well as can be, I suppose." the Archer responds. He readies another arrow and lets it fly without looking. It nails a Fighter in the head before it even gets close to Sully. Showoff. "Dear Robin has guided us marvelously over the battlefield. Nothing seems to faze her as she directs one standoff after another and allows us to gain ground one pace at a time. And the grace she does it with! Splendid!"

"Uh huh… Gonna ignore those last two sentences. Speaking of which, where is she now?"

"She is further up, right at the frontline. Last I caught a glimpse of her, she was directing sir Frederick and Stahl in a pincer maneuver against a group of enemy soldiers. By the way, what happened with you and that lovely bespectacled mage after I left?"

"We found the cause of why the Risen seemed to relent when you ran through the convoy. Turns out it was Kellam all along. We just forgot him while we were marching and unknowingly left him behind when the battle started." I wince at remembering the stealthy Knight. "We REALLY need to apologize to Kellam when this is over. Anyway, Miriel, the Mage, decided to stay with him by the convoy and stand guard in case any bandits pass by and try to steal our supplies."

Virion nods. "A wise choice. Perhaps we should set up guards for the convoy in the future as well. After all, an army marches on its stomach."

"Hmm. Sounds like good idea. Better let Robin know about that."

With that, I leave Virion and join the frontline. Vaike is literally in full swing as he tears through a Soldier with his axe. Though he missed the fact that there's a Fighter right behind it trying to avenge its (re)fallen comrade. Good thing Sully's nearby and tackles the enemy Fighter to the ground.

Turns out Sully doesn't just pack a mean left hook. She's also got a good elbow drop. And Boston crab hold. And German suplex. And- Dear Naga, is that Zangief's Spinning piledriver?!

*Boom!*

Owww… That Risen's gonna fell _that_ after returning to the afterlife. No wonder women around the halidom call Sully "the woman to end all men"! I can see how she handed everyone their asses when she joined the Shepherds at age 15 – before Frederick stepped in and returned the favor.

As for the Great Knight, he rides full force towards a trio of Risen Mercenaries and skewers all three on his lance. And then he lifts up the lance – with all three Risen still impaled on it – before jumping off his horse and slams down the Risen into the ground headfirst.

Seeing as they have things handled on that side, I turn the other way to see how the battle's going.

Chrom and Robin make a surprisingly good team. Chrom runs in and cuts down a Risen Soldier, Robin fires a Thunder spell on a retaliating Mercenary. Chrom follows up with a stab to finish the job, Robin draws her own sword and fends off a Barbarian. Robin ducks just as Chrom comes in with a horizontal swing, and then she springs up to stab the Barbarian through the heart. And so on and so forth.

That leaves…Stahl! He's being pinned down by a pair of Archers while a Myrmidon tries to cut down his horse! Good thing he's taken cover behind some trees, but he won't get out of there with those Archers standing on a nearby hill with their sights set on him.

Taking care not to be spotted, I circle the hill while the Archers are looking elsewhere. I eventually reach the other side, allowing me to sneak up on the Archers from behind.

Pick a corpse, any corpse. Right one it is.

*Shink!*

Considering most soldiers (the Archers included) wear helmets, the neck is the next best thing to aim for. My sword sinks cleanly into the Risen's neck before it dissolves. The other Risen turns around and finally spots me.

"Too slow!"

*Shink!* "Guarargh!"

That's both Archers down. I look in the direction of the trees and see Stahl in the middle of fending off the Myrmidon.

"Stahl! The Archers are down!"

Stahl briefly glances in my direction before returning his attention to the fight. With his movements no longer limited, Stahl breaks off the fight, leaves the trees and rides towards me with the Risen hot on his heels. We nod to each other as he approaches the top of the hill. With my higher vantage point, I have an easy shot on the undead Myrmidon still running uphill. I take aim and throw my sword at the corpse as it approaches.

*Thunk!*

Dead on! The sudden impact of a sword being thrown in the chest stops the Myrmidon cold in its tracks and makes it stumble. With the opening provided, I run straight at it and deliver a haymaker right in the face.

*Pow!*

My punch sends the Risen tumbling down the hill.

"I _love_ this part!" I hear Stahl shout behind me.

The green Cavalier rides past me and has his horse jump as he nears the fallen Risen. Then Stahl himself jumps off his horse and delivers a fatal stab right through the undead's head. It gives out a final cry of pain before dissolving.

Stahl grunts as he pulls his sword free from the ground while I pick up my own sword. We face each other grinning and bump fists.

"Nice moves." I comment.

"That was all you." Stahl replies.

* * *

 **Warning! Warning! Boss level enemy detected!**

* * *

And there's the mandatory boss fight. I look further up the road and spot a Risen chief similar to the one we fought last time, including its ridiculous size. This one, however, carries a different weapon.

* * *

 **Short Axe, Axe, Base damage: 40, Rare  
** _While identical in design to a Hand Axe, this weapon is made of a metal that is significantly heavier than iron, and also gives it its distinct red color. The increased heft allows for deadly blows no matter what range it is used at. However, the higher damage output comes at a price – literally. Not only is the metal needed to make this throwing axe rare and difficult to mine, the technique to forge this weapon without making it impractically heavy is almost equally rare among blacksmiths, thus resulting in a very steep price. Because of this, Short Axes are mainly found among army officers and veteran soldiers who specialize in axes._

* * *

The fact that that zombie holds such a weapon can only mean one thing; it used to be a skilled axe wielder back when it was alive.

It's a good thing the others finished up with their fights right around the same time as me and Stahl. We're soon gathered in front of the Risen chief and its remaining half a dozen fellow zombies.

"Think we can take this one down the same way as the last one?" I ask while glancing at Robin.

Robin narrows her eyes at the giant undead. "I doubt it. The same strategy rarely works twice over time, especially in a row."

Chrom gets in a ready stance. "Careful everyone. The last time we fought one of these, it took all of us to defeat it."

Vaike grins as he readies his axe. "That's because you didn't have the Vaike around. I'll chop 'em up lickety split!"

"Don't count on it, Vaike." I comment. "The last giant zombie we fought against destroyed an entire watchtower by throwing an axe like yours at it."

The Fighter looks at me in disbelief. "What?! Seriously?!"

I nod. "Robin and Virion barely managed to escape the tower before it was hit by the axe. So, think you can top that?"

Vaike scratches the back of his head. "Yeah…maybe after a training session or two. Might need some more muscle."

Our conversation comes to a halt as the Risen charge us. There's enough of us to match the zombies person for person, excluding whatever support we get from the rear. I engage a Mercenary on the left with Sully and Robin nearby.

Parry, dodge, slash across the chest, redirect, counter, blade lock. Compared to the spar I had with Chrom this morning, this corpse feels more like warmup than a challenge. Its technique is sub-par at best and it's nowhere near as strong as the blue-haired prince. I quickly overpower the Risen and kick it in the stomach, making it stumble backwards. That gives me the perfect opening to stab it in the heart.

*Shink!*

And done!

I look to the right and see Robin fencing with a Risen Myrmidon. She's holding up quite well, but they're more or less locked in a stalemate. I run into the battle and slash the Risen in the side. The unexpected attack makes the undead step back to reassess its situation.

I step in close to Robin. "Mind if I join in?"

Robin smiles before facing the Risen again. "Not at all."

Our tag team makes quick work of the enemy as we take turns attacking it. Any time either of us delivers a strike, we back off immediately afterwards to let the other one get a hit in. I eventually manage to bait the Myrmidon into overcommitting a swing and circle it to kick it in the back.

"Finish it!"

Robin shouts a battle cry as she strikes with a jump slash. The Risen splits from shoulder to hip and dissolves soon after.

"Nicely done." Robin comments smiling.

"We've got some good teamwork." I answer with a grin.

"Raargh!"

We both turn to the sound of the Risen to find the chief fighting Vaike in single combat. Vaike may be strong, but the giant zombie has him beat in that regard. It's only thanks to his quick thinking that Vaike is still alive.

"We have to help him!" Robin shouts and runs towards the battling duo.

"Don't die on us, Vaike." I mutter as I follow suit.

The Shepherds' Fighter has sustained quite a few wounds during the fight. He's bleeding in several places and panting visibly. The Risen chief goes in for a diagonal backhand swing. Vaike manages to pull a fast one and dodges before going in for a retaliatory swing.

*Shink!*

Much to everyone's surprise, most of all Vaike's, the Risen chief pulled one of it's underlings into the fight and used the minion as a meat shield. Before Vaike has a chance to react, the Risen chief tosses its underling, with the axe still lodged in it, over him like it's dead weight (and to be fair, it can literally function as a _dead_ weight). Vaike gets pinned under the still moving Risen, unable to push it off in his weakened state. The Risen chief's going in for an overhead swing!

"Hang on, I'm coming!"

Chrom charges in from the side and shoulder tackles the Risen chief just in time to make the swing miss Vaike's head – by a full two centimeters.

Vaike blanches as he looks at how close the axe is to his head before renewing his struggles of getting the Risen off him. I soon reach the two and grab the Risen by the head. Then I place my sword by the neck and _slice_!

The undead quickly dissolves, allowing me to help Vaike up unhindered.

"Man, that was _way_ too close! That could've been the end for the Vaike!" the Fighter exclaims as he stands up shakily.

I hand him his axe while keeping my eyes on the Risen chief, who is now busy fighting Chrom and Robin.

"Well, you're alive, and that's what matters." I reply. "You'd better get those wounds healed. Fighting while injured is a terrible idea."

Vaike nods before retreating to the rear in search for Lissa. As for me, I return to the battle against the boss.

The main problem is that the Risen chief has the most physical strength out of everyone fighting. It'll pretty much always win in a straight-up fight unless we can weaken it. That begs the question; How do we weaken it?

"Hard at work strategizing, my friend? I thought that was Robin's task, no?"

I turn to the voice to find Virion behind a tree.

"Don't the others need covering fire to handle their opponents easier?"

The Archer shakes his head. "I believe that will not be necessary. Our comrades have gained enough of an advantage to outnumber those hideous creatures two-to-one. The most problematic opponent right now…" Here Virion indicates the Risen chief. "…is that one."

So we have ranged support. That's good. The Risen chief will probably try to tear Virion apart if it realizes he attacks from afar. That's bad. The Risen chief can do that without taking a single step thanks to its weapon. That's even worse.

"I don't think any of us can stop that thing if it decides to attack you. Try to make yourself as discreet as possible. If you find an opening for a crippling or fatal shot, that would probably be the best opportunity to fire."

"That it would be." the Archer agrees and finds cover in some nearby bushes.

Chrom and Robin have done a great job in fighting the giant zombie, but it looks like they're starting to get tired. Their hit-and-run tactics are getting slower while the Risen chief just keeps going at the same pace as in the beginning of the fight.

Robin is a step too slow in attack, allowing the Risen chief to intercept her sword strike with a powerful swing that knocks the sword out of her hands and Robin off-balance. Before the undead can bring its axe down on the Tactician, I grab hold of her hand and pull her back.

*Thoom!*

O_O

Bladed weapons aren't supposed to make that kind of impact when they hit the ground! The fact that Chrom does it regularly doesn't exactly help my point, but it's _Chrom_!

"You okay?" I ask Robin.

"Y-yeah." the Tactician replies a bit shakily.

"Try lightning magic on it. I'll fill in for close combat."

"Alright. Be careful, Jack."

Chrom tries to hold the Risen chief back in a power struggle, but he's quickly losing ground. Just as the zombie tries to break the weapon lock, I attack from the side with a stab.

"Not today!"

The Risen chief is anything but happy that Chrom got away and decides to exact vengeance on me with a hard back hand.

*Wham!*

That hurt! The strike knocks me flat on my back, and it's only thanks to a timely Thunder spell from Robin that I manage to get away before the Risen drives its axe into my chest.

I sidle up next to Chrom with Robin behind us and the giant Risen in front.

"Any ideas?" I ask the Ylissean prince.

Chrom scowls at the Risen. "That thing isn't just strong, it always has a good foothold to make use of its strength. If we could make it lose its balance, defeating it should be easier."

What he says makes sense, but how do we unbalance something that's probably twice my weight? With our cavalry busy, we don't have anything to build up enough momentum to knock the Risen chief over. If only we could weaken the foothold instead.

…Wait a minute… Weaken the foothold? That might work!

"Robin, Chrom, I have an idea."

I manage a quick strategy session with the prince and Tactician "Think that'll work?"

Robin takes a moment to think. "Maybe, but we'll need to attack in a way that makes it stay in one place."

"Raarrgh!"

Yeah, we've talked long enough. The Risen chief's gotten impatient and charges us head-on.

Chrom and I split to attack from the sides while Robin meets the undead with a Thunder spell. The Risen shakes off the spell and continues its charge at the Tactician. Robin dives to the side and manages to dodge the axe swing. Before the Risen chief can follow up, Chrom rushes in with a horizontal slice on its side.

The Risen chief turns in Chrom's direction and growls before aiming a kick against the prince.

"Peekaboo!" I shout as I jump onto the undead's back, making it stumble from the extra weight. My grin turns a liiittle manic as I jam my sword as hard as I can into its shoulder before hopping off.

"Robin!"

You know what comes next. Robin fires a Thunder spell on the sword, which conducts said electrical spell directly into the giant Risen. I dare say the silver-haired Tactician is wrong. This'll be the third time in a row that the same strategy worked on a boss-level enemy.

The Risen chief twitches in pain and anger as the Thunder spell wreaks havoc on its nerves. The most important part is that its legs finally remain in one place.

"Virion! Aim for the knees!" I shout to the Archer.

Two arrows fly in quick succession and nail a knee each on the Risen chief. With its kneecaps wrecked, the giant corpse no longer has the strength to remain standing on its feet and instead crashes down on the knees.

"He's all yours, Chrom!"

The blue-haired prince gets in a ready stance a few paces in front of the downed Risen.

"Your end has come!"

Chrom takes a running start and jumps high into the air (with his cape billowing majestically behind him and the sun projecting a halo in the perfect position) with Falchion raised above his head. With a mighty war cry, Chrom brings down the divine sword.

The Risen chief desperately tries to block the incoming overhead swing with its axe, but with its knees shot (literally), the block barely lasts a fraction of a second before breaking along with the axe. The corpse has no time to react to its situation before Chrom pivots on his lead foot and beheads it with a horizontal swing.

The head falls off the undead body before dissolving with everything else.

* * *

 **Risen chief has been killed! Nice team combo! You gain 700 EXP!**

 **Due to constant strenuous activity, STR goes up by 1!  
** **Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT goes up by 3!  
** **Due to plenty or running and quick maneuvering, DEX goes up by 2!**

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: The Shepherds make their debut  
** _A splendid battle! The Shepherds have proven their mettle in combat and shown themselves to be reliable allies. You'll fit right in with their merry band. With the Risen cleaned up, the road towards Regna Ferox is finally open. But wait. Wasn't there bound to be an important meeting happening further down the road?  
_ **Objectives cleared:** _Defeat all Risen.  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
Rewards:** _You gain 2 500 EXP! You gain 2 500 gold!  
_ **Bonus objectives cleared:** _Notice Kellam in the convoy. Don't let Kellam die.  
_ **All bonus objectives cleared!  
Bonus rewards:** _Your relationship with Kellam has improved! You gain 200 EXP! You gain 200 gold!_

* * *

"Finally, and good riddance!" Chrom shouts exasperated. His face then turns contemplative. "But if they're appearing this far up the Northroad…"

"Then no path is safe." Frederick finishes. "We'll need to stay wary."

* * *

While Lissa does her routinely checkup on everyone in the group, I take the opportunity to chat up with anyone available.

"A guard for the convoy, huh?" Robin asks.

"Indeed." Miriel answers. "Having a few of our numbers keep watch over our supplies while the rest fight the battle should act as an effective deterrent towards any bandit attempting to steal anything from the convoy."

Robin nods in agreement. "Thanks for the suggestion, Miriel. I'll give it some thought as we march."

Miriel adjusts her glasses. "It should be noted that it was mostly coincidental that Kellam and I acted as guards for the convoy during the latter half of the battle. Had Virion not noted any odd signs while fleeing from the Risen, neither Kellam nor the idea of a convoy guard may have been discovered."

Robin takes a look around. "Speaking of which, where _is_ Kellam?"

"He's standing right besides Miriel." I answer while indicating the big Knight.

Robin squints her eyes at the place I indicate, only to jump back with a yelp when Kellam clears his throat. "Wha- Kellam?! When did you get here?"

"I've been here the whole time." Kellam answers. Then he looks at me (I think?). "But I'm surprised you noticed me, Jack."

I wave off the comment. "Eh, I figured you'd still be with Miriel after the battle. Since I already had an idea what to look for, noticing you was a little easier than normal. It's a matter of spotting the signs."

Kellam smiles (I think?). "Wow. That's probably the first time someone outside my family noticed me so quickly. Maybe I won't go so unnoticed in the future after all."

Then Miriel jumps into the conversation. "You claim there are signs that indicate when Kellam is nearby. May I inquire as to what these signs are?"

The way she worded that question sounded like she won't take "no" for an answer. So the rest of the time we have before we resume marching is spent with me trying to explain what tells Kellam gives off when he's nearby. It might've been a smoother conversation if I didn't constantly forget those tells faster than Vaike forgets his axe. What little I can remember to share seems to please Miriel, thankfully. Looks like she's made the stealthy Knight her newest subject of study.

* * *

Our march continues pretty much unhindered after the battle against the Risen. As we near the border to Regna Ferox, we spot a peculiar animal beside the road.

"Well, what do we have here?" Robin asks curiously.

Lissa pops out from the wagon that she hitched a ride on and looks in the same direction. "Hey, is that what I think it is?"

We approach the animal to find our suspicions confirmed.

"It's a pegasus, all right." Chrom comments with a nod. "I think it's hurt. Let's have a look here…"

Before he can get close enough, the pegasus starts thrashing around. Must be some kind of survival instinct that kicks in when an animal is wounded.

"WHOA! Down, girl! Easy there!" Sadly, Chrom's attempts at trying to calm the winged equid down fail completely.

"Captain, one moment!" Huh? When did Sumia get out of the wagon?

The brunette approaches us and _almost_ stumbles on the way. Well, looks like her running training in the forest is already paying off.

Chrom looks towards Sumia. "Come no closer, Sumia. This beast is crazed!"

Sumia's face grows determined. "It's okay, Captain. I can handle this…" She approaches the pegasus with a gentle smile. "Shhh… Easy now, girl. I won't hurt you."

The pegasus reacts the same to Sumia at first. But the brunette keeps approaching the animal patiently and with open arms. Not even a minute later, Sumia's petting the pegasus gently on the head. The winged horse is as calm as a baby in the arms of its mother.

"Shhh… There, there."

Everyone looks at Sumia in surprise.

"How did she calm it so quickly?" Robin asks bewildered.

"Wow, that's incredible, Sumia!" Lissa gushes.

Chrom shakes his head in wonder. "I've never seen anything like it."

All the attention makes Sumia blush. "Oh, it's…it's nothing, really. I just have a way with animals, I guess. Captain Phila says it's because I used to spend so much time in the stables when I was a new recruit."

"I should say so!" Chrom comments with an impressed smile. "You look like a natural."

Sumia keeps up her gentle petting while inspecting the pegasus' wounds.

"You all go on ahead." She eventually says. "I'll dress her wounds and catch up as soon as we're able."

"We can make time to wait for you." Chrom offers.

Sumia shakes her head with a smile. "Thank you, Captain, but I can manage. Every moment is precious when Ylisse is in danger."

"Right, then. Be safe, Sumia."

"As you command, sir."

With that, we leave Sumia to take care of the pegasus while we continue north. And let me tell you; dang, Sumia's got some good character development! She starts out meek and clumsy, but by the time the Shepherds arrive in Ferox, she's become a confident ally who's determined to make a difference. And what a difference she makes! The best part? It's all canon!

Here's to hope that the feroxi give us a warmer welcome than in the game. Ferox diplomacy is simple and all, but fighting a group of trained warriors in heavy snowfall is _not_ my idea of fun!

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter**

*Snow as far as the eye can reach*

 **Lissa** : Brrr! Why does Ferox have to be so cold?!

 **Frederick** : Never fear, milady. You can take shelter from the wind behind my horse. And, please, try this winter coat. And ear muffs. And wool mittens (personally crafted, of course). And here's a cup of warm chocolate. And-

 **Lissa** : _Thank you_ , Frederick! Now _please_ stop pulling all this stuff from out of nowhere, or you'll bury me under it!

*The Longfort comes into view with Raimi standing on top of the wall*

 **Raimi** : Halt, intruders! One more step and I'll have you all speared where you stand!

 **Chrom** : We come in peace! I'm prince Chrom of Ylisse and I wish to speak with the kahn of Ferox.

 **Raimi** : You? Prince Chrom? Yeah, right! If you are who you claim to be, then prove it!

 **Chrom** : *Sigh* We don't have time for this.

 **Vaike** : C-c-can w-we p-p-please j-just g-g-get o-on w-with it?! T-t-the V-v-vaike's m-muscles a-are g-g-gettin' f-frozen s-stiff h-here!

 **Robin** : Well, _maybe_ you should've heeded Frederick's advice and packed some warm clothes for the trip instead of traveling half naked all the time!

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Winter soldier, Ferox style! Punching diplomacy is best diplomacy!**

 **Jack** : I knew I should've picked Charmander as my starter. Then I'd have a badass Fire-type to keep me warm and fly around through the sky. Charizard, man!

* * *

 **Omake: Sumia's pegasus bloopers**

Sumia walks into the film studio and plops down tiredly on one of the sofas with a sigh.

"Oh, hello, Sumia. You're finally done with the latest chapter, aren't you?"

Sumia looks up to see her fellow Pegasus Knight, Cordelia, with a cup of coffee in each hand. She graciously accepts a cup.

"Hi, Cordelia. And, yes, we finished the last scene about half an hour ago."

The red-headed Pegasus Knight sits down beside Sumia.

"I saw some of the footage from that scene. The way you tamed that pegasus was beautiful."

"*Sigh* Yeah, but it didn't go smoothly. We had to redo the scene several times."

Cordelia raises an eyebrow. "Really? What happened?"

"Well…"

 **Take 1**

Sumia approaches the wounded pegasus patiently and with open arms. Unfortunately, the winged equid takes to her approach poorly and thrashes around even more.

Eventually, the prop wings on its sides and the small cloaking device tied around the horn fall off, making the flames on the mane and tail return in full blaze.

Chrom and the others start scrambling for anything to prevent a grass fire. "Gods, someone calm this beast down, or we'll have an entire field on fire!"

As Jack runs to the nearest stream to fill his buckets with water, he starts ranting angrily about the situation.

"I was told that this Rapidash had been trained properly, and then the Fire-type goes ballistic right in the middle of the field?! Blaine, you jerk! You tricked me!"

 **Take 2**

Sumia reaches the wounded pegasus and starts to pet it gently.

"Shh… It's all right. We'll get your wounds dressed and then you can come with us. I think we'll become good friends."

The pegasus tilts its head sideways as if contemplating Sumia's words before shaking off the brunette.

"Hmm, no!"

That's all the winged horse says before it vanishes in a rainbow colored sonic boom.

Jack facepalms. "That's it. That's the last time I hire someone from the kingdom of Equestria."

Lissa scans the horizon for wherever the flying animal disappeared to. "Well, to be fair, I think Rainbow Dash was a bit small to be ridden anyway."

 **Take 3**

Sumia approaches the wounded pegasus patiently and with open arms. She reaches for the mane and starts petting it gently.

"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for ya, you birdbrained pony!"

Everyone (the pegasus included) turn their heads to see an angry red-furred satyr approach.

"Oh, for crying out loud, Phil!" Jack shouts exasperated. "We almost had that scene perfectly!"

"Hate to break it to ya, kid, but Wonder boy needs his flyin' oat muncher back, pronto. You'll get 'im back tonight."

"What?! But Hercules said I could borrow Pegasus since he's busy training all day! We need the guy to shoot the scene!"

"I thought Sumia's pegasus is supposed to be female." Robin comments.

"No one's going to look at _that_ part of his anatomy, so it'd work out anyway!"

"Well, here's the deal." Phil explains with a sigh. "Herc was mindin' his own business and going through his usual 24 hour workout when his girlfriend came in."

"Meg?" Jack asks.

Phil nods. "Got it in one. Anyway, she asks if Wonder boy wants to go on a date. He accepts, but I remind him that he still has another 20 hours to go. Herc practically begs me to let 'im go, so I agree on the condition that he finishes his workout first. Kid goes all hyper and finishes up everything, and I mean _everything_ , in record time, so now I have to keep my end of the deal and let the lovebirds have their date."

Jack raises an eyebrow. "I fail to see how this has anything to do with you looking for Pegasus. Can't Hercules just pick up Meg and parkour his way to their dating spot? He's a freakin' demi-god who sent the titans flying into space. All of them. At the same time."

Phil rubs his temple. "Yeah, that's what I said. But his girlfriend said it ain't, bleah…romantic enough. She's got the kid all wrapped around her finger too, so they won't scoot until I get Horsey over here back to the stadium."

Jack joins Phil in rubbing their temples. "*Sigh* Great. Herc's got it bad."

"Ya don't know half of it."

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **Iron Bow, Bow, Base damage: 34, Common  
** _The standard issue bow for any soldier who focuses on archery. The rigid iron frame allows for greater draw weight than a bronze frame, and thus, more powerful shots. In return, the iron frame weighs more, making aiming harder as a result. While Iron Bows are generally considered to be easy to wield, it's often recommended that a practitioner of archery gets some experience in the field before trying to wield one._

 **Vulnerary, Consumable, Common  
** _Medicine for healing wounds, should the need ever arise. While the taste is horribly bitter, the medicine works fast, making this item a must-have in dangerous situations or when traveling far from civilization.  
Each flask can hold up to three rations. Restores up to 10 % of the consumer's maximum HP._

 **Iron helmet, Head gear, Uncommon  
** _Standard equipment for any soldier in a standing army. Since the head is a very vulnerable part of the body, the advent of headgear was groundbreaking for its time. A well crafted and maintained Iron helmet can block deadly blows from arrows and axes alike. Take good care of your helmet, and it will take good care of you._

 **Mage, Class  
** _A practitioner of the arcane arts. Since the potency of magic is related to the wielder's intellect instead of their physical strength, Mages typically spend a lot of their time studying various fields and disciplines for the purpose of honing their minds. Mages are scholars before they are soldiers, so their physical prowess and protective gear is generally weaker than most other fighters'. This doesn't make them handicapped by any means, however. An experienced Mage can use their magic to tear through armor as if it were made of paper.  
Passively increases max MP and INT by 5 %. Magic spells of any element except dark do 10 % more damage. Any damage dealt with a physical weapon is reduced by 10 %. All physical damage taken increases by 5 %. _

* * *

**Hah! Finally got this chapter done! Man, writing the battle scenes took longer than expected. Anyway, this should be good. We're finally reaching Ferox, and it's time for some violent diplomacy.**

 **You might've noticed that I put some of the characters' battle quotes in the dialogues during the fights. My hope is that it'll make those quotes seem more dynamic by putting them in some context. In addition to that, Jack has some battle quotes on his own.**

 **Also, arrow to the knee FTW!**

 **Well, that should be everything for now. Please rate and review.**

 **CrossVipeR316 out.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **Man, can you guys imagine how it feels having no internet for a week? 'Cause that's exactly what's happened to me!**

 **First off, I recently moved to a new town after being offered a job outside of it. The company that offered the job where even nice enough to help me find an apartment to live in. All in all, it's a nice place with affordable rent. Lots of things that I'm grateful for, and many people that deserve credit for what they've done for me.**

 **Now for the internet problem. See, my new apartment was supposed to have everything set for connecting to the net. I just had to call the company owning the connection and tell them which variant I want to use. I get everything I need to set up my connection a few days later and start everything up. Now I can access the net, right?**

 **Nope. For some reason, the connection doesn't go all the way through. So I call back to the company, and they tell me they'll send a technician to fix the problem. So, I just need to wait for the guy, and my connection problem is solved, right?**

 **Wrong! On the night before he's scheduled to arrive, lightning strikes the region where I now live. I don't think much about it until the day after, when the guy calls me and says that said lightning strike resulted in him getting bogged down with enough work where he is at the moment to last him the whole day. That means he can't come to my place on that day. The bad news is; it's Friday. And he doesn't work during the weekend. Which means I have to wait until** _ **after**_ **the weekend until the dude can finally come to my place and check what's wrong. All of this, because if a f-cking LIGHTNING STRIKE!**

 **As you can imagine, I've gone through a few emotions this past week due to having no access to the internet, most of them being negative. With few other options at hand, I've had plenty of time for self-reflection. That's how I've concluded that most of those emotions likely stem from something akin to abstinence problems, since I'm so used to having access to the net, only to find myself denied said connection time and again. I also found myself having a lot of time with nothing to do. Shows how much the internet takes of my time.**

 **Anyhow, the problem is** _ **finally**_ **fixed, as you can see by the fact that I've posted this new chapter. Hopefully, this will be the last time I have major problems with my internet connection (though knowing where I live, I doubt that will be the case).**

 **Now, onto some reviews:**

 **kyle77776:** Remember the Bronze Sword Jack picked up back in chapter 1? That's his go-to weapon. Unless stated otherwise, assume he's wielding the Bronze Sword whenever he's fighting.

 **Episoph:** Well, as I've hinted at in previous chapters, I want Jack to be OP. That doesn't mean he'll destroy every single opponent he goes up against. Some major enemies in Awakening _will_ give him trouble. Remember; Jack's spent less than a week in a world where the majority of the fighters have trained for years. Had his fighting prowess progressed at a natural pace, he'd be hard pressed to survive at all. Also, thanks for your feedback on the character interactions. I'm really trying to make them good.

 **Guest reviewer, July 30th:** Wow... You have enough ideas to write your own fic. Feel free to try your hand at writing yourself. It's a lot of hard work, but it can also be a lot of fun.

 **Anonymous reviewer** **:** Yeah, Miriel may not be a witch, since she doesn't dab in the occult, but don't f-ck with her. If you do, chances are she'll tell you to desist at once before she reduces you to a pile of ashes.

 **The guest reviewer who said that this story is trash:** Look, I can respect if you don't like this story. I never expected this story to be liked by everyone in the first place. However, if you're going to openly say that it's trash, I expect you to at least tell me why you think so. To me, saying that something is bad without explaining why is disrespectful towards the one who originally made it, no matter what it is or who made it.

 **Without further ado, enjoy the chapter!**

 _Yeah, right. And I'm the queen of Valm._ \- Raimi

* * *

 **Chapter 5:** **Winter soldier, Ferox style! Punching diplomacy is best diplomacy!**

It's been about 20 minutes since we left Sumia to tend to the pegasus by the road side. After that battle we had with the Risen, our trip has thankfully been quite uneventful. As we're nearing Regna Ferox, I'm starting to feel the temperature getting lower. It's a good thing Frederick had the forethought to acquire some thick traveling cloaks for all of us, or else we'd practically turn into popsicles before reaching Flavia's residence.

I'm not the only one who's noticed the drop in temperature. Lissa's hopped back into a wagon to retrieve the cloaks and is now busy handing them out to everyone. Most of us put on the cloaks in anticipation for the cold weather save for Robin, as her tactician's cloak is apparently warm enough already, and…Vaike?

"Come on, Vaike! You'll need the cloak, or you'll freeze on the way to Ferox!" Lissa says exasperated as she tries to shove the clothing into the Fighter's arms.

Vaike replies by crossing them. "Nuh uh! Not happening! The Vaike can handle a little snow and cold, no problem. Besides…" Now he starts flexing his biceps…again. "...how're the gals supposed to see the greatness of these muscles if they're all behind clothes?"

I raise an eyebrow. " _That's_ the reason why you're always half naked?"

Vaike grins confidently. "Gotta show the ladies the goods!"

Lissa gives a resigned sigh. "Fine, have it your way, _Teach_. Enjoy your cold while the rest of us trudge through the snow with warm cloaks on. Gods, you can be so stubborn sometimes!"

"I'll be fine! Trust me!"

* * *

*Crrnk…crrnk…crrnk…*

"Ok-k-kay! Gimme t-t-that c-c-cloak already! It's c-c-c-cold!"

We didn't march into the snowy landscape for more than a minute before Vaike caved in. Lissa rolls her eyes and hands Vaike a cloak with an annoyed "I told you so".

Virion scans our surroundings from his lookout spot on top of the other wagon.

"My, my. It is difficult to believe anyone would live in a place like this, let alone establish an entire country."

"You'd be surprised what mankind has thought up for the sake of settling down in some places." I answer the Archer. "They say that the need is the mother of all inventions. The feroxi have found a way or two to handle the cold, I'm sure of it."

"That's quite an observation, my friend. I was not aware you're so well versed in the ways of the world."

Did I let on more than I intended? Uh, cover story time!

"Well, we have a big library where I come from. There was also a retired scholar living in town. He was more than happy to teach the children how to read. Most of the children preferred playing outside, but I enjoyed reading. I used to spend a lot of days in that library reading whatever book tickled my fancy."

"I know what you mean." Robin comments smiling. "There's something soothing in sitting in a quiet place and immersing yourself in a good book."

"I know, right?" I reply grinning. "And books are packed with all kinds of information. Learning how to read must be one of the best things I've done in my life."

Robin and I continue discussing books with Miriel eventually joining our conversation. That's when I notice Miriel standing a bit taller than us. Was she always this tall?

Wait… Why is she hardly leaving any footprints? We're busy trudging through the snow – heck, the oxen have to _pull_ the wagons through all that white mass! All because we sink into the stuff like rocks in water. It's a good thing the wagons are covered, or else we'd have snow piling up in them and covering everything we have stored inside (not to mention the poor oxen would have even more load to pull). Miriel's walking _on top of the snow_!

"Miriel, how do you _do_ that?" I eventually ask. "How are you not sinking into the snow?"

"Oh, that's a trick every mage and cleric learns. It lets us walk over snow and sand like it's solid ground." Lissa piques in.

Miriel nods. "Indeed. Channeling mana is a fundamental skill that anyone who wishes to practice magic needs to learn. The better the practitioner is at channeling mana, the more effective their magic. What you see here is a practical application of mana channeling that eventually became a training exercise for many aspiring mages."

"So, how does it work?" I ask curiously.

"The theory is quite simple. Channel mana through your feet and out through your soles. When you do, shape it into a flat surface that expands from you soles while keeping it as thin as possible. This will spread your weight over a greater area, thus resulting in you walking on top of the snow instead of sinking into it. In practice, however, you need to keep a steady flow of mana to maintain the shape, or else it will break. Channel too much mana, and the snow below your feet will be pushed away instead."

Huh… Reminds me of those chakra control exercises from the Naruto series. Well, it sounds simple enough. Let's do this! Speaking of which…

"Hey, Robin, you're good with magic, right?" I ask the Tactician.

Robin nods. "Yes. I can only remember using it a few times, but I always feel more familiar with magic than with my sword."

"Maybe you should give this a try, then. With all the magic you use, your mana channeling should be good enough for this to work."

Robin thinks for a little while before she nods. "You may have a point. Alright, let's try it."

And so, me and Robin try to learn the art of snow-walking. It's quite tricky. My first few attempts blow away the snow beneath my feet (much to Robin's protests). Looks like I'm channeling too much mana. Instead of lowering my mana output, I decide to try from the other direction; start with as little mana as possible and work my way up from there.

Sure enough, my efforts soon pay off.

* * *

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action! You gained "Mana soles"!**

 **Mana soles, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 5 MP/ second  
** _A skill derived from Basic mana manipulation. Originally created by an apprentice mage living in a desert who was bored and wanted to try something new with his skills. By channeling his mana into the shape of a disk beneath his feet, the apprentice spread his weight over a greater area, thus allowing him to traverse the sands with ease so long as he could hold his concentration. His teacher became so impressed with the innovation that it soon became standard procedure to train every apprentice mage in this skill.  
Allows the caster to walk on loose terrain like sand or snow without any movement penalty. Should the user be a mounted unit, the mount can be used as a medium to achieve the same effect._

* * *

Wow… The feeling of having snow beneath your feet that hardly compresses at all when you walk on it is a novel feeling. I expect to sink into the white substance the moment my foot reaches it, but I only sink about a centimeter before stopping.

"Wow, Jack! That's incredible!" Lissa exclaims upon seeing my success.

Miriel nods. "It is extremely rare for someone to achieve even a modicum of mastery in this skill within a few minutes of training. Tell me, Jack, do you have any formal training in magic?"

Cover story, round two!

I shrug. "Well, kind of. Remember the scholar in my hometown? He also used to be a Sage until a few years before settling down in our town. When he saw that my favorite books were mostly about magic and fairytales, he asked if I was interested in magic. I nodded happily. So he decided to give me a few lessons in magic – mostly how it works." I will myself to shudder. "Yet for all his kindness, he was also very strict in what he taught me. There was this one time when I found a tome about how to channel mana. Since I had taken a few lessons, I decided to try it myself. The old scholar found me just as I was about to make my first attempt and interrupted me by slamming the tome over my head. "Never attempt anything that I have not taught you!" he yelled."

I rub the top of my head. "Sometimes, I can still feel the sting of having the back of a thick tome brought down on my head. He may have been old, but that swing would've even left Frederick impressed."

Lissa looks at me with open awe. "Wow! I had no idea you grew up with such an amazing person."

I nod in response. "He was amazing, all right. As terrifying as he was at times, I miss the old guy."

"So, where is he now?" Robin asks curiously, while still trying to match my success, but still sinking into the snow.

I look out over the white fields. "He passed away about a year before I left my hometown to travel. Guess time had finally caught up with him."

Miriel brushes some snow off her hat. "If I may inquire, what was the name of this retired sage?"

Wow, these girls got more immersed into my cover story than I anticipated. A name… Oh, I know! What better name for my imagined magic geezer than the name of _the_ magic geezer from the kingdom of Fiore?

I allow a wistful smile on my lips. "Makarov."

Before the ladies have any more time to pry further into my cover story (and risk exposing my whole ruse), I address Chrom.

"Hey, Chrom!"

The blue-haired prince looks in my direction (and shows a moment of surprise upon seeing me walk on top of the snow).

"Yes, Jack? What is it?"

"Want me to scout the road ahead?" I suggest. "After seeing all those Risen back before it started snowing, I thought it might be a good idea to look out for any other unexpected creatures along the road."

Chrom puts a hand under his chin. "Hmm… We're close to the border to Regna Ferox. It's unlikely we'll run into anything until then."

"Milord, I suggest we let Jack scout the road ahead." Frederick piques in.

Both me and Chrom look to the Great Knight.

"One can never be too careful, considering what we've fought against. The sooner we can prepare for an incoming battle, the better."

Chrom nods in response. "Alright. Scout ahead Jack. And be careful."

I nod before taking one last glance at Frederick. Unbeknownst to Chrom, the Great Knight sends me a look that can only mean one thing: I expect you to return soon and with an accurate report.

Frederick isn't just trying to put faith in me; he's testing me. Clever. Very clever.

I give a nod specifically for Frederick before running ahead and sticking to whatever trees that grow near the road.

I constantly use Mind's eye while running over the snow in order to get as much of a picture of the road ahead as possible. Boy, am I glad Miriel taught me snow-walking, or else running through the white landscape would be a massive pain in the neck.

* * *

I soon come up to a giant wall. This must mean I've reached the border. The fortress like building in the middle indicates that I've reached one of the outposts along the border – most probably the outpost where Raimi is stationed.

Right now, I'm scanning the place from a tree growing some 12 to 13 paces from the wall. From what little that Mind's eye can reach into the fortress, the place is bustling with activity. Weapons are passed around. Soldiers scramble and get into position. One person seems to be pointing every which way while barking out orders. That's probably Raimi.

Wait, there's an Archer looking in my direction. Has he spotted me already? I _did_ make sure to hide where the foliage is at its thickest.

The Archer takes an arrow and nocks it on his bow. He's aiming right at me.

*Thunk!*

I barely manage to angle my head sideways. The arrow hits the tree trunk behind me just a hair's breadth from my ear. Yeah, he's seen me, all right! Better get out of here before he tries shooting me again!

I swing my way down the tree by the branches and land on the snow before running as fast as I can away from the wall, while making sure no more arrows fly in my direction. A few do, but I'm fortunately out of range. Well, that could've gone better. Looks like the feroxi will give us just as warm a welcome as in the game. Wonderful… Feroxi diplomacy it is.

* * *

I soon return to the others and relay what I found. While the Shepherds are glad that no more Risen are on the road ahead, they express concern regarding the way the feroxi are moving, especially Frederick. Chrom, however, tries to remain optimistic and keeps on marching.

A few minutes later, the great wall comes into view again. The wind starts to pick up, making the cold start to even go through our cloaks.

Lissa shudders in the snowy wind. "Brrr! F-F-Frebberick! I'm f-f-freebbing!"

"Stand beside my horse, milady." Frederick replies smiling. "She'll shelter you from the wind."

Lissa takes the invitation before anyone can protest about her being the only one getting some wind shelter. As funny as it looks, I hold my tongue regarding any height related jokes upon seeing that Lissa only reaches to about the height of the back of Frederick's horse. It's not just because Lissa's a bit shorter than the rest of us; Frederick's horse is freakin' huge! Do _not_ piss off a little girl taking shelter beside a huge armored horse!

"So this is the fortress?" Robin asks curiously.

"Yes, the Longfort." Chrom answers. "It stretches along the border of Ylisse and Regna Ferox."

"The khans that rule Ferox have grown quite wary of foreigners." Frederick adds. "Still, don't mistake a lack of hospitality for open hostility. This simply calls for a bit of diplomacy."

"Negotiation's not my strong suit, but I'll do my best." Chrom muses. "Remember, everyone: our actions here reflect back on Ylisse."

As we approach the outpost, we notice the soldiers standing guard, as well as all the weapons they have at the ready.

"Milord, those soldiers look like they're ready to let fly at a moment's notice." Frederick tells Chrom. "We'd best prepare for combat, just to be safe."

"Halt! Who goes there?!" we hear Raimi shout from the top of the wall.

"In the name of house Ylisse, I seek audience with the khans!" Chrom responds.

"Not another step, my bold lad! I've lancers at the ready!" Raimi shouts back.

"Hold, milady! We are not your enemy!" Frederick butts in hastily. "Exalt Emmeryn herself sent us to discuss matters of mutual interest."

"My only interest is keeping you out of Regna Ferox, brigand!" Raimi fires back.

Frederick looks like he just got slapped in the face. "B-brigand? Now see here-"

"You think you are the first "ylisseans" to try and cross our borders? I have the authority to fell such impostors where they stand." At Raimi's retort, the soldiers on top of the wall get in ready stances to fire their weapons.

"How dare you!" Frederick shouts indignant. "You are in the presence of Prince Chrom, the exalt's own blood!"

"Ha! Yes, indeed – and I'm the queen of Valm!" Raimi scoffs. "You _do_ realize impersonating royalty is a capital offense, yes?" The Feroxi Knight rubs her chin for a moment. "Mmm… Then perhaps we should settle this the Feroxi way. You claim to be the prince of Ylisse? Then prove it on the battlefield!"

"Rgh… Emmeryn won't like this at all…" Chrom sighs exasperated. "Please, good lady! If you'd just listen-"

Raimi narrows her eyes. "I've heard quite enough! Attack!"

The Knights near the edge of the wall rear back their javelins.

"Chrom! Get out of there!" I shout to the blue-haired prince. It's too late, however. The Knights let their javelins fly, and Chrom can do nothing more than try to cover himself best he can.

*Shink! Shink shink shink!*

A split second before the javelins make contact, a white blur swoops in and takes Chrom away. All that's left in its wake are a pair of big white feathers. Everyone looks up to see something flying in the sky.

"Is that a bird?" Sully asks.

"Is that a plane?" I add jokingly.

Miriel adjusts her glasses. " _That_ is a pegasus."

True enough, the flying object soon lands close to us and reveals itself to be a pegasus – with Sumia and Chrom riding on its back.

 **AN: Let's take a moment to appreciate just how strong Sumia is. She only needed about a second to fly in, pick up Chrom and get back up in the air above the outpost, while dodging the javelins. And by the time Chrom reopens his eyes, Sumia has already put him behind her in a perfect riding position. The amount of strength required to accomplish this feat within such a short timeframe is ridiculous, especially given Sumia's physique. Remember, this is all canon. Sumia's a BEAST! And let's not forget her pegasus. Sumia barely gave the winged mount any time to recover before having it rush in through snowy weather and help her save Chrom – while still having just recovered!**

"Whew! Looks like I made it in time." Sumia says relieved as she and Chrom dismount the pegasus.

Chrom looks at the newly minted Pegasus Knight in awe. "Sumia! You saved my life!" Then he looks at the winged equid. "And this – is this the same ornery pegasus we met on the road?!"

Sumia nods. "Oh, she's a sweetheart, isn't she?" Sumia starts petting the pegasus affectionally. "…Once you really get to know her…"

"Well, many thanks to you both." Chrom replies smiling.

Lissa giggles. "I think the pegasus is blushing!"

"And _I_ think we had all best focus on the situation at hand!" Frederick comments.

"Chrom, they're coming!" Robin shouts from the front.

Chrom nods. "Alright. The Feroxi way it is!"

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: Warrior realm  
** _You've reached Regna Ferox at last, only to literally stop cold in your tracks because the locals refuse to let you enter. In fact, you'll probably remain stuck in the snow unless Chrom can prove that he's the real deal. Time to try some Feroxi diplomacy; the harder you hit, the better your argument.  
_ **Objectives:** _Defeat Raimi  
_ **Rewards:** _?, 3 000 EXP, 3 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objectives:** _?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _?, 1 500 EXP, 1 500 gold  
_ **Failure:** _Death_

* * *

"Hey, Chrom. Ferox is our ally, right?" I ask the prince.

Chrom nods. "Yes. They have been since times of old. Why do you ask?"

"Well, the thought of killing my allies doesn't sit well with me. Do you think it's possible to defeat them without anyone getting killed?"

Chrom takes a moment to consider. "I agree with you, Jack, but you have to understand that killing your opponent may sometimes be the only way. We'll try to keep them alive though."

Chrom then raises his voice. "Shepherds! Try to avoid killing the Feroxi soldiers if possible. Aim to knock them out and only kill if necessary."

The Shepherds nod their affirmative and get ready to battle. The first to approach us are a small band consisting of Mercenaries and Soldiers, with a few Archers spread among them. Let's see what Observe can tell me.

* * *

 **Feroxi soldier Lvl 13 Class: Mercenary  
** _A member of Regna Ferox's standing army. Training in the harsh weather up north has given this barbarian warrior resilience and strength rarely seen elsewhere on the continent. Feroxi generally prefer being direct in their speech. This can make them seem rude by other cultural standards, but they're just being honest, if a bit tactless.  
Damage taken from ice-elemental magic is always reduced by 5 %._

* * *

These guys take less damage from ice magic? Makes sense. They live in a cold climate.

It's a good thing I already have some experience fighting both sword and lance wielders. It's mostly been one-on-one, but I at least I know a bit of what to look out for.

*Clang!*

My first opponent is a Mercenary. Our swords lock together in a power struggle. His base strength is a bit higher than mine, but I have Reinforcement on my side. I quickly overpower him, but have to remind myself not to go for the kill. This is where I realize a problem; my weapon of choice is a sword! There's very little on a sword that's not meant for killing! It would've been easier with, say, a lance, so I could use the shaft to hit this guy over the head. If I'm going to make it in this battle without killing anyone, I'm going to have to be a little creative.

It's a good thing I can overpower my opponent by using Reinforcement, 'cause this allows me to easily force his sword down and get into position for a shoulder charge (Thanks for the tip, Chrom!). The Mercenary stumbles back from my unexpected move, allowing me to get in close and slam the pommel of my sword into his face.

*Bam!*

 **You have leveled up!**

The Mercenary goes down like a sack of bricks. Next, a Soldier approaches me from the right. I get ready to face him, when he seemingly gets thrown to the side by some sort of impact and ends up unconscious on the ground. Well, that was weird.

Wait…could it be?

"Kellam? Is that you?"

"Oh, you can see me?" a voice says from seemingly thin air.

"Uh… I can hear you. Kind of. At least I know we didn't accidentally leave you behind."

"Good enough, I suppose." the voice sighs.

"Hey, can you make sure to stay close with us? It'd be awful if we forgot you outside."

"I'll try."

Well, now that I know that our resident Knight is present, that's…actually less of a weight off my back than I thought. Drat! I forgot about Kellam again!

*Thunk!*

Yikes! That arrow almost hit me! I look up to see a group of Ferox Archers firing from atop the wall.

"Guys, they have Archers on top of the wall! We need cover, fast!" I shout to the other Shepherds.

It's a good thing Robin heard my shout. After a short glance up the wall, she immediately starts to scan the battlefield.

"Everyone, to the woods, now!" she shouts over the battle noise and starts running.

I notice a cluster of trees close to the wall. If I remember correctly, that's the same cluster of trees that I used to scout the place earlier today.

It's not like reaching them is easy though. The feroxi quickly pick up on our plan and start to aim on intercepting us instead of hitting us directly. We can handle the soldiers on the ground just fine, but the ones on top of the wall are out of our reach. Now, how do I handle those guys?

* * *

Plan 1: Return fire.

Uh, the only things I can use are the javelins that the Knights keep throwing. The problem is that my opponents stand on higher ground and behind potential cover. Chucking those javelins against them would more likely result in giving them back their ammo.

The arrows and javelins are fired in a way to steer us away from the trees and towards the wall. If they succeed, we'll be easy pickings from at least two directions! Come on, there's gotta be a way out of this!

* * *

Plan 2: Climb the wall.

Nope. I can't find anywhere on the wall where I could get a grip for climbing. And even if I could, the soldiers could easily push me off when I reach the top.

Now that we're back out in the open, the soldiers start to aim directly at us again. Robin is busy fending off a Fighter, but doesn't notice the Archer aiming at her back!

I rush in and block the arrow before it can hit her. "Not on my watch!"

Before the Archer can fire another arrow, I manage to combine Reinforcement and Mana soles to sprint on top of the snow and within reach to punch the Archer in the face. Not even a second later, I have to jump back to avoid more arrows from the wall.

* * *

Plan 3: Have Sumia carry us over the wall.

Said Pegasus Knight is forced low on the ground to avoid becoming an easy target for the Archers. Nope, the plan is a no-go. The Archers will shoot Sumia out of the sky before she can clear the wall. And she can only carry one of us at a time anyway.

With all the ranged support that the ground-level feroxi get, we're hard pressed on fighting back. Stahl and Sully already suffer a few wounds, and Vaike's cloak is in tatters after several close shaves. I can even spot some bleeding between the rags. It's only thanks to Virion's skillful archery that keeps some of the Archers at bay, but I think he's running low on ammo.

* * *

Plan 4: Lissa teleports us into the courtyard.

Lissa doesn't know any teleportation spells. Besides, I think the only teleporting spell in Awakening is the Rescue spell, and it only teleports a unit to where Lissa herself is. If that plan is to work, Sumia needs to carry Lissa over the wall first, and plan 3 is already a no-go.

"Everyone, up the stairs!" Robin shouts.

Considering the attacks we're suffering, that might be the only place where we can fight safely. We run up the stairs situated on the side of the outpost, only to find the door at the end to be locked. Unlike in the game, none of the ground-level soldiers had any key on them. It makes sense, now that I think about it. What kind of moron would give the enemy any kind of opportunity to get through a locked door into a vital strategical place on your home turf?

(Meanwhile in many other points in Fire Emblem history, the captains of several castle guards sneeze.)

Robin soon realizes that she, and the rest of us, fell into a trap. We're surrounded by walls on the sides, there's a massive locked door in front of us and Feroxi soldiers block the path back down. Cr-p! They've boxed us in! It's only a matter of time before arrows and javelins rain down from all directions.

Alright, f-ck it!

* * *

Plan 5: Get over that door and kick every ass in sight!

Now to get over the door. Hm… I might be able to clear it if I can get a boost. But who will help me? Vaike's busy getting healed by Lissa, and everyone else would protest. If only I could- Wait, why is there a suit of armor in front of the door? Uh… Observe!

* * *

 **Kellam Lvl 15 Class: Knight**

* * *

Hey, I can finally spot Kellam- What is Kellam doing there? No, wait. He might be the one I need.

I run up the stairs to the Knight. "Kellam!"

Said Knight turns to me (I think?). "Yes, Jack? What do you need?"

"Help me over that door." I tell him as I reach the top of the stairs.

"Um, wouldn't that be dangerous? There are enemy soldiers on the other side."

"Never mind that! If we don't do something soon, we'll have arrows and javelins raining down on our heads from the sides!"

Kellam looks a bit hesitant before nodding. "Um, okay. Just be careful."

"Don't worry, I got this. I'll find a way to unlock the door from the other side once I have the time. Just tell the others to hang on."

Kellam hesitates a bit longer before nodding.

"All right." I respond. "Just angle your shield and push it upwards when I tell you to. I'll need it to get above that door."

Kellam nods again and angles his shield upwards while bracing himself. I take a few steps back, make sure that Reinforcement is stacked three times and take a running start towards Kellam.

"Now!" I shout as I jump. I land on the shield just as Kellam pushes, allowing me to use the shield as a springboard and jump over the door.

*Thump!*

The Feroxi soldiers on the other side look at me as I land. I close my eyes and let Mind's eye be my "eyes" for this instance. A quick headcount tells me that eight feroxi are in my immediate vicinity.

I rise up and settle in the basic stance for the Snake.

I smirk and wave the soldiers over with a come-hither motion. "I could do this blindfolded. Come on!"

Naturally, the feroxi take to my insult poorly and charge me all at once. The first one to reach me is a Fighter. He raises his Hammer and goes for an overhead swing.

 **BGM: U Can't touch this, MC Hammer**

*Crack!*

The Hammer hits the floor as I sidestep and deliver two quick jabs in the Fighter's face, followed by a strike to the solar plexus and an elbow to the back of his head while he's bent over. One down!

Next up is a Soldier who goes for a stab. I deflect the blow to the right with my hand and then use his brief moment of shock to grab him by the neck and choke slam him into the floor hard enough to leave cracks. Two down!

A Myrmidon approaches me from the right with a horizontal swing. Need to time this carefully…

*Clang!*

I manage to catch the sword between my knee and elbow, much to the Myrmidon's surprise. I use the opening to pivot around the sword on the right and deliver a back hand to the face. Then I grab the Myrmidon's free arm and neck, spin around and throw him against an incoming Knight. The Myrmidon-turned-projectile isn't enough to knock him out, but the impact stops his charge and makes him busy getting his now unconscious buddy off him.

*Thwip!*

I angle my head slightly to the left to dodge an arrow fired at my head from behind. Since I use Mind's eye instead of my normal eyes, the Archer in their group is constantly in "sight". I would normally take him out first, but since I always know what he's doing, he's a minor nuisance at best.

The dodge is quickly followed by me rolling forward to dodge an overhead swing from a second Myrmidon coming from the left. I use my low position to sweep kick his ankles and make him stumble, grab his left arm and throw him over the shoulder to slam him into the ground.

With my knees slightly bent, I jump just as two Soldiers stab at me from different directions at the same time. I kick one Soldier in the face before I snatch his Iron Lance. I give the lance a few twirls before I settle in a stance facing the other Soldier.

Soldier number two attacks me head-on. I use my own lance to deflect his blow to the left. Then I get in close and swing the other end of my lance in his face, dazing him. I push him back, then I run up and kick off his chest, allowing me to come down on the Soldier I snatched the Iron Lance from with a big overhead swing.

*Wham!*

It's a good thing he wears a helmet, or that blow might've caused something serious.

Soldier number two gets back on his feet now and looks pretty angry at me for using him like a springboard. I make another come-hither motion while smirking.

"That all you got?"

The Soldier in question looks positively pissed and rushes in impale me. I sidestep the lance and then grab it before yanking hard and bringing the Soldier close. I kick him in the gut, making him drop his lance in the process, and then deliver a series of blows on him.

*Whack, thwack, whack, wham!*

Face, elbow, knee, and over the head. He's down and out. Then I pivot, flip the lance and wind up for a throw.

Did you think I forgot the Knight from earlier? Nope. He had just gotten his unconscious Myrmidon buddy off him and was ready for another charge, so I hurl the stolen lance at him.

"Hryah!" *Crang!*

He reacts fast, bringing up his shield to block the incoming polearm. It did mean he had to abandon his charge again though.

Since I put so much commitment into the throw, it had the added benefit of me bending at the waist and dodging another arrow.

Only two feroxi remain. First: the Knight. He's got heavy armor basically covering all of him, so I have to think of a way around that. Here he comes!

The Knight is weighed down by his armor, so he can't keep up with my movement as he tries to attack me. On the other hand, I doubt I can get through that heavy armor barehanded. So we're in a stalemate. Now how do I get past those defense- Hello… The Fighter that I knocked out earlier had a Hammer, and Hammers deal bonus damage against armored units like Knights. Said Hammer lies right out in the open. Now I only need an opening to pick it up-

*Thwip!*

-while dodging the arrows. Between that Archer and the Knight constantly being on my case, this might be trickier than I thought. Hold on… Between? That's it!

I gradually circle the Knight and his continuous lance stabs until I'm between him and the Archer. With Mind's eye, I easily have both of them clearly in sight. I just need to wait for the Archer to take aim again. There!

*Thwip! Ping!*

When I dodged the arrow this time, it flew towards the Knight instead. Naturally, he raised his shield to deflect the arrow. But raising the shield also blocks a great deal of his vision forward, giving me the perfect opportunity to run up, climb up the shield and jump off the Knight on the other side. With the Knight now facing away from me and standing in the way for more arrows, I have the perfect opening to rush for the Hammer on the ground.

Nrg! This thing's a bit heavy for my taste. I'm gonna need some strength training after this if I ever want to wield such a heavy weapon (and to be fair, quite a few of the weapons that I've traced require a lot of strength to wield effectively).

The Knight sees me with the Hammer in hand. He hesitates a bit, then charges me again.

He tries a horizontal sweep with his lance to cover a wider area. In response, I go down in a roll with the Hammer down. The mallet head rolls along the ground with me, allowing me to dodge under the swipe. When I come up again, the Knight's right side is completely exposed for my swing.

"You're right where I want you!" *Wham!*

The impact is hard enough to dent the armor and probably break a few ribs. He'll need repairs for his armor and a healer when he gets back up.

*Thwip!*

"Yeah, yeah, I know you're still there!" I shout to the Archer. "Now it's your turn."

I make a beeline for him, dodging left and right as he fires arrows. As I come within reach, I slug him in the face, bend down to sweep him off his feet and then, while he's temporarily airborne, slam a palm strike into his chest and send him into the wall behind him. And that's the last of them.

I move my arms to the sides and exhale as I stand over my fallen opponents.

"All according to plan."

 **BGM ends**

Now that the area's clear, I'd better look for a key to let my friends in. I finally find a Door key tucked within the Knight's armor. It takes some fiddling, but I manage to get the key off his belt and out from his dented armor.

I twist the key in the lock and hear the satisfying click of it opening. Then I grab the handle and pull the door open with a grunt. Even with three layers of Reinforcement active, opening this door on my own takes effort.

I look through the now open door to find my fellow Shepherds on the other side with their eyes wide in surprise.

"Jack? So that's where you went off to. How did you get here?" Robin asks.

"Kellam helped me get over the door. I figured that if we can't fight the Ferox soldiers from outside, we need to get in and bring the fight to them." I answer.

Chrom steps in and sees the unconscious feroxi lying on the ground.

"Hold on… You fought all of those soldiers by yourself?" he asks in disbelief.

"And I didn't even get a scratch." I grin proudly.

"Jack, that was reckless!" Robin shouts in my face. She does _not_ look happy. "Why in the world did you think it a good idea to fight several opponents on your own?!"

"In my defense, I couldn't come up with any better ideas to get us out of the jam we got trapped in. The best idea I could think of was to get to the other side by any means and find a way to unlock the door from there. If I had to fight, I'd fight."

Robin frowns at my answer. "You should have told me. I would've gone with you, had you let me know."

I scratch the back of my head. "Sorry. It was only a matter of time before they got Archers at the ready along the wall to rain down arrows on us, so I thought I had to act fast."

Robin still looks displeased with my answer, but eventually nods. "All right. It's a good thing your plan worked – somehow – and that you didn't get injured. But please, promise me you won't do something that reckless again."

"Sorry, can't make that promise." I sigh. "I _will_ try to think my actions through more carefully in the future, though."

Robin keeps her frown for a while longer before she sighs and heads in without another word. Ouch. That reply stung more than what she _could've_ said.

The rest of the Shepherds follow suit, expressing either concern for my health (in which I demonstrate my lack of injuries) or awe over me defeating multiple opponents on my own (in which I simply accept the praise and urge them to move along). Then there's Frederick. It's time that I made good on my silent promise to him back before we reached Ylisstol.

"Hey, Frederick?"

The Great Knight looks in my direction as I carry the Hammer I picked up earlier.

"I think you might like this." I say as I hand him the heavy weapon.

Frederick accepts the Hammer and gives it a few practice swings. Judging by how easily he moves the weapon, I'd say he has more than enough strength to wield it without problems.

"This is a finely crafted war hammer. Where did you find it?" he asks after taking a closer look on the weapon.

"One of the soldiers that I fought carried it. I figured a weapon like this might come in handy, but I'm not strong enough to wield it properly. When I thought about which one among the Shepherds had enough strength to do so, you were the first one to come up."

Frederick gives an appreciative hum. "How thoughtful of you. Though, will the soldier who originally had this hammer not demand it back?"

I shrug. "He's free to do so when he wakes up, if he can even find us. Besides, we're on a battlefield. Finders keepers, or something like that, right?"

Frederick nods in agreement before he puts the Hammer away… _somewhere_ …

Seriously, where did that Hammer go? Frederick just placed it somewhere behind him and, poof! It's gone! It's just like back when he pulled a blanket out of nowhere and put it on Lissa when she slept under the tree two nights back. Wait a minute… Does this mean Frederick has access to the legendary mallet space?

Bah, I'm looking too much into it!

With us finally fighting the Ferox soldiers on even ground, the tide of the battle quickly shifts in our favor. A few more confrontations, and Chrom stands face to face with Raimi.

"So, you managed to reach all the way here. Not bad." Raimi acknowledges. "Let the battle sound out the truth of your words!"

"Everyone stand back!" Chrom orders us. We comply as we see the feroxi on Raimi's side do the same. Hmm… What are Chrom's chances of victory here?

* * *

 **Raimi Lvl 17 Class: Knight  
** _The captain of Regna Ferox's central border guard and one of Flavia's most trusted subordinates. Raimi's stern demeanor and fierce battle prowess has earned the respect of her peers over the whole country. While new recruits may see her as nothing more than a drill sergeant at first, they eventually fall in line when they discover that her bark is nowhere near as big as her bite._

 **HP: 3 450 / 3 450  
MP: 1 225 / 1 225**

 **STR: 31  
VIT: 35  
DEX: 20  
INT: 15  
WIS: 18  
LUCK: 12  
CHAR: 20**

 **Items:  
Javelin (equipped)**

* * *

Wow… She's a tough one. Good thing Chrom has those regular training sessions with Frederick, or else he'd be hard pressed to win this fight.

*Clang!*

As it stands, I'd say Chrom's got this in the bag. They've just reached the opening blows and he already displays an advantage in strength. Raimi tries to push back, but Chrom's brutal swings come so fast that her defense crumbles before she can mount it properly. A few minutes into the battle, Chrom manages to knock the Javelin out of Raimi's grip and her off-balance. Chrom, meanwhile, gets in a stance for the finishing blow.

"I will not fail!"

Chrom jumps up and brings down Falchion with a war cry.

*Krang!*

The downward swing is so powerful that it shatters Raimi's armor. Fortunately, she wears clothing underneath, so it's not like we're seeing stuff we're not meant to see.

"Then your claims were…true…" are the last words she utters before she loses consciousness.

 **Chrom has leveled up!**

 **Due to constant strenuous activity, STR goes up by 3!  
Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT goes up by 4!  
Due to plenty of running and quick maneuvering, DEX goes up by 5!**

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: Warrior realm  
** _A crazy and daring plan allowed you to bring the fight straight to the captain of the border guard herself. Chrom managed to prove himself in single combat, giving you direct access to Flavia. Time to get cracking on those negotiations!  
_ **Objectives cleared:** _Defeat Raimi.  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
Rewards:** _You gain 3 000 EXP! You gain 3 000 gold! Your standing with Ylisse has improved!  
_ **Bonus objectives cleared:** _Win the battle without killing any Feroxi soldiers.  
_ **All bonus objectives cleared!  
Bonus rewards: **_You gain 1 500 EXP! You gain 1 500 gold! Your standing with Regna Ferox has improved!_

 **National standing has been unlocked in the "Relationships" menu!**

* * *

Lissa's busy giving everyone the customary checkup and healing any wounds sustained during the battle when Raimi approaches us with a new suit of armor on.

"A thousand apologies, Prince Chrom. I truly took you for brigand impostors." she greets with a bow. "But no frauds could ever have waged a battle as you just have! I will send word of your arrival to the capital and escort you there personally."

Chrom nods. "That would be most appreciated, thank you." With that, the Feroxi Knight leaves to prepare for the journey.

"Amazing. Her whole demeanor changed." Robin comments surprised.

"In Ferox, strength speaks louder than words." Frederick explains. "I should have known better than to overestimate the value of diplomacy here…"

"So can we get going, Chrom?" Lissa asks fidgeting.

"Yes, it's not getting any warmer." the prince agrees.

"A-b-b-bout t-t-time!" Vaike forces out between shivering teeth. "T-t-the Vaike c-c-can't t-t-take any m-m-more of this c-c-c-cold!"

Raimi and her subordinates fortunately have spare cloaks at hand. Vaike takes one the moment it's offered, wrapping it around his body like a second skin and bowing in thanks to the feroxi. We march through the snow toward the capital, where Raimi will lead us straight to the residence of the khan.

* * *

 ** _Timeskip_**

Chrom, Lissa, Frederick and Robin are allowed to meet the khan personally, while the rest of us "common" folk have to make due with staying in the mess hall. That goes just as well for us, since most of the Shepherds are both exhausted and hungry from traveling through the snowy landscape and then fight Feroxi soldiers on their home turf. I almost pity the feroxi who're going to give Stahl his lunch – keyword being _almost_. They _did_ try to kill us not even an hour ago. Though aside from their rough demeanor, feroxi are actually a cool bunch (no pun intended). They're honest, straightforward, show a great sense of camaraderie among themselves and allies and have learned to enjoy the simple things in life. Even Larry, the guy I took the Hammer from, treats me well. Sure, he's still peeved over losing his Hammer, but he takes it in stride and resolves to get enough gold for a new one. That's some genuine sportsmanship, right there. Speaking of rough demeanors…

"Hey, Sully. You wouldn't happen to be from Regna Ferox, would you?" I ask the red Cavalier.

"Nope, not that I know of." Sully replies. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, it's just that it looks like you'd fit right in with these guys, considering your personality and theirs."

Sully takes a moment to look over the feroxi. Even though it's lunch, they treat it like a party, with all the companionship that comes with it. Vaike in particular seems to have meshed well with the barbaric people, having claimed a table to arm-wrestle with anyone willing (which results in a line of a dozen feroxi and growing). Sully eventually grins at me.

"Ya know… Ya might have a point. I could get used to this place."

While everyone's busy socializing with the locals, I take some time to check my new menu screen.

* * *

 **National standing, menu screen  
** _Just like interacting with people changes your relationships with them, your actions on behalf of a country will change how its leaders look at you. This menu screen displays how well you stand with the various countries of the realm. Being in good standing with a country comes with all sorts of perks, like having an easier time to get an audience with the reigning leaders, to getting discounts from local shops. Just remember that being an ally of one country often results in you becoming the enemy of another. Ugh… Politics…_

 **Current national standings:**

 **Ylisse:** Neutral  
 **Regna Ferox:** Neutral

* * *

Chrom, Lissa, Frederick and Robin enter the mess hall right as I finish checking my newest feature.

"Shepherds, I have an announcement to make!" Chrom shouts over the crowd. The hall goes silent. "I've agreed to represent Khan Flavia as her champion in the upcoming tournament to help her become the reigning khan over all of Regna Ferox. Should we win, she has agreed to forge an alliance with Ylisse."

"Tournament?" I ask with a raised eyebrow. "Does this mean there are multiple sides competing for the throne, or whatever the feroxi use to signify who's in charge?"

"While it is called a tournament, it is more akin to a battle between the two khans of Regna Ferox." Frederick explains. "Each side picks a champion to represent them. Whichever champion wins has their khan become the reigning one until the next tournament. Currently, the west khan reigns, meaning we need to win this tournament to give Khan Flavia the power she needs to mobilize the Feroxi army."

"A one-on-one, eh?" Vaike piques in. "Well, good luck, Chrom! Feel free to ask Teach for some advice before the match."

"It's not that simple, Vaike." Chrom replies. "While it's true that the champions will fight each other, each champion is also allowed to bring up to four allies with them into the battle. The tournament is over when all fighters on one side can no longer fight."

"That's where Robin comes into the picture!" Lissa adds proudly. "She's already picked who's going with Chrom! That's what the announcement is really for."

"Well, don't keep us in suspense!" Sully shouts. "Who gets to bust skulls on the big stage?"

"I've given this careful thought." Robin replies. "Aside from Chrom, the ones who will fight are Frederick, me, Jack and Lissa."

At everyone's surprise at hearing that the young Cleric will participate, Robin elaborates.

"Lissa doesn't have to fight. She could just yield when her turn comes and leave her opponent to the rest of us. The west khan is likely to send his strongest fighters into the tournament, so even if we win a fight, it's more than likely going to be a hard-fought victory. Lissa's role is to heal the other fighters between their battles so they can get into the next battle fresh."

"Is that even allowed?" Stahl asks in the middle of his fifth bowl of stew.

"I proposed the idea to Khan Flavia earlier." Robin replies.

"And as far as I know, no tournament rule forbids it." the east khan herself explains as she enters the mess hall smirking. "Have one fighter lose on purpose so they can dedicate their time patching up the other ones. That's brilliant! There are no rules about this since no one's ever tried it!"

Flavia turns to Chrom. "Chrom, I've gotta say, that's one h-ll of a tactician you've got there. Coming up with that kind of strategy for a _tournament_ , of all things… You'd better keep an eye on her, or I'll steal her away from under your nose!"

At Chrom's nervous expression, Flavia starts to laugh. "Nah, just kidding! But, seriously, make sure to treat her well. Tacticians of her caliber only come around once in a blue moon."

"The tournament will take place in a few days." Frederick tells us. "I suggest everyone who will participate takes time to prepare as much as they can. As I myself will take part, I shall train along side you with a special training program."

Lissa pales at hearing this. "Oh no, please not the fanatical fitness hour!"

"That is indeed how we shall train, milady." Frederick replies smiling. "By the time of the tournament, I will make sure that you can clear the whole hour."

"Frederick? I really, _really_ hate you right now!"

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: East meets west  
** _Flavia is more than willing to forge an alliance with Ylisse – provided she has the political and military power to do so. The only way she can get that is if Chrom and co can win a tournament and make Flavia the reigning khan. As this tournament only takes place once every few years, this is the only chance you have to get the alliance Ylisse needs for the battles to come. But it will be far from easy. You know who's waiting for you at the tournament.  
_ **Objectives:** _Win the tournament of the khans.  
_ **Rewards:** _Increased standing with Ylisse, 4 000 EXP, 4 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objectives:** _?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _?, 1 000 EXP, 1 000 gold  
_ **Failure:** _Death. Ylisse loses its prince, princess and any hope of surviving in the upcoming battles._

* * *

An hour later, the five of us are gathered in a separate room that Flavia provided us with for training. While Frederick originally wanted us to train in the courtyard, he changed his mind after Lissa nearly mauled him in protest. She drew the line at training in the snow.

"Now, then. Let us begin." Frederick tells us.

The next hour is spent on Frederick leading us into all kinds of physical exercises.

* * *

 _ **One fanatical fitness hour later...**_

 **Due to constant strenuous activity, STR goes up by 5!  
Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT goes up by 6!  
Due to plenty of running and quick maneuvering, DEX goes up by 3!**

Oh, my aching…everything!

I thought the only way I could feel tired would be if I allowed myself to get afflicted by the "Exhausted" debuff, but Frederick managed to prove me wrong. What's even crazier, I thought I couldn't get any muscle cramps either (Gamer's body, remember?). Well, Frederick proved me wrong there too. I have muscle cramps in places I didn't even know you _could_ get muscle cramps in.

I look to my right to see Robin lying flat on her back panting for air and sweating a waterfall down her face. Lissa's not fairing any better, though she made it through 45 minutes before giving up; a new personal record! In contrast, Chrom seems tired, but overall okay. And Frederick? The guy barely looks winded despite going through every exercise along with us – while wearing armor! Is this guy even human?!

Ugh… I can barely make heads or tails of the Great Knight. Might as well try something more productive. Like getting myself some water. It's a good thing one of the Feroxi soldiers dropped by with some waterskins a few minutes after we started training. I get up on my feet with a grunt and walk to the bench where the waterskins were placed. I take one for myself and am about to head back when I see Robin in the exact same position on the floor and trying to move, but having little success.

Well, I can't leave a friend hanging like that, now can I? So I put the waterskin back down and walk back to the exhausted Tactician.

"How're you holding up?" I ask Robin as I approach.

"Can…barely…move…" she replies panting.

I bend down and stretch out my hand. "Here, give me your hand."

It takes some effort, but Robin manages to raise her hand a shaky foot or so before I decide that's enough and catch it before it falls back down. I help her up in a sitting position and then drape her arm over my shoulders before lifting the two of us up with a grunt. I gently lead Robin to the bench where the waterskins are and place her on the bench. The Tactician slumps back against the wall panting when she sits down.

I sit down beside her and hand her a waterskin.

"Here. You'll need this."

Robin looks at the waterskin like it's everything she could possibly want at the moment. And keeps looking. Then she looks at me in a way that I can't really place.

…

Oh, yeah, she can barely lift her own arms! Uh… Looks like I have to help her, then.

I open the waterskin and put the opening close to her mouth. Then I tip the waterskin gently to make sure Robin can drink the water instead of it spilling out to the sides. The waterskin is tilted at a 90-degree angle when Robin takes it in her own hands and starts to drain whatever she can get from it on her own. Judging by how she gulps it down, she must be really thirsty. Seeing as she's got things handled, I decide to help myself with a waterskin of my own.

"Th-thanks… I…needed that…" Robin pants when she finishes drinking.

"Anytime, Robin. Anytime." I reply.

 **Your relationshp with Robin has improved!**

* * *

It's gotten dark and most of the people at Flavia's residence have gone to sleep. As for me, it's time for my second training session – the secret one, that is. I leave a clone in my bed with the same instructions as last night and activate ID Create to sneak out of the building.

I've marched quite a ways away from the residence to make sure I won't get spotted for what I am about to do. Instead of a solo training session, it's time that I tried out the other feature of making an ID. So I activate ID Escape and then repeat the process of creating and escaping ID's until I get the alert I want.

* * *

 **ID Create is now level 1! New ID unlocked! You can now cast "ID Create: Bokoblins"!**

* * *

That's right, it's time that I got started on grinding EXP alongside my skills. I normally would've preferred another night or two for just grinding my skills, but with how fast things are bound to progress in the near future, I need more combat experience.

I'm all by my lonesome in the snowy landscape as I get ready to take the plunge. Let's do this!

"ID Create: Bokoblins."

The world around me is tinted red as the mana dome spreads out from my position. It's not long before I hear a familiar sound from the woods behind me. I turn around and spot what I was expecting; Bokoblins. Red ones, to be specific.

* * *

 **Red Bokoblin Lvl 13 Monster  
** _A creature native to the land of Hyrule. Among the many fell creatures who have made their home in the kingdom, Bokoblins are the most human-like. They are quite intelligent, having learned how to craft simple weapons and even structures such as watchtowers and spiked fences. They are even proficient in horse riding._

* * *

The Bokoblins' designs are exactly the same as in BoTW, meaning they can pick up any weapon they can find on the ground and use them to fight. A quick scan with Mind's eye reveals that there are a LOT of them approaching my position. That's fine by me. That means I'll get plenty of practice for what I'm about to do.

I concentrate a massive amount of mana and activate the skill that will serve as our battle ground.

"Unlimited Blade Works!"

Next thing the Bokoblins know, the snowy landscape has vanished and is instead replaced with grassy hills with weapons sticking out everywhere.

I myself Trace a pair of familiar short swords: Shirou Emiya's signature weapons Kanshou and Bakuya. I settle in a stance and beckon the Bokoblins.

"Come on. Pick a weapon and fight me."

The pig-like creatures need no further prompting and pick up the first weapons they can find. This kind of training may be reckless (in which case I will probably have to apologize to Robin if she ever finds out about this), but it's the most effective combat training I can think of right now. There's a plethora of weapons in my reality marble, so I'll get practice against a great number of different weapon wielders in a single night, even if red Bokoblins are among the weakest creatures I can fight.

* * *

 **You have leveled up! You have leveled up! You have leveled up! You have leveled up!**

Phew… It's been about 20 minutes of non-stop fighting. The Bokoblins just kept crawling out of the woodwork, each either picking up a new weapon from the ground or picking up a weapon from a fallen comrade. I had to constantly use Mind's eye and keep track of Reinforcement to make sure I wouldn't be caught off-guard. The funniest part was probably the Bokoblins who picked up bows. They had ranged weapons, but no ammo. They got so frustrated that they simply tossed their chosen weapon aside after a while and went for another one.

And as tiresome as fighting Bokoblins non-stop for 20 minutes was, it was well worth it. Fighting with a sword in each hand gained me a new skill, which I got to grind plenty during the fight:

* * *

 **Dual wielding, Lvl 14 [26.1 %], Passive  
** _The art of wielding a weapon in each hand is a skill that many have tried to attain, but few have succeeded in. And among those few, fewer still have managed to reach its full potential. Wielding two weapons simultaneously allows you to use the abilities of both at the same time (provided they have any) and generally gives you more offensive options than if you only wield one weapon. It also looks awesome when done right.  
Attack speed and attack power is 78 % of the average of both weapons wielded. This skill only applies when wielding two weapons of the same category._

* * *

Judging from what I can read about this skill, I still have a ways to go before it's combat ready. More shadow clones, then.

* * *

 **Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy detected!**

* * *

Oh? There are even bosses here? Neat.

The enemy in question soon reveals itself from the top of a hill, holding a copied Boulder Breaker in its hands.

* * *

 **Silver Bokoblin Lvl 34 Monster  
** _A Bokoblin who has been infused with magic from an evil entity. The corrupted magic has increased its strength and resilience far beyond what is natural for its kin, making them dangerous adversaries. Silver Bokoblins are easily distinguished by their silver-colored skin and purple markings, so recognizing one is simple. While they are powerful, the nature of the magic that strengthened them also makes them more vulnerable to light-elemental magic._

* * *

I may not have any light-element spells, but a Bokoblin is still a Bokoblin, no matter what color they are. This one just hits harder and can take more punishment. This shouldn't be too hard.

*Thoom!*

See? The downward swing from the silver Bokoblin is strong enough to leave a small crater on the ground, but I've fought enough of these guys in BoTW to know _when_ to dodge and _how_ to dodge. Any time the Bokoblin swings, I just need to dodge and strike in the opening given to me. Time even seems to slow down to a crawl when I time my dodges correctly, allowing me to counter with flurry rushes that quickly whittle down the creature's HP. Its skin is tough though, so the wounds are minor at best.

The Silver Bokoblin eventually has enough and starts to spin the Boulder Breaker over its head while advancing towards me. I decide to wait out the storm and back away from the spinning weapon. The Silver Bokoblin tires soon enough and stops the spinning. That's the opening I was looking for.

"Game over, n00b!"

I rush in and stab both short swords into the silver Bokoblin's neck. I didn't just swing aimlessly during those flurry rushes. Most of my swings were aimed against the neck in the hopes of finishing this fight quickly. While the Silver Bokoblin's hide is thick and resilient, it's not impenetrable.

*Shink!*

And my efforts finally pay off as the swords sink into its neck. With a roar of effort, I rip the swords to either side and decapitate the Silver Bokoblin in the process. The fell creature's body turns black before it vanishes in a poof of purple mist. That's how all Bokoblins vanished when I killed them.

* * *

 **Silver Bokoblin has been defeated! You gain 2 300 EXP!**

 **You have leveled up!**

 **You got a skill book!**

 **Due to constant strenuous activity, STR goes up by 2!  
Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT goes up by 4!  
Due to plenty of running and quick maneuvering, DEX goes up by 3!**

* * *

Phew! That's the last of them. It was a good training session, all in all, but I think I'll spend the rest of the night training my skills only. I've already been involved in three battles and one of Frederick's fanatical fitness hours. I think I've had enough exercise for one day.

So with a careful eye on my MP bar, I make a bunch of shadow clones and start practicing my skills for the rest of the night. At least it's more fun than repeatedly doing physical exercises.

* * *

 _ **Time skip**_

The day comes when we leave for the arena where the tournament is set. Everyone's packed their stuff and is ready to leave.

While we march towards the arena, I hear Robin whoop for joy. I turn her way and see her standing on top of the snow.

 **Robin gained "Mana soles"!**

"Yes! I finally did it!" the Tactician shouts to the world.

"Wow, Robin! That's incredible!" Lissa joins in.

"Cool! Now we can take snow walks together." I comment with a grin as I approach them.

Robin's smile turns coy. "Oh, just the two of us?"

"Er…" I don't know why, but I think my brain short-circuited.

Robin giggles. "Relax, Jack. I'm only teasing you."

"Oh…" is all I manage to say as everyone else walk past me. You know…I can't help but wonder what would've happened, had I said "yes".

* * *

We can see the arena after a few more hours of marching. It's not just a lone colosseum sitting in the middle of nowhere; this place has a whole town surrounding it. What's more, the town is bustling with activity. Hundreds of people walk the streets. Traveling merchants have set up shop and try to sell their wares. I even spy a stall managed by an Anna.

"Wow… There's so many people here!" Lissa exclaims in wonder.

"I'd be surprised it there wasn't." Flavia replies smiling. "The tournament isn't just for deciding who becomes the reigning khan for the next few years. It attracts people from all over the continent. People love seeing these kinds of fights, so it's a great source of income for Ferox when it happens. H-ll, I've even seen a few nobles in the seats during most tournaments. Though it's the first time we have nobles fighting _in it_."

"And let me guess; where crowds gather, the merchants set up shop." I comment.

"Exactly." Flavia replies. "That in itself nets Regna Ferox some extra gold since the merchants have to pay a small fee if they want to put up a stall. If we didn't do this, there would be merchant's stalls clogging up every street in town." Flavia rubs her hands in glee. "And all of that gold lands in the pocket of the reigning khan."

What does Basilio say about getting between Flavia and a full coffer now again? Oh yeah, he pities you.

After passing the main entrance, a Soldier directs Flavia and the ones fighting in the tournament through a corridor to the right while the rest are led by another Soldier through the main corridors. We're led through a few twists and turns before coming into a sizable hall. Fortunately, all the corridors are lit with torches to provide heat and light.

"You may make any preparations you need before the battle while in here." the Soldier tells us. "Let me know when you're all finished." With that, he closes the door.

Frederick starts to go through every piece of his armor and then inspects his Silver Lance down to the finest details before nodding in satisfaction. Chrom draws Falchion, takes a look on the blade, nods and re-sheaths it without a word. Robin looks through her Lightning tome and then inspects her new Iron Sword. Lissa checks on her staff and makes sure it's in good condition. As for me, I'm off in a corner Meditating.

"Jack? What are you doing?" Lissa asks as she approaches me. Guess she's done preparing.

"Meditating." I answer.

The Cleric's face scrunches up in confusion. "Medi-what?"

"Meditating." I repeat. "It's an exercise to calm down and focus the mind."

"Why do you need that?"

"Honestly, I'm nervous. Not only am I on my own when fighting in that arena, I have to do it before a large crowd. I need to calm down and concentrate before the fight, or else I could mess up."

Lissa tilts her head to the side. "And you can do it just by sitting down and closing your eyes?"

I shake my head smiling. "Not quite. The important part of meditation takes part in your mind. You basically gather all your attention on a single thought and hold it there. If I only think about my upcoming fight and what I'm supposed to do, I stop thinking on everything else that makes me nervous. That should make the fight a bit easier."

"Oh… Well, I hope I didn't disturb you."

"It's okay." I wave off. "I think I'm as prepared as I can be."

"Good. That goes for all of us." Chrom says. "I'll let the soldier know."

After notifying the Soldier, we're led through one more corridor. This one has no torches lit. The only light we see is at the end, which is probably where the arena is. As we near the end, we hear cheers from hundreds of people.

The sound gets even louder when we step out into the arena. The layout of the arena reminds me of the Roman colosseum, only that it has a dome shaped roof to prevent snow from filling the place. The middle of the fighting area has a raised platform where the fights most likely take place. The seats are packed with spectators.

"You can do it!" we hear Stahl shouting. We turn our heads to see the other Shepherds sitting just above the entrance where we came in from. How nice of the staff to provide them with front-row seats.

"From now on, it's all on you." Flavia tells us. "Make me proud." With that, she walks off to the side of the platform towards two particularly fancy-looking seats. Probably reserved for the khans.

A middle-aged Berserker walks up on the platform and calls for silence. The audience quickly complies. The Berserker takes a deep breath before shouting out his opening speech.

"Travelers! Warriors! Visitors from every corner of the continent! I hereby welcome you to the tournament of the khans!"

The audience answers with nigh earsplitting screams and cheers. This goes on for a few minutes before the Berserker calls for silence once more.

"Three years have passed since the last tournament, where the West-Khan once again solidified his reign. Today, we shall see if that reign continues, or if we get a new reigning khan!"

More cheers and screams.

"I am Julius of Ferox, the proctor of this tournament. Without further ado, let the battles begin! Send up the first two warriors!"

We've already decided that I'm up first.

"First in representing the east is Jack of Ylisse!" the proctor calls out to the cheers of the audience.

"Go get 'em, Jack!" I hear Lissa cheer as I ascend the few stairs up the platform.

I turn around from the top and give her a thumbs-up. "I've got this!"

"First in representing the west is Lon'qu of Ferox!" the proctor calls out next.

Wait, WHAT?!

I turn around and have my suspicion confirmed.

* * *

 **Lon'qu Lvl 18 Class: Myrmidon**

* * *

Oh… Ooh s-it… I thought Lon'qu wouldn't participate because "Marth" handed him his ass and took his place as champion of the west. This… This is NOT what I expected!

...

Alright, looks like I'm forced to reveal my hand earlier than I thought.

Instead of drawing my Bronze Sword, I turn back to the stairs and unbuckle it from my waist before I toss it to Lissa.

"Lissa, catch!"

The princess catches my sword with a baffled look.

"Jack, what are you doing?!" Robin shouts from Lissa's right.

"Trust me, it's better this way." I reply.

I turn back to the arena to find that Lon'qu has already drawn his Killing Edge. Yep, I definitely made the right call.

"You would throw away your weapon when faced with an armed opponent?" the Myrmidon asks scowling. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Sorry" I reply grinning. I settle in a stance with my arms horizontal and pointing out diagonally from my body. My hands are palms-down and pointed forward. "The thing is, I can tell that you're strong. The weapon I tossed aside will do me little good in this fight."

Sparks begin to envelop my arms. My grin grows a bit bigger. "If I want to stand a chance against you, I have to go all out from the beginning."

The sparks fly from my hands. "Trace…on!"

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter**

*Camera shows Emmeryn in castle Ylisstol*

 **Chrom** : Emm, I bring news about our trip to Ferox.

 **Emmeryn** : That will have to wait, Chrom. Gangrel demands we negotiate with him immediately. He has taken duke Themis' daughter prisoner.

 **Lissa** : Oh no! Maribelle!

 **Chrom** : We have to rescue her. And maybe stick a sword in Gangrel's gut while we're at it!

*Camera shows Ricken sneaking around on the mountain side*

 **Jack** : Ricken? What are _you_ doing here?

 **Ricken** : I'm saving Maribelle, what else?!

 **Jack** : Oh yeah? You and what army?

*Squirrels pop up from everywhere*

 **Jack** : Uh…okay?

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Everything you khan do, I khan do better! Allies and enemies enter the stage!**

 **Jack** : Maybe I should've joined Cronk's scout corps. They teach their members how to speak Squirrel.

* * *

 **Omake: Proper motivation**

Lissa's on the ground gasping for air after Frederick's fanatical fitness hour. Jack squats down beside her.

"You okay, Lissa?" he asks.

"I…can…hardly…move." Lissa pants.

"Uh huh…" Jack replies before pointing at the princess' feet. "Hey, is that a snake?"

Lissa jumps up with a shriek, only to find no snake on the ground.

"Jack, what was that for?!" she asks angrily.

"Huh…" Jack muses grinning. "I guess you have a lot more energy than you said if you can stand up that easily."

Lissa's face grows steadily redder. "You…! You…!"

Chrom, Robin and Frederick look to see Lissa chase Jack as if neither of them had just gone through Frederick's training regimen.

"Get back here, Jack!" Lissa shouts angrily.

"You'll never catch me alive!" Jack fires back.

"Wow… I never knew Lissa had so much stamina." Robin comments in awe.

Frederick nods. "Despite what milord and I say about her, milady has the potential to develop astounding physical prowess, should she dedicate herself to the proper training."

"Frederick and I have tried to motivate Lissa to train harder for years. Jack may have found a solution to our problem." Chrom adds.

*Crack!*

"Rgh! Stand still!" Lissa shouts while pulling out the massive battle axe that she swung into the floor.

"Only if you put away that giant axe first!" Jack shouts back while pointing at said weapon.

"Make me!"

"Right back at you!"

"Oh, it's on!"

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Mana soles, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 5 MP/ second  
** _A skill derived from Basic mana manipulation. Originally created by an apprentice mage living in a desert who was bored and wanted to try something new with his skills. By channeling his mana into the shape of a disk beneath his feet, the apprentice spread his weight over a greater area, thus allowing him to traverse the desert with ease so long as he could hold his concentration. His teacher became so impressed with the innovation that it soon became standard procedure to train every apprentice mage in this skill.  
Allows the caster to walk on loose terrain like sand or snow as if it were solid. Should the user be a mounted unit, the mount can be used as a medium to achieve the same effect._

 **Dual wielding, Lvl 24 [36.2 %], Passive  
** _The art of wielding a weapon in each hand is a skill that many have tried to attain, but few have succeeded in. And among those few, fewer still have managed to reach its full potential. Wielding two weapons simultaneously allows you to use the abilities of both at the same time (provided they have any) and generally gives you more offensive options than if you only wield one weapon. It also looks awesome when done right.  
Attack speed and attack power is 98 % of the average of both weapons wielded. This skill only applies when wielding two weapons of the same category._

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **Kanshou & Bakuya, Dual blades, Base damage: 65, Unique  
** _The signature weapons of the heroic spirit, Shirou Emiya. These single-edged swords are meant to be wielded as a pair. While Shirou himself eventually gained the ability to conjure a great number of different weapons to be used in various situations, these twin short swords were always his go-to weapon in melee combat. The swords possess several different abilities, depending on which timeline they appear in.  
Available skills when wielded: Boomerang blades, Blade morph, Blade burst._

 **Knight, Class  
** _A soldier that focuses on defense and stability above all else. Knights wear heavy full-body armor that offer fantastic protection against physical attacks and compliment this with wide shields and sharp lances. They are often found as guards, stationed at strategic spaces and narrow pathways to prevent the enemies' advance. The armor is also a burden, however. Not only does it take a lot of strength to move with so much metal on the body, it does little to protect the wearer against magic.  
Increases attack power by 10 % when attacking with a polearm. Damage taken from physical attacks is reduced by 10 %. Movement speed is reduced by 5 %. Damage taken from magic spells of any element is increased by 10 %. This unit counts as a heavily armored unit._

 **Killing Edge, Sword, Base damage: 52, Very uncommon  
** _Now_ that's _a katana! This sword is of foreign make and is therefore often difficult to come by unless a merchant with the right connections is contacted. The method of forging this weapon is very precise and time consuming, resulting in a steep price on the market. In return, however, it boasts an incredibly sharp single edge that can even cut metal in the hands of a master. Fighting anyone who wields a Killing Edge is dangerous, as a single mistake can leave you open for a fatal blow.  
Passively increases critical hit rate by 30 %._

 **Door key, Key, Uncommon  
** _A key to unlock a door. Despite its generic design, it can be used on doors anywhere in the world. Yet the moment it is used, it can only open the lock it was used on. Scholars across the lands have tried to figure out why this happens for centuries, but no one has managed to solve the riddle._

* * *

 **And there you have it.**

 **This chapter ends with the first notable divergence from the game's main story; Lon'qu fights in the tournament instead of sitting it out. And Jack's his opponent!**

 **This chapter also introduces something that I plan to integrate in future chapters; BGM:s. I'm doing so in the hopes that it will add to the atmosphere as you read. I recommend that you look for the BGM on Youtube when it comes up in the text. All BGM:s will be searchable on Youtube, so finding them should be easy.**

 **There's one thing about chapter 3 in Awakening that's bothered me for quite some time; why in the world would the Feroxi border guard station soldiers on ground level with keys to the upper area of the stronghold? Keys that** _ **anyone can get their hands on if the soldiers fall in battle**_ **! I know it's so that you can get past the doors and access the top to face Raimi, but come on, game developers! That has to be the worst security ever!**

 **Also, regarding keys: Locksmiths in the Fire Emblem universe may be among the most international professionals in fictional history. I mean, you can pick up a Door key in Ylisse and use it to unlock the door to one of the treasure chambers in castle Valm! And the same principle applies in every Fire Emblem game. The locksmiths truly go for the one-size-fits-all.**

 **Well, that's all for now! Until next time.**

 **VipeR out.**


	6. Chapter 6

**We're only on the 6** **th** **chapter, and this fic already has 280 followers and marked almost 200 times as a favorite? Man, you guys are awesome! The overall response to the last chapter has been overall great too – especially the reactions to the cliff hanger. It's high time I posted this chapter, then. And if you liked me including BGMs in the story, you'll love this. Time to crank up the music! But before that, some reviews to respond to:**

 **Artyom-Deizehn:** Not that I'm aware of. Then again, I'm not that well-versed in Fate lore.

 **nico2411:** I think we can chalk up the key thing as a way for the developers to make infiltrations into buildings easier, and leave it at that. It sure makes those chapters a heck of a lot easier than if security with keys was realistic. The Shepherds would need Gaius pretty fast if the enemies actually kept track of their keys.

 **Merc249:** First, I admit that I've portrayed Jack in a way that makes it look like his power is skyrocketing, between no need for sleep and training in an ID/UBW hybrid. If you pay attention to how I've written the battles up to this point, however, there is a trend. Sure, Jack is OP compared to the average mook, but boss-level enemies are another story. Aside from the Silver Bokoblin (if it could even count as a boss), Jack has never been able to solo a boss. He can truly be considered OP once he pulls that off. In fact, boss-level opponents and his fellow Shepherds can easily keep up with him due to the still big gap in experience and training. I hope to showcase this in Jack's next fight. Enjoy!  
Second, I was unsure where this fic would fall on the rating scale, so I just went with the safe option. The summary literally says that this fic is rated M _for safety_.

 **TheGamer:** As was explained in chapter 3, no. Jack cannot trace any zanpakutō. I deliberately placed the limitation that Jack can't trace any living weapons for this very purpose, as zanpakutō are a part of the wielder's soul, and therefore alive. My reason was because zanpakutō have a whole slew of abilities on their own, and covering those abilities in-depth would take me down a DEEP rabbit hole that I have no intention of exploring in this fic. Besides, there are plenty of weapons that Jack can trace anyway.

 **Guest reviewer:** I originally intended for Jack to trace the married blades for his fight with Lon'qu, but you made me rethink my decision. I've got something (hopefully) better in mind. Thanks for the feedback, and hope you enjoy.

 **A fan:** Heh heh heh heh heh… You, my friend, have yet to solve even half the riddle. To be fair, though, all the puzzle pieces haven't been revealed in the fic yet. Keep at it. You might find the answer somewhere in the future – not that I'll tell anyone when a crucial part of the riddle is revealed! XD

 **Anonymous reviewer:** Yeah, I think it's somewhere along those lines. Fighting Lon'qu at the point where you'd meet him would be life-threatening for anyone except for Frederick and maybe Chrom, so I suspect the game developers had him sit the tournament out for the sake of making the chapter easier. Besides, "Marth" can already be considered a difficult opponent, since Parallell Falchion has the same base power as a Silver sword and the masked sword fighter is an agile boss.

 **Redripper666:** Oh, yeah? Then feast your eyes on this!

 **Not emiya:** Nope. I've already decided that Jack won't make any guns in this fic. This is mainly so that his traced weapons still follow the theme of the era of Awakening. And I admit that I use the term "follow" loosely, considering the kinds of weapons he can trace. Anyway, no guns.

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _Never_ _mock a lady with her parasol._ – Maribelle

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Everything you khan do, I khan do better! Allies and enemies enter the stage!**

*Brrzz!*

The sparking mana in my hands coalesces into bright orbs of turquoise light. As I clench my fists, the orbs morph into the weapons that I want to use against my Feroxi opponent. This one's for you, Roxas!

The light disperses into particles, finally revealing my weapons of choice. In my right hand is the pitch-black keyblade Oblivion. In my left is the pure-white Oathkeeper.

The arena falls silent as everyone stares at me in shock. Lon'qu is the one to finally break the silence.

"Keys?! You throw away your sword, only to fight me with giant keys? You're either the strangest warrior I've ever met or simply no warrior at all."

I smirk as I point Oathkeeper at the perplexed Myrmidon and make a come-hither motion with the white keyblade.

"Save that judgement for _after_ our fight. Trust me, these weapons are unlike anything you've faced before."

Lon'qu nods. "If you insist." The Myrmidon narrows his eyes and gets in a ready stance. "Impress me."

I twirl the keyblades and get into a stance of my own, with Oathkeeper in front held sideways and Oblivion held over my head pointed forward. My smirk turns into a grin. "Ready when you are. Let's dance!"

 **BGM: Ushiwaka's dance,** **Ō** **kami music**

Julius looks between us before he raises his right hand. "Both warriors are ready!" The hand is brought down in a chopping motion. "Begin!"

Lon'qu and I rush each other and meet in the middle of the platform.

"Hyaa!"

*Clang!*

Sparks fly from where our weapons clash. Our eyes lock briefly before we separate. I take the initiative and swing Oathkeeper right. Lon'qu parries the blow and retaliates with a diagonal slash that I block with Oblivion. With our weapons locked together again, I try another swing with Oathkeeper, but Lon'qu quickly breaks our weapon lock and takes a step back before rushing in for a stab. I redirect the stab to the side with Oathkeeper and swing Oblivion diagonally, but Lon'qu ducks beneath the swing and brings his Killing Edge into a low sweep against my legs. I jump before spinning vertically in the air.

"Rrah!"

*Crack!*

I bring both keyblades down, only to hit the floor, as Lon'qu used the momentum of his missed swing to roll out of the way.

We retake our stances, this time with more caution, now that we have an idea of what the other is capable of. Man, Lon'qu's fast!

The Myrmidon takes the initiative this time and charges me. I can tell that he's experienced, since I can't tell where his next swing will come from. So I draw my right arm back and throw Oblivion at him. Lon'qu ducks to the side, losing the momentum from his charge in the process. I take the opening and rush in on him with Oathkeeper in full swing. Our weapons clash numerous times where we stand, but Lon'qu's quickly gaining ground. His eyes widen as he breaks off and dodges to the left, right as Oblivion is about to hit him in the back.

I catch the black keyblade and click my tongue. Did he dodge my Strike raid out of instinct?

We both tense before rushing forward and once again meeting in the middle of the arena.

*Clang! Clang, cling, clang!*

Our weapons clash over and over. One thing becomes abundantly clear to me as the fight goes on; having more weapons doesn't make you a better fighter. Lon'qu keeps up with both of my keyblades with his lone Killing Edge, proving once again how experienced and skilled he is at sword fighting. We occasionally manage to score a glancing hit on each other, but nothing that shifts the tide of the fight in favor of one of us. Neither of us back down, and neither gain any ground.

All of that changes when Lon'qu takes a step back and brings down his Killing Edge _hard_.

*K-krish!*

The strike has enough power to shatter my keyblades. I manage to step back in time to dodge the rest of the swing, but I'm weaponless now. Cr-p! Need a new weapon!

I clap my hands together and Trace another weapon.

"Oh no, you don't!"

Lon'qu's having none of that, however. I'm forced to abandon my attempt as he goes all-in on the offensive. Unlike the last fight where I blocked a Myrmidon's sword by catching it between my elbow and knee, Lon'qu swings his sword too fast for me to perform the same move. My only option is to try dodging to the best of my abilities.

Keyword: " _try_ ". The guy has no problem keeping up with me. Despite my best efforts, the Killing Edge clips me time and again. They're only minor wounds, but with the speed that Lon'qu inflicts them, it's only a matter of time before the damage piles up and I'm unable to fight back.

It's at this moment that I notice that I've been backed to the edge of the platform. If I fall off, Lon'qu wins by ring-out. On the other hand, a single swing from that Killing Edge can end my life, considering who's wielding it. The Feroxi Myrmidon changes his stance, probably to deal the finishing blow.

"How well can you die?"

I can't lose! Not now, when we've come this far! That only leaves one option; stand my ground. I get in a stance of my own and get ready for Lon'qu's attack.

The Myrmidon rushes in with his Killing Edge raised over his head for a merciless overhead swing. Focus… Focus…!

*Clap!* "Not well enough!" I retort.

Lon'qu's eyes widen in shock as I manage to catch his sword in a blade grasp, stopping the edge a scant few centimeters from my face. I grit my teeth as I desperately push back against my opponent. While Lon'qu has the clear advantage in speed, skill and experience, I have a slight advantage in raw strength (Thank you, Frederick! Thank you, thank you, thank you!). It also helped that I applied Telekinesis on the blade as Lon'qu brought it down, thus slowing the swing enough to make grasping the blade easier. With me pushing back on two fronts, I slowly manage to gain ground against Lon'qu. With a cry of effort, I redirect the Killing Edge to the left, unbalancing the Myrmidon in the process. I quickly deliver a kick to his side that sends him skidding back. That gives me some precious breathing room and the opening I need to Trace a new weapon properly. So I once again clap my hands together and form the weapon I need.

"Trace…on!"

I pull both hands aside, making the mana-based light stretch into a longer form. As I grasp the length, the light disperses to reveal my new weapon. Since I can't beat Lon'qu in a straight-up sword fight, I'll try a polearm instead. And not just any old polearm. The weapon I traced is the signature weapon of the evil king Ganon; the Trident!

 **AN: Yes, really. That's what the weapon is called according to the Zelda wiki. It would sound a lot more awesome if it was called, say, the "Trident of Power", but the only alternative name I found was "trident of demons", and that's only in one game.**

I twirl the skull-motived trident a few times before settling in a stance. Time for round two!

Lon'qu looks at my new weapon surprised before recomposing himself. We both rush each other. Just as we're about to clash, however, I pole-vault over the Myrmidon and land behind him for a stab. Lon'qu reacts quickly and parries my blow while turning around. I spin with the momentum added and swing the Trident horizontally. Lon'qu barely manages to block and is then forced on the defensive as I begin twirling my weapon and attacking from several different directions. It's not enough, however, as the Myrmidon still manages to sneak in a hit or two between my attacks.

This isn't working! Alright, if melee combat alone won't work, then it's time for some ranged attacks.

I break off from our clash and jump back as far as I'm allowed. Before Lon'qu can close the distance, I've already channeled enough mana through the Trident for my plan to work.

Sparks fly from the prongs on the Trident as the mana I channeled through the shaft is converted into lightning magic. I swing the polearm, sending the ball of lightning straight at Lon'qu. The Myrmidon tries to block, but gets a nasty surprise as the spell continues unhindered and hits him square in the chest. Sorry, Lon'qu, but you'll need a sacred sword by Hyrulean standards to deflect this kind of magic, let alone block it.

Before my opponent has a chance to recover, I rush in and renew my assault with both melee attacks and magic mixed together. Lon'qu has a harder time to keep up after getting caught flat footed from my lightning spell. That gives me just the edge I need to finally overwhelm him.

A high horizontal swing gets blocked, which I follow up with bending my knees while keeping the spin to sweep his legs. Lon'qu jumps, which is exactly what I want. I'm still spinning, allowing me to rise and turn all that momentum into a single powerful stab. Sure, Lon'qu can block a blow as telegraphed as that and could've easily stopped the blow – if he was still on the ground! With him airborne, he lacks the foothold to stop my attack completely. Instead, he's knocked back from the force and falls on his back. I'm already after him with the Trident spinning over my head. Lon'qu barely has time to regain his bearings as I bring down the Trident full force!

*Crrack!*

 **BGM ends**

Lon'qu looks into my eyes in shock for a few seconds before slowly turning his head to the left. All he can see is the skull between the shaft and the prongs of the Trident that I stabbed into the ground a hair's breadth from his head.

"Yield."

Lon'qu looks back up at me, as if what I said was a foreign concept.

"I said: yield!"

Lon'qu's look of shock slowly gives way to a scowl and grit teeth.

"I… I yield…" he grinds out.

* * *

 **You defeated Lon'qu! You gain 1 400 EXP!**

 **Due to continuous strenuous activity, STR increases by 1!  
** **Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT increases by 3!  
** **Due to plenty of quick maneuvering, DEX increases by 3!**

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action! You gained "Keyblade mastery!"**

* * *

Julius raises his arm into the air. "Lon'qu has forfeited the match! The winner is Jack of Ylisse!"

The arena is filled with roars of applause over our match. I get off my opponent and dismiss the Traced Trident with a sigh before heading back to my friends below the platform.

"Why?"

I turn around to see Lon'qu staring at me intensely.

"Hm? Did you say something?" I ask.

"Why did you spare my life?" the Myrmidon asks as he sheaths his Killing Edge calmly. Calmly on the surface, that is. I can tell he's upset.

I shrug. "We had a good fight. Honestly, it could've gone either way. I wouldn't mind a rematch sometime in the future." I'm honest here. That fight got my blood pumping. Aside from training and that fight against the Bokoblins, this is the first time I really got to put my Gamer related abilities to use – and it was awesome!

Lon'qu looks at me in surprise before scowling. "Do you treat all your enemies the same way?"

"Correction: you're my _opponent_ , not my enemy." I reply. "You're someone I can respect, Lon'qu. I can tell that you've spent a lot of time honing your skills. Killing off someone like that because we're on opposing sides in a tournament is nowhere near good enough reason for me."

"And if I _were_ your enemy?" the Myrmidon asks challengingly.

I respond by applying some pressure on his shoulders with Telekinesis and talking in a cold voice. "Then we wouldn't even have this conversation. That final blow would've gone right through your skull. Make no mistake. I occasionally enjoy a good fight, but I show no mercy against my enemies."

With those words, I descend back the stairs.

I barely make it down to the bottom before Lissa gets in my face.

"Holy crow, Jack! What WAS that?!"

"Oh, you mean the part where I conjured those weapons?" I reply with fake innocence.

"I had no idea such a thing was even possible!" Robin adds as she joins the conversation. "You should've told me!"

I scratch the back of my head. "Well, the thing is, I only recently discovered that I can do this. I think it was somewhere between arriving in Ylisstol and setting off for Ferox."

Frederick frowns at my answer. "Oh? That's quite the convenient excuse. Perhaps you could tell us more?"

"I'm telling the truth here, Frederick!" I shout back. Okay, maybe I'm leaving out a lot of important parts, but since I got this ability on the night before we set out, I'm _technically_ telling the truth.

"How does it work, anyway?" Robin asks curiously. "I've never seen anything like it."

I put my knuckle against my chin in a thinking pose. Looks like I need another cover story. Let's see… "Well… I'm not entirely sure how it works myself, but it seems to be connected to how my mana works."

"Like what?" Lissa asks.

"For some reason, channeling mana becomes easier to me if I imagine shaping it into something."

The ylisseans raise an eyebrow each.

"Well, remember when I mastered snow-walking so easily on our way to the Longfort? Miriel instructed me to channel my mana through my feet and make it flat and thin. The first thing I thought of was a disc, so I gave it a try. Shaping the mana was easy – the tricky part was getting the amount of mana right."

"That explains how you made those weapons appear, but how did you even come up with the design?" Robin asks after some thinking.

"See, this is where my mana starts acting weird, and it's tied to when I used to read fairytales back when I was a child. The books I read had some crazy stories. The giant keys? Those were from a story about a young boy fighting creatures from the darkness wielding a giant key with magical properties."

"Sounds like a weird story to me." Lissa comments. "I mean, who fights using a key, no matter how big it is?"

I roll my eyes. "Weird doesn't even _begin_ to describe that fairytale. Heck, there were adults in my home village who loved to read that story too, and no matter how many times they read it, they couldn't figure out even half the stuff going on."

"So, what does that have to do with you conjuring giant keys in that battle earlier?" Chrom asks.

"Well, that's where my mana gets even weirder." I answer the prince. "See, I after I figured out I can make weapons out of mana, I tried experimenting a little. When I tried some of the weapons that I read about in the stories, I accidentally discovered that I can use the same abilities as the original wielder while I hold the weapon. You saw me throw the black key like a Hand Axe, right? That's one of the many skills that the young boy learned during his journey in fighting the dark creatures."

"Hold on…" Robin interjects. "You mean to tell us…that you discovered a way to make some of your childhood fantasies real by channeling your mana in a way that no one's ever heard of?!"

I shrug. "More or less. Like I said, I still don't understand all of it."

The Tactician grabs me by the collar and looks ready to shake me like a ragdoll. "Jack, do you have any idea what tactical applications that ability has?!"

"Er… Care to share? I don't think I can cover all of them…" That might've been among the stupidest things I could say in this situation. Go me…

"You can effectively make any weapon you need, in any situation you might need it! You can become the most versatile warrior the world has ever seen!"

"Uh…wow…" I comment in faux surprise. I knew I had the potential already. Just need to play along.

"Wow? WOW?! That's all you have to say?!" Robin shouts in my face.

Any further shouting is interrupted as Julius calls the next fighters to the middle of the arena. From our side, this means it's Robin's turn. The Tactician throws me a glance that basically demands that we talk more about this when her fight is over before ascending the platform.

Her opponent is a confident looking Mage. After making sure that both fighters are ready, Julius signals the start of the battle.

Robin's opponent immediately springs into action by drawing an Elthunder tome from his robes and letting the arcane electricity fly. Robin, on the other hand, shows the results of training under Frederick's inhumane regimen, dodging lightning bolts left and right while returning fire with her own Thunder spells. While the opposing Mage is skilled in spellcasting, Robin shows that she can not only keep up with him there, but surpass him in every other area.

Thanks to her increased speed, Robin weaves in between Elthunder spells while gradually forcing open a hole in her opponent's defenses. A well-aimed Thunder spell slams into the Mage's chest, making him twitch in pain as the lightning wreaks havoc on his nerves. Robin capitalizes on the opening and rushes in with her Iron Sword drawn.

*Shing!*

The sword makes a clean cut from shoulder to hip. The Mage falls on his back.

"I… I yield…" he wheezes out between harried breaths.

Julius raises his arm. "Winner: Robin of Ylisse!" The audience erupts into cheers. "Now can SOMEONE get him to the infirmary before he bleeds out?!"

Robin's opponent is carried out of the arena by a couple of Fighters while Robin walks back down to us.

"Nice fight." I comment when she gets back to our group.

Robin nods. "Thanks. Now, about your ability to make weapons out of mana…"

I shrug. "I think I've told you everything I know about that ability." I look at my hand and let some Tracing mana spark in the palm. "Still… As useful as it is, I still need to train in using it before it's ready for a real battle."

"Really?" Lissa interjects. "But you won using it. And you were amazing too!"

I chuckle. "Thanks, Lissa. But I realized a few things during my match. First, the weapons I make are pretty brittle. If I don't figure out how to make them more durable, they won't do me any good in a fight. Second, I need to be faster in shaping them. My opponent could attack faster than I could shape the weapons. If I'm weaponless, I'll be in trouble."

"You know… Now that I think about it, why do you use an ordinary sword when you can just make one from thin air?" the princess asks while finally handing me back my Bronze Sword.

"I have a few reasons." I answer while refastening my sword. "The first is that I can surprise my opponent. If I carry this sword with me, they'll assume that's the only weapon I use. That means I can catch them off-guard when I make a different weapon – if I can wield it properly, that is. The second is that I need mana to make weapons. If I run out of mana mid-battle, I'm practically defenseless."

A look of understanding dawns on Lissa's face. "Oh. Didn't think about that."

Robin nods. "Surprising your opponent is one of the applications I thought of. If your enemy doesn't know what weapon you'll use, or when you'll use it, you can gain an advantage by keeping them guessing all the time."

The next fighters are called to the middle of the arena. For us, it's Frederick's turn. His opponent is a General who raises a mighty war cry that has the crowd go wild. Apparently, he wants to make up for his side losing the first two battles. As Frederick gets into position, the General brandishes his Silver Axe with bravado, all while the west side keeps cheering him on.

Frederick smiles – and pulls out the Hammer that I gave him during our battle at the Longfort. His opponent doesn't look so confident anymore.

*WHAM!*

Everyone in the arena winces upon seeing what Frederick did with that swing. The General is embedded to the waist in the stone wall surrounding the battle area. Judging by the twitching legs, it looks like he's still alive. Some arena staff tries to pull him out of the stone, but progress is slow.

Julius finally remembers that he's still the proctor and weakly raises his hand.

"Winner… Frederick of Ylisse…"

By the Black knight's blessed armor, did you really have to hit the poor guy so hard, Frederick? That was overkill!

Frederick descends back down the arena, calm as can be.

"Mission accomplished, milord." the Great Knight tells Chrom while bowing to him. The blue-haired prince just nods dumbly and commends Frederick for his good work.

Thankfully, there's a few minutes of recess before the next battle, since everyone still needs time to wind down after Frederick went One Punch Man on his opponent. A Priest among the staff eventually reports that the General in question is alive, but out of commission for the next few weeks.

Julius finally calls the next fighters to the platform. That means it's Lissa's turn. Her opponent, a Soldier, nervously walks up to the platform (not that I blame him after what went down a few minutes ago). When he sees Lissa, however, his demeanor changes instantly. The nervousness is replaced with confidence – arrogance, even.

"Heh! Here I thought I'd have to fight some monster like the big guy before you, and they send up you instead? A _delicate_ little girl?"

Lissa freezes up before narrowing her eyes at her opponent. "What…did you call me…?"

Her opponent sneers and takes a threatening step forward. "You heard me, little girl. Go back and sip your tea in that fancy castle of yours before you break a fingernail."

Chrom sighs and facepalms. "He's done it now."

Frederick nods in agreement. "The poor fool… I almost pity him."

Julius looks between the fighters before calling the start of the match. The Soldier looks ready to tear Lissa apart. Lissa stands slightly slumped over, making her hair cover the top of her face. Wait… Are her eyes glowing behind her bangs?

…

Oh… Oh, s-it… He's screwed.

The Soldier charges forward with his Steel Lance poised. "Your loss, Little Miss Delicate!"

*Whack!*

Faster than anyone can blink, Lissa brings down her staff right in his face.

"I…" *Whack!*

"am…" *Whack!*

"not…" *Whack!*

"DELICATE!"

*Whack, whack, whack, whack!*

I thought Clerics are supposed to be unable to attack! What the heck, Lissa!

It doesn't stop with the young princess using her staff as a weapon, either. After a dozen whacks, Lissa tosses her staff aside and starts to manhandle her poor opponent barehanded. Let's just say, the vast amount of medical knowledge that Clerics/Priests are known for can have some…interesting applications.

"Ow, ow, ow! No, not there!"

Very…interesting applications.

"It's not supposed to bend that way!"

"Well, now it does!"

The less said about what Lissa's doing right now, the better.

"Mercy! I yield! I yiiieeeld!"

Lissa's opponent is carried to the infirmary under sobs and shouts of pain as people look at his brutalized form in horror. Lissa herself descends the platform without a care in the world.

"Phew… I _might've_ pulled a pinky muscle."

Robin and I look at the princess in a mix of awe and horror. I slowly sidle up to Chrom and whisper a question that I pray goes unheard by our Cleric.

"Is that…normal?"

Chrom shakes his head and whispers back. "No, but I remember Lissa doing something similar once to a recruit who called her delicate one time too many. Since then, everyone's careful in how often we call her that."

I gulp at the implications. "Duly noted."

After another few minutes for everyone to digest that fact that, yes, a Cleric just destroyed a Soldier in single-combat, Julius calls for the next (and hopefully, final) battle.

Chrom ascends the platform with resolute steps, only to stop in shock upon seeing "Marth" on the other side.

"Before we begin, there's one thing I want to tell you." Chrom says as the two sword wielders reach the middle of the platform. "Lissa owes you her life, and for that you have my gratitude. But within these walls, I represent the East-Khan and the interests of Ylisse. I can't promise to stay my blade, but I vow not to shame you."

"Heh, never expected such youthful arrogance." "Marth" scoffs. "We shall see who shames who!"

Julius looks between the opponents before raising his arm. "Fighters ready? Begin!"

Chrom draws Falchion and gets in a ready stance. To his, and every other Shepherd's shock, "Marth" draws the exact same sword.

"Where did you get that?" Chrom asks bewildered. He only gets silence in return. The prince shakes his head in denial. "There's no way…"

Deciding to leave those thoughts aside, the captain of the Shepherds charges his mysterious opponent with a battle cry and executes a vicious jump slash.

*Clang!*

 **BGM: Red like roses part 2, RWBY OST**

The divine swords clash in a shower of sparks. "Marth" blocks the swing with visible effort, but stops it nonetheless. The sword fighters break off and clash numerous times on the platform, Chrom with brutal swings and unyielding defense, "Marth" with agility and precise maneuvers.

"Tell me, who taught you to fight like that?" Chrom asks between clashes.

"My father!" the masked sword fighter answers before executing the exact same jump slash that Chrom performed not even a minute ago. Chrom dodges at the last second, surprised that his opponent used the same move.

"How is this possible?!" I hear Frederick exclaim to my right. The Great Knight looks like he's having a minor crisis. "There should only be one Falchion in the entire world, and yet this young man wields the very same blade!"

"You sure?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

"Beyond the shadow of a doubt!" the knight answers back. "Everyone in the halidom knows this for a fact!"

"And yet, there are two of those swords…" Robin muses. "Could it be that Chrom's opponent simply wields a sword that resembles Falchion?"

Frederick shakes his head. "That is equally impossible. I myself have tended to the blade numerous times and know every single detail of it. And I can tell with absolute certainty that the masked man wields Falchion – a second one."

While Frederick's busy trying to piece together the puzzle before him, I have my own things to think about. "Marth's" movements seem a bit odd. The masked sword wielder crouches a lot and moves around the arena really fast. Too fast, considering the nature of those movements. Almost as if…

What the heck?! That's no ordinary crouching, that's a wavedash! I see it now! "Marth" crouches as if preparing to jump, only to transition into pushing in a different direction instead, and uses the momentum from rising from the crouch to move really fast!

There's something else that seems fishy with "Marth's" movements. Every time the masked sword wielder lands, "Marth" starts moving again much faster than when Chrom lands from a jump. No matter the motion before landing, "Marth" acts out of a jump almost immediately.

…

No…way. That's no ordinary landing technique, that's an L-cancel! Chrom's opponent behaves like a character from Super Smash Bros Melee! Is it possible "Marth" is a Gamer like me?

A quick Observe indicates the negative. The skills are there, but nothing Gamer related. What is _up_ with this sword fighter?!

With movement tech like that, "Marth" quickly forces Chrom on the defensive. But what Chrom lacks in technique (which he really doesn't, his opponent is just that much more skilled), he makes up for with superior strength and enough speed to keep up. Guess he has Frederick and his unforgiving training exercises to thank for that. And, more importantly, he's adapting to "Marth's" movements. Chrom not only responds faster to the strange movements of his opponent, he's starting to intercept them.

Just as "Marth" lunges for a stab, Chrom sidesteps the move and counters with a horizontal slash that "Marth" narrowly avoids by bending backwards and dodging by a hair's breadth. As the masked sword fighter comes back up, Chrom unleashes a relentless barrage that ends with the two locking their blades.

*Clang!*

"You're good, I'll give you that." Chrom comments during the power struggle.

"I have no need for your praise!" "Marth" fires back through gritted teeth.

"Fine!" The blade lock breaks up and the fighters retake their stances.

Chrom finally takes the initiative and goes on the offensive. Now that he's used to "Marth's" movements, he's starting to punch holes in his opponent's defenses and is slowly gaining ground. And to further shift things into Chrom's favor, "Marth" is slowing down. Looks like using all that movement tech is very tiring.

Chrom swings his sword in a horizontal arc that "Marth" jumps over before landing behind him. At that moment, the masked sword fighter lunges for another stab that Chrom parries while pivoting. Chrom rushes into the opening with a stab of his own that "Marth" barely blocks. The force behind the blow leaves the masked sword fighter unbalanced, allowing Chrom to keep slashing at his opponent. Right, left, overhead, sidestep, stab, bait, diagonal, pivot, backhand, crouch! A rising slash from Chrom breaks open "Marth's" guard and leaves the mysterious warrior wide open.

"Marth" tries to back off with a wavedash, but Chrom reads the move and takes one more step into the perfect range.

"Have another!" *Shing!*

The slash hits "Marth" from shoulder to hip. The masked warrior drops Parallel Falchion and lands on the back panting.

"Impressive…if not surprising…" "Marth utters before forfeiting the match.

Julius raises his arm. "Winner: Chrom of Ylisse!"

 **BGM ends**

The arena is drowned in cheers once more over the spectacular sword fight. Julius calls for silence again.

"All fighters representing the west have been defeated! With a result of five to zero, Khan Flavia of the east is the victor of this tournament! Let us celebrate our new khan!"

The crowd chants Flavia's name as she ascends the platform and stands proudly for everyone to see.

* * *

"Well fought! You have my respect." Flavia congratulates us after everything has settled down. "And, perhaps more to the point, you have your alliance. I will provide Ylisse with the soldiers she needs."

"Truly? Thank you, East-Khan." Chrom replies smiling.

"I should thank you!" Flavia replies back laughing. "It feels like ages since I've held full power. Come, my new friends! Tonight, we celebrate!"

With that, the newly crowned khan runs off to Naga-knows-where, probably to organize a feast. A feast sounds nice right about now, after all that trudging through snow, fighting and dragging my body through the hell that is Frederick's fanatical fitness hour.

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: East meets west  
** _After a spectacular series of fights, you've managed to conquer the tournament of the khans with a landslide victory! As per the agreement, Flavia has forged an alliance with Ylisse, giving the halidom the military power it needs for the battles to come. Time to return to Ylisstol to share the good news with Emmeryn!  
_ **Objective:** _Win the tournament of the khans.  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
Rewards:** _Your standing with Ylisse has increased! You gain 4 000 EXP! You gain 4 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Defeat Lon'qu without killing him.  
_ **All bonus objectives cleared!  
Bonus rewards:** _Your relationship with Lon'qu has improved greatly! You gain 1 000 EXP! You gain 1 000 gold!_

 **You have leveled up!**

* * *

We're approached by Basilio, who shakes his head at Flavia.

"Bah! Any excuse for a party and Flavia jumps on it…"

"I'm sorry, have we met?" Chrom asks.

"I'm the West-Khan you so rudely removed from power! You're handy with a sword, boy. I thought for sure I'd picked the stronger man."

"What do you know about him?"

"You mean "Marth"? Bah! He's just some sellsword with delusions of grandeur. All I know is that he turned up one eve and knocked my old champion flat." Basilio starts to grin at the memory. "It was love at first sight, and I'm generally too old for such things! Baha!"

I can't help but think how Chrom will take that comment by the time he learns "Marth's" true identity. Won't _that_ make for an interesting conversation…

"Anyway, he's gone now. Up and fled the moment the tournament ended."

"He's so dark and mysterious…" Lissa sighs. Are those…hearts floating off her body?

"Sounds like Marth's got at least one fan…" Robin comments idly.

"Well, I mean, come on… He IS sort of dreamy, isn't he?"

"And YOU'RE sort of dreaming!" Chrom retorts scowling.

"Yowch! Lighten up, Big Brother. I was just kidding."

Overprotective already, Chrom? Yikes. I feel bad for the poor guy who wants to date Lucina in the future.

"Milord? Milady? If this fascinating discussion is over, we'd best return home." Frederick interjects. "The exalt will want this news of our new alliance immediately."

Chrom nods in agreement. "Right you are, Frederick."

Basilio raises his hand. "Hold, boy. Before you go, I have a little present for you."

Enter Lon'qu! The guy glances at me briefly before focusing on Chrom.

"I suppose you don't need any introduction, but I'll give one anyway." the bald khan explains. "This is Lon'qu, my previous champion. Not much for talking, mind you, but you've already seen his skill with a sword."

Basilio then turns to me. "So, whad'ya think, little man? You're the one who fought Lon'qu, if I remember correctly. Those were some impressive moves back there, by the way. First time I see someone fight with weapons they conjured out of mana."

That comment alone shows how experienced Basilio is, as he immediately caught on to how I made my weapons appear.

I nod in agreement. "He's a powerful sword wielder, for sure. Had I let up even the slightest, I may not even be alive right now. And…thanks for the compliment, I suppose. Though I still need to practice conjuring weapons. Lon'qu showed me that I'm too slow and the weapons are too brittle."

The West-Khan let's out a loud laugh. "Ha! That's Lon'qu for ya! I'd say he's at least as good with a sword as Marth." Basilio scratches his head. "To be honest, I can't figure out how Marth bested him so quickly."

Lissa looks at the Myrmidon curiously. "Marth beat him? But he looks so big and strong…"

The princess walks closer to get a better look at Lon'qu, only for the guy to step back with a tense expression. "Away, woman!"

Lissa reacts like someone slapped her in the face. "Hey! Wh-what did I say?!"

Basilio lets out another laugh. "Ba ha ha! Let's just say that ladies tend to put Lon'qu on edge. Nonetheless, he is capable. Perhaps he even has the makings of a khan. Consider him West Ferox's contribution to the Ylissean cause."

"You're certain about this?" Chrom asks.

Basilio replies with a shooing motion. "Yes, yes. He's your man now."

Then the prince turns to the Myrmidon. "And Lon'qu? You have no objections?"

"He gives orders. I stab people. I think our roles are clear." Lon'qu replies. Then he turns to me. "Besides, I still need to settle the score with you."

I point at myself. "Me? We have a score to settle?"

Lon'qu nods. "You spared me when you could've easily ended my life. I will not let that stand. I will surpass you, and when I do, we will have that rematch you offered."

I smile at Lon'qu. "To be fair, I'd say you're the better swordsman between the two of us. I think I could learn a lot about swordplay from you."

"Yet you won our match." the Myrmidon counters. "Just like you claim that you can learn a lot from me, I can learn fighting against many different weapons from you."

I grin as I stretch out my hand to Lon'qu. "Then I guess this makes us rivals, as well as partners."

Lon'qu smiles as he takes my hand and shakes it. "Rivals…as well as partners. I like the sound of that."

* * *

 **Your relationship with Lon'qu has advanced! Your relationship with Lon'qu is now "Trusted".**

 **Your relationship with Lon'qu has gained a new aspect! You and Lon'qu are now "Rivals"!**

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: Feroxi alliance  
** _It took a lot of work and fighting, but the alliance with Regna Ferox is officially formed! The halidom and its exalt can rest easier, knowing that they're backed up by a powerful ally, should Plegia try any funny business.  
_ **Objectives:** _Clear the quest "The Shepherds make their debut". Clear the quest "Warrior realm". Clear the quest "East meets west".  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
Rewards: **_Your relationship with Robin has improved! Your relationship with Chrom has improved! Your standing with Ylisse has improved greatly! Your standing with Regna Ferox has improved! You gain 4 000 EXP! You gain 4000 gold!_

 **Your relationship with Chrom is now "Trusted"!**

* * *

As much as we want to return to Ylisstol, however, it's already grown dark. So we decide to stay the night and set off first thing in the morning instead. That's actually pretty sweet, or else we'd miss the celebration party Flavia's throwing.

And if there's one thing I've just discovered, it's that feroxi party _wild_. The food and drinks are just the appetizers on the party that Flavia arranged on a moment's notice. There's arm wrestling, dancing, the occasional game of chicken using knives, you name it. And it only gets wilder the more these guys drink. I'm among the few who decide to skip anything alcoholic. I did give their mead a try, but that stuff tastes nasty! No sir, it's a fresh cup of milk for me. At least everybody's having fun, even Lon'qu. Sure, he tries to look stoic, but I can tell that he enjoys that knife game (Probably because he can show off his awesome skills with a knife. What did the game call him again? Oh yeah. The deftest potato peeler.).

"This is certainly different from any feast I have had the fortune to be invited to in the past." I hear Virion say.

I turn to the left to see the Archer approach the table where I sit with a tankard in hand.

"Same here." I answer and take another bite from the ribs on my plate. Yeah, Flavia's men managed to get a small pack of boars in time for the party, and these guys know how to cook boar over an open fire!

"From what I could gather from the locals in the building, it would seem festivities of this nature are commonplace in the capital." Me and Virion turn to see Miriel sitting at the table with some potato stew.

I raise an eyebrow at her observation. "Really? Throwing parties like these seem to take a lot of preparation, not to mention all the food and drinks that need to be arranged."

The Mage adjusts her glasses. "Indeed. It would seem the East-Khan has a habit of emptying the storages quite often. The people living in and around the capital are always hard at work to make sure the storages are stocked, should she arrange any sort of feast."

It's at this moment that Virion and I notice a chair seemingly move on its own.

"Goodness! Is this place haunted?!" the Archer exclaims.

Miriel shakes her head. "That would be Kellam. I wondered where he headed off to."

I run an Observe on the space.

* * *

 **Chair, Miscellaneous, Very common**

* * *

Why do I only get the chair? Weird…

"Why are you squinting at me like that, Jack?" the chair asks me.

"I'm trying to find an ally of mine, but I'm having little su- Whoa! Kellam, where'd you come from?!"

"I just sat down on this chair." the Knight responds. Man, still can't get a read on this guy! "Your fight in that tournament was incredible, Jack. I had no idea you could fight like that."

Virion nods smiling. "Indeed, that battle was worthy to be sung by the bards for generations to come. My friend, where did you learn to fight like that, let alone with a pair of keys, of all things?"

I absentmindedly scratch my cheek. "My mana channels really easy when I imagine giving it a shape. That, and I accidentally discovered that I can mimic the skills of the original wielder when I conjure weapons like the ones you saw. That's…the simple explanation."

Did Miriel's glasses just flash at the edges? "How fascinating. Were I not completely occupied with studying Kellam's ability to vanish from everyone's awareness, I would have studied your ability to conjure these strange weapons."

Phew… I feel like I just escaped being strapped to a metal table and dissected- I think I've watched way too many movies that involve human experimentation.

Aside from the odd conversation at the table, the evening is mostly spent partying either peacefully or all-out.

* * *

Being the inhuman early bird that he is, Frederick wakes us up at the crack of dawn. While some of us had the forethought to turn in early for the evening, there are some of us who drag themselves up like we've become part of the Risen, including Vaike and, surprisingly, Miriel and Kellam. Turns out Miriel got so engrossed in her research that she ended up pulling an all-nighter. That meant poor Kellam was pulled along for the ride.

Our trip back to Ylisstol was thankfully uneventful and boring. With all the action we've been through during this mission, normal traveling almost feels like vacation. No paranoid barbarian soldiers, no murderous zombies, no bandits getting any funny ideas.

Upon returning to the capital, Chrom and Lissa immediately head for the throne room to notify Emmeryn about the new alliance.

As for the rest of us, we head for the barracks to get some rest. Those with mounts take their animal partners to the stables. Sumia in particular looks excited about introducing her pegasus to her new home.

As for me…

*Thwack! Thwack, thwack!*

I only had a few minutes of winding down before Lon'qu challenged me to a spar. The guy travels light, so he only needed little time to get settled into his new room.

*Thwack, thwack! Smack!* "Ow!"

It's one thing fighting the guy with two keyblades in hand. It's another to fight him armed with nothing but a practice sword.

*Whack, smack!* "Gueh!"

Long story short, he's kicking my ass, and he doesn't even use his legs for it!

Lon'qu scowls at me. "Your form is very different compared to when we fought the first time. Don't tell me you're holding back."

I rub my left side where the Myrmidon just put my latest bruise. Man, that stings!

"Truth be told, what I pulled back in the arena had quite a bit of magic involved. I'm trying to learn how to fight without having to rely on it."

Lon'qu nods in understanding. "I see. You believe relying on it too much will turn it into a crutch."

"Exactly. Still, this means I have a lot of training ahead of me if I want to catch up to you in terms of swordsmanship."

"Indeed. At the same time, you've yet to fight me with any other training weapon other than a practice sword."

I roll my eyes at that comment. "Oh, come on! We just got back! We'll have time to practice other weapon forms."

"Very well." Lon'qu replies. Then he gets back in his stance. "Ready for another round?"

Sigh. I know this practice is important for the both of us, but getting smacked around by this guy sucks!

Before we can continue our spar, however, Chrom storms into the training area, and he does _not_ look happy.

"Chrom? What's the matter?" I ask the angry prince.

"Maribelle's been taken prisoner by the Mad King of Plegia!" Chrom snarls. "We're heading out to meet the dastard to find out what he wants. Honestly, I would want nothing more than to stick a sword in his gut and be done with it all, but Emmeryn wants me to stay my hand, so I will."

I narrow my eyes upon hearing Gangrel's name.

Gangrel… The reigning king of Plegia and the reason why the people of Ylisse have been plagued by bandit raids lately. Not to mention the jerk allows the Grimleal to run free _within his own borders_. I don't care if he has some sort of noble or altruistic goal for waging war against Ylisse, I agree with Chrom on the whole "stick a sword in his gut" thing.

"I'm going with you, Chrom." I tell the prince. "I've heard rumors about this "Mad King". And if they contain so much as a shred of truth, you can't trust him any further than a child can throw a boulder."

Chrom nods at my response. "Thank you, Jack. I was actually about to ask you and Lon'qu if you two wanted to join me as I travel with Emm and Lissa to meet Gangrel." Chrom turns to Lon'qu. "So, how about it, Lon'qu? Will you join us?"

"Point me towards an enemy, and I will cut him down." the Myrmidon replies. "Just don't expect me to act as your bodyguard."

Chrom nods. "Good enough for me."

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: The exalt and the king  
** _Maribelle's been taken prisoner after Plegian bandits raided a village on her home soil! And then Gangrel has the audacity to claim_ _she's_ _the guilty one. As much as you'd like to send the Mad King to an early grave, Emmeryn is determined to solve the situation peacefully. Though, knowing Gangrel, there will be a lot of bloodshed and a declaration of war before this political mess is cleaned up. Protect the exalt at all costs!  
_ **Objectives:** _Defeat all Plegian soldiers. Don't let Emmeryn die.  
_ **Rewards:** _Increased standing with Ylisse, 5 000 EXP, 5 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objectives:** _?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _?, ?, Greatly increased standing with Ylisse, 2 000 EXP, 2 000 gold  
_ **Failure:** _The death of the exalt will lead the halidom on a path to obliteration as the armies of Plegia destroy everything in their path in a crusade for vengeance._

* * *

If there was any doubt that this mission is urgent, it's shattered to pieces by the fact that Emmeryn has us setting out immediately – even as it starts to get dark. It's a good thing I always carry excess stuff in my inventory and Lon'qu travels light, as we're both ready to go in a matter of minutes.

We're waiting in the courtyard when the other Shepherds approach us. They don't just look determined – they look ready for war. It is only now that it sinks in for me how tightly knit the Shepherds are as a group, despite them not necessarily having gone through any support convos. If you mess with one Shepherd, you mess with all of them. Finally, Chrom approaches us with Emmeryn and Phila in tow.

"Well then? Is everyone ready to go?" the prince asks us. "It's a long march through the western mountains to the Plegian border."

Everyone present gives nods in affirmative. That's when we hear frantic footsteps of someone running in our direction.

"Captain! I'm all packed! When do we leave?!"

Hey, it's Ricken! The little guy's all geared up and looks ready for action.

Chrom looks at the young Mage in surprise. "Ricken? How did you…" The prince shakes his head. "Go back inside. You're not old enough for this mission."

Ricken recoils in shock before steeling himself. "But, Captain! You know my skill with magic! You know I can handle myself!"

"I'd feel safer with your magic here, protecting the garrison." Chrom replies. Then he turns to the rest of us. "All right? We're off then." He casts one final glance to Ricken. "Be good."

Judging by what I remember from the game, the little guy won't take that lying down. Ricken may be young, but he's got balls that put steel to shame. Our band leaves the castle and Ricken behind in silence. The march to the meeting point with Gangrel is about two days long, so our convoy is stocked with plenty of supplies for the journey ahead.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: Two days later**_

Our trip was thankfully uneventful, allowing us to reach the mountainous western border with little difficulty. The most action we had was each of us taking turns for night watch for the two nights that we camped. Of course, I took the opportunity to train my skills inside my UBW in preparation for the coming battles. Hopefully I can spar with Lon'qu now _without_ the guy making me look like a total novice.

It's early morning of the third day of our trip. We'll reach the agreed meeting point soon. If memory serves, the conversation between Emmeryn and Gangrel will basically consist of Emmeryn trying to be diplomatic while Gangrel insists on being an absolute jerk. If only there was a way to free Maribelle before Gangrel uses her as a bargaining chip…

Wait, who am I kidding? Of course there should be a way! And I have the perfect excuse to try pulling it off!

"Hey, Chrom?" I call out to the prince.

Chrom's been pretty tense during our whole journey (in fact, everyone has, with the lack of action and worrying about Maribelle) and turns to me with a scowl that may or may not be intentional.

"Yes, Jack? What is it?"

I take a peek at the mountainside before addressing him. "I don't like where this is going. Sure, it sounds reasonable for King Gangrel to suggest that we meet at the border between Ylisse and Plegia, but those mountain cliffs look like the perfect spot for preparing an ambush. This whole meeting reeks of treachery."

Emmeryn jumps into our conversation with a stern look. "Jack, while I appreciate you being vigilant, I do not approve of you speaking ill of King Gangrel."

I shake my head (and resist the urge to kneel). "I'm serious, Your Grace. I don't trust the Mad King one bit. Think about it. How much of a head start do you suppose he's had on us in preparation of this meeting? He's the one who demanded it, meaning he could've set out before he sent the message, for all we know. Heck, he's allowed bandits from _his own country_ to cross this very border and pillage the towns and villages of Ylisse. And now this whole mess with Maribelle… I'm not entirely sure what he's after, but I doubt it's anything good. If nothing else, scouting ahead can put the rest of us at ease that we'll actually have a somewhat peaceful meeting."

Emmeryn looks hesitant from my reasoning, especially since both Frederick and Phila agree with it.

"All right, go ahead, Jack." Chrom eventually speaks up. "Just, be careful. Climbing these mountains is no easy task."

I nod to the prince. "Thanks, Chrom. I will."

With that, I run ahead of the group. Just as I'm out of sight, I activate Reinforcement so I can jump up the mountain. Traditional climbing? Ain't nobody got time for that!

I continuously scan my surroundings with Mind's eye as I parkour my way along the mountainside. There are a few trails that look reasonably traversable. What catches my eye on these trails is that I spot signs of someone passing through here recently. Broken twigs? Check. A disturbed trail of leaves? Check. Small indentations where the ground looks soft? Check. Yep, there's definitely someone ahead of me. I slow down my approach a little and stick to higher ground.

It's not long before I spot the one who made the tracks. I knew it; Ricken. The little guy didn't just disobey Chrom, he managed to catch up to us during our journey and even got ahead by the time we reached the mountains. By Naga's melodic voice, the kid's stamina must be crazy! It's only reasonable that the little Mage is resting against a cliff.

I sneak around and above his resting place before I drop down right beside him.

*Thump!* "Yo."

I barely manage to cover Ricken's mouth before he screams in fright.

"Shh! It's me!"

Ricken stops struggling before looking up at my face. He finally relaxes, meaning it's safe for me to remove my hand.

"Phew… Hey, aren't you the new guy who joined us a while ago? Lissa told me about you." Ricken eventually asks.

I nod. "That's me. Name's Jack." I reach out my hand. "Nice to meetcha."

Ricken accepts the handshake. "I'm Ricken. I'm a member of the Shepherds."

"So I figured from when you and Chrom talked back at the castle." I reply with a nod. "So, what's a lone Shepherd like yourself doing smack middle in the mountains all by yourself?"

Ricken looks at me with a scowl.

"Those Plegian jerks attacked Themis and took Maribelle prisoner! They've attacked us before, but they crossed the line this time. I'm saving Maribelle from those creeps, and if the Captain doesn't approve of me joining the mission, I'll do it myself!"

"Uh huh…" I reply with a deadpan expression. "And how exactly did you plan to pull _that_ off by your lonesome? Unless you've noticed, we're in the middle of the freakin' western mountain range. How are you even supposed to find anyone here, let alone Maribelle specifically?"

Ricken grins. "Oh, that's easy! I already know where she is."

"Say what?"

Ricken faces the foliage growing on the mountainside and gives a sharp whistle. The bushes and small trees rustle before squirrels start to pop out. And then more of them. Again. And again. Dude, there's, like, a hundred squirrels around us right now – minimum!

"What the heck?" I mutter as I look around at all the gathered critters.

"I asked the squirrels around the mountains and nearby forests to help me search for Maribelle a few hours ago. They've told me that they've found her, so I'm just following their lead." Ricken explains.

I look at the little Mage incredulously. "You can talk to squirrels?"

Ricken shrugs. "It's more like I'm just good with animals. I've been particularly good friends with the squirrels for years now."

I raise an eyebrow. "That's neat and all, but what does that have to do with finding Maribelle?"

"Everything." Ricken replies. "Did you know squirrels are real gossip mongers? They hang out almost everywhere where there's trees – forests, gardens, even the occasional town. And they're really good listeners. If something's going on, they'll know in a matter of minutes. They can find out about almost anything faster than most spies."

My second eyebrow joins the first one. "Really?"

Ricken nods proudly. "Yep. And since I'm their friend, they're more than happy to share with me what they learn – provided I have some nuts for them."

"So it's a give-and-take sort of deal…" I muse. Huh… If what Ricken says is true, these little critters have a massive spy network that spans Naga-knows-how-far. If we can take advantage of that, Ylisse could be the most well-informed nation on the continent. Except there's a massive flaw in this idea.

"How do you even understand what they're saying?" I ask Ricken. "Don't tell me you can speak Squirrel."

Ricken rubs the bottom of his nose proudly. "Well, kind off. I don't understand every word, but I get the gist of what they say."

The young Mage gets up from his resting position and starts walking.

"Come on! Maribelle's this way."

I decide to follow Ricken, for a lack of better options. Judging by his determined expression, I doubt I could talk him out of this insane plan.

With some guidance of the squirrels, we soon spot an outcropping with what looks like soldiers dressed as bandits – and Maribelle, tied up and lying on the ground.

Let's see what Observe can tell me.

* * *

 **Plegian soldier Lvl 14 Class: Fighter  
** _A soldier of Plegia's standing army. Due to the bloody war that raged between Plegia and Ylisse prior to Emmeryn coming into power, a deep-seated hatred for everything connected to the halidom has grown within the hearts of these people. Some try to let go of the past, but others cry out for vengeance to this very day. Naturally, the latter are the most loyal to the reigning king, Gangrel._

* * *

So, there are some plegians who want peace, just like Emmeryn? I suppose Tharja and Henry are two of them, which I find quite ironic, since they're both Dark Mages.

"Well, there's Maribelle…" Ricken muses. "Now, how do we rescue her? There's three of those soldiers. I could take on one of them, but I don't know if you can handle the two others."

I put my hand on my chin. "I could, but if they have allies nearby, the battle noise could alert them. We'd be outnumbered in the blink of an eye if we tried attacking head-on."

"So what should we do?"

I smirk as an idea starts to blossom in my head. "I have a plan…"

* * *

 **POV change: General**

Lieutenant Fighs sighs while looking out over the mountainous landscape and then back at his two subordinates. His Majesty gave strict orders to guard the Themesean noble that they captured during their latest "raid". For what, no one was really told. Well, orders are orders.

His musings are cut short as he hears two voices from a cliff higher up the mountains.

"Hey, Ricken! What do you call a plegian with half a brain?!"

"What?"

"Gifted!"

The soldiers turn to see two ylisseans laughing at their own joke. Much to Fighs's shame, his subordinates get riled up and chase the two ylisseans, who duck behind the cliff and out of sight.

As the two soldiers vanish from his field of vision, the lieutenant sighs again. Honestly… This is why he hates commanding fresh recruits. Always think they're at the top of the world because they cleared _one_ aptitude test and determined to remind absolutely _everyone_ about that.

If the other officers back home catch wind of this, he'll never hear the end of it. Oh, who was he kidding? Of course they'll catch wind of it! The Plegian military has more gossip mongering than any manor filled to the brim with female nobility.

Sigh…

On the flip side, he might hear something interesting about the others in turn. At this point, Captain Vasto and his men are bound to have returned from their latest exercise. That means the man will hit the nearest bar and hit on the nearest barmaid – only to get violently rejected and hit in the face, with a red hand print to tell the story. You would think he'd get the hint after the fifth rejection, but Vasto still thinks he's the gods' gift to women everywhere. As if… The average knave has more luck with Lady Aversa than that buffoon has with even the most desperate harlot in Plegia.

Well, the recruits are back, and they were only gone for a few minutes. Seems like they wizened up quickly enough. One of them seems a bit shorter than he remembers, though…

Bah! He'll bother trying to remember the recruits if they can achieve something worthwhile. They're back at their posts, at least. Good. Maybe this won't be as embarrassing as he feared.

One of the recruits – the taller one – seems oddly fidgety.

The lieutenant sighs again.

"Oh, what is it now?" Fighs asks exasperated. "I can tell you're dying to tell me something, so you may as well spit it out so we can be done with it."

The recruit fidgets a bit more before turning to his superior.

"Well, sir, it's just, one of those Ylissean dogs said something strange before we cut the two of them down."

Fighs rolls his eyes. Do these morons really have to concern themselves with _every little thing_ they come across? Pathetic. Well, might as well get this idiocy over with.

"Oh?" the lieutenant drawls. "And what, pray tell, did he say?"

The recruit clears his throat. "He said, and I quote: "What do you call a plegian with a whole brain?""

Fighs is about to chew out the recruit for bringing up such a ridiculous matter when pain erupts from his back. As he turns his head, he spots the shorter of the recruits, who removes his helmet to reveal…the shorter of the two ylisseans from before! The boy stabbed him in the back with a lance!

Before Fighs can call out to his fellow soldiers, his gets hit in the chest. He looks down to spot the Iron Axe of the other recruit. Said recruit removes _his_ helmet while grinning – and reveals the other ylissean!

"A disguised ylissean."

Those are the last words lieutenant Fighs hears before the ylissean in front rips the axe out and beheads him.

* * *

 **POV change: Jack**

Well, that went smoothly. We got three Plegian soldiers and cleared the area to save Maribelle without causing too much of a ruckus.

Oh, you're wondering how we pulled the whole disguise thing off? Well, it went like this:

* * *

 _ **Flashback**_

 _Right after me and Ricken had made our Plegian joke, we ran and hid behind a corner further away and awaited the Plegian soldiers. Just like planned, two of them ran after us. Phase one, cleared._

" _You ready?" I asked my partner._

 _Ricken picked up a stone roughly twice the size of my fist. "Ready."_

 _It was easy to know where the Plegian soldiers were with the help of Mind's eye. Just as they were about to round the corner, I gave Ricken the signal. The Mage threw the stone as hard as he could._

 _*Thwack!*_

 _Ooh… Right in the temple. Kid's got some good aim, probably from all his practice in magic. Ricken's target went down with that hit. As for my target…_

 _Remember the Frying pan I picked up back in Southtown?_

 _*Wham!*_

 _I kept it._

 _My target went down from the blow to the face. That was both of our targets down. Phase two, cleared._

 _It took some effort, but we managed to strip the plegians off their gear to put it on ourselves. Ricken was about to put on the chestplate of the smaller one when he recoiled in disgust._

" _Bleah! This thing stinks!"_

 _I shrugged while putting on an arm guard. "Who knows how long it's been since these guys last bathed. Life on the field leaves precious few times to get washed."_

 _Time to initiate phase three._

 _ **Flashback end**_

* * *

I'm honestly surprised our cover wasn't blown the moment the third soldier spotted Ricken. The guy is way shorter than any of the soldiers. Well, enough musing. Maribelle's right there.

The blonde Troubadour stirs awake as we prop her up and get started on the ropes.

"Uhn… Wha…? Ricken? Jack?"

Ricken brightens up upon seeing Maribelle regaining consciousness. "Maribelle! You're awake!"

Maribelle looks around before returning her attention to us. "Where are we?"

"The western mountains between Ylisse and Plegia." I answer. "Gangrel demanded he meet with the exalt after we received news of the Plegian bandits raiding a village in Themis and capturing you. By the way, he claims _you're_ the one who crossed the border and attacked _them_."

Maribelle scowls at hearing my words. "That cur is lying through his teeth! I saw those wretched beasts set the whole village on fire with my own eyes! Just as I tried to intervene, they had the audacity to capture me and knock me unconscious! Those troglodytes will pay! That I promise you."

"What a coincidence. I feel exactly the same after hearing your story. With any luck, we may give Gangrel the retribution he so rightfully deserves."

The ropes eventually come off. While a bit roughed up from the kidnapping, Maribelle is more than capable of standing on her own.

"Before we leave, there is something I absolutely have to retrieve from these wretches. Hopefully it is among their supplies."

Now that's a good suggestion. Since Gangrel's been such a jerk this whole time, I may as well return the favor a bit in advance and loot whatever I can from those soldiers.

There's not much in their possession that is useful for me, but I _did_ find a-

"Aha! Glory be, it is still in pristine condition!"

I turn back to find Maribelle holding…her parasol?

"Really?" I deadpan.

Maribelle replies by almost poking me in the face with the parasol. " _Never_ mock a lady with her parasol." she tells me in a cold voice. "That will be my first lesson in etiquette to you."

"Uh… Shouldn't it be something along the lines of "always show proper respect to a lady"?" I ask while eyeing the white accessory.

Maribelle gives her parasol a twirl before shouldering it. "That would probably count as an advanced lesson at this point, but who am I to deny such an enthusiastic student?"

"Um, shouldn't we head back to the others?" Ricken interjects. Maribelle and I nod at his suggestion. The local squirrels are once again happy to lead the way.

"By the way, Jack, you mentioned earlier that we may give King Gangrel some form of retribution. How exactly do you plan to do that?" Maribelle asks. "Wretched as he may be, he is still a king. Any sort of offense against him without a cause of major importance could spark a war."

I look at her with a smirk. "I found something on those soldiers earlier that could be just what we need. But if I'm gonna pull this off, I'll need your help, Maribelle."

The blonde Troubadour raises an eyebrow. "Oh? Do tell."

By the time we find the rest of our group, they've already met up with Gangrel and Aversa. Let's see what Observe can tell me.

* * *

 **Gangrel Lvl 35 Class: Trickster  
** _The reigning king of Plegia. His cruel personality and treacherous behavior have earned him the moniker "Mad King" among the courts of other countries. He shares the deep hatred that his people have for Ylisse and has sent numerous groups of soldiers disguised as bandits to the towns of the halidom to pillage the settlements and provoking war. While this ruthless warmongering has earned approval among the more violent part of his people, there are those who are opposed to his rule (not that they dare speak up about it)._

 **Titles:  
** **King of Plegia (+ 5 % CHAR)  
Mad King (+ 10 % INT, - 10 % CHAR)**

 **HP: 4 900 / 4 900  
MP: 2 875 / 2 875**

 **STR: 32  
VIT: 28  
DEX: 72  
INT: 49.5 (45*1.1)  
WIS: 20  
LUCK: 26  
CHAR: 29 (31*0.9*1.05)**

 **Items:  
Levin sword (equipped)**

* * *

 **Aversa Lvl 69 Class: Dark flier  
** _A mysterious woman of unknown origins. By using her beauty and allure, she has charmed her way into the good graces of many men in powerful positions. Despite generally possessing strength that far surpasses those that she charms, Aversa is content in playing the role of advisor. Be warned, however. Behind the alluring demeanor lurks a sinister and sadistic personality who has no qualms with killing anyone whom she no longer deems useful for her cause, hidden as it may be._

 **Titles:  
Grimleal high priestess (+ 10 % MP)**

 **HP: 10 050 / 10 050  
MP: 7 535 / 7 535 (6 850*1.1)**

 **STR: 71  
VIT: 63  
DEX: 94  
INT: 136  
WIS: 67  
LUCK: 18  
CHAR: 52**

 **Items:  
Goethia (equipped)  
Killer lance**

* * *

Look, I consider myself a guy with a decent moral compass and who decided to side with the good guys. I'm also a guy with a healthy (but not obsessive) appreciation for the female form. So please understand me correctly when I say this:

Evil has NEVER looked so sexy!

I mean, _wow_! Aversa doesn't just have the curves, she's NOT afraid to show them off with her skintight bodysuit and ridiculously deep v-neck.

Ahem! Alright, better get my mind out of the gutter before it gets buried there. That's not eye candy I'm looking at, it's a bonafide femme fatale.

"I fear I must shield my eyes! Bwa ha ha ha!" we hear Gangrel exclaim.

Do not go UBW on the evil man! Do not go UBW on the evil man! Do not go UBW on the evil man!

…

I _really_ wanna go UBW on this jerk.

Just as Aversa introduces herself, the three of us make our entrance.

"I have returned, Your Grace, and I bring two of our wayward companions with me." I tell Emmeryn while giving an exaggerated bow.

Everyone looks at me in surprise. Then they look at Ricken. And lastly, everyone is shocked at seeing Maribelle with us.

"Maribelle! You're safe!" the exalt exclaims relieved.

Maribelle barely has time to greet the exalt in return before Gangrel blows his top. "What?! What in blazes are you doing here, you blonde brat?!"

Maribelle directs a cold glare towards the Mad King. "I would gladly tell you, _King Gangrel_. I was trying to stop a group of bandits who attacked a village in my own homelands when they took me prisoner and brought me to these mountains. Had it not been for Ricken and Jack here, who knows what those bandits could have done to me?"

This is basically the plan we came up with; Maribelle tells her side of the story, and I take over from there. Thus, it's my cue to step forward.

"It gets worse." I continue. "Those bandits were not only from Plegia, they were soldiers who both attacked that village _and_ took Maribelle prisoner under orders from you, King Gangrel." I direct a similarly cold glare towards Gangrel myself at this point.

The Mad King scoffs. "Hmph! I know not what you're talking about, boy, but you'd better watch your tongue before I have you executed for falsely accusing royalty!"

I point my finger towards Gangrel. "Objection!"

 **BGM: Lying coldly, Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney investigations music**

Everyone looks at me surprised at my sudden response.

"If you thought I would believe such a blatant lie, you're dead wrong, King Gangrel. Neither Maribelle nor I are throwing around baseless accusations – we're stating the truth."

"Really, now?" Gangrel replies sneering. "Then how about showing some evidence to back up your claims, hm?"

I reach into my bag to retrieve what I found on that soldier earlier.

"Take that!"

I pull out a document from it.

"These mountains not only mark the border between Ylisse and Plegia, they also act as a natural wall between the two countries. Crossing them is by no means an easy task, especially since anyone who attempts it risks getting spotted by Ylissean Pegasus Knights." I explain. "Naturally, it made me curious about why a group of Plegian bandits would go through all the trouble of crossing these mountains just to raid a single village."

I hold up the document for everyone to see. At this point, I start smirking.

"Imagine my surprise when I found this on their leader after Ricken and I managed to rescue Maribelle. It is a letter containing military orders. First, a band of soldiers in the Plegian army is to disguise themselves as bandits and attack a village in the land of Themis, burning it to the ground if they so wish. Second, the heiress of the duke of Themis is to be taken alive as prisoner and put under strict watch by the king's own guard."

Looks like Gangrel starts to sweat a little. Now for the final push.

"And don't even try to claim that this document is fake or that it was written without your knowledge! This letter both bears your signature and was sealed in wax with the crest of the royal house of Plegia."

Gangrel flinches at my words.

"You knew exactly what happened in that village in Themis because you're the one who ordered it to happen in the first place! This letter proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that the responsibility of all that has happened in this incident rests solely on your shoulders. This political meeting is nothing more than a farce of a hostage negotiation! King Gangrel, everything from the attack on Themis to this very meeting was nothing more than a scheme that you orchestrated in order to make demands on the exalt!"

I point my finger at Gangrel once again, this time with enough intensity that I could swear I just cut the air with it.

 **BGM ends**

"Demands that you have no right to make!"

Gangrel shakes with anger as he grinds his teeth together.

"To h-ll with diplomacy! If you won't give me what I want peacefully, I'll just take it by force! Soldiers! Kill the Ylissean witch queen and bring me the Fire Emblem!" the Mad King snarls.

A pair of Barbarians rush Emmeryn.

*Shing! Boom!*

"Think again!"

Too bad for them the exalt has a safety Chrom.

Emmeryn looks first at the fallen plegians appalled, then at Gangrel.

"King Gangrel, you did all of this for the sake of getting the royal treasure of Ylisse?! Your actions today could spark a war between our countries!"

"If that's what it takes for me to get the Fire Emblem, then so be it!" Gangrel answers. "I know the legend. The Fire Emblem has the power to realize the wishes of anyone who bears it. And my wish is that of every plegian; a swift and gruesome end to every ylissean alive! Then again, I'm willing to slaughter the lot of you to the last man, woman and child to get the Fire Emblem anyway, so my wish would be fulfilled no matter what I do! Bwa ha ha ha!"

"You're mad!" Chrom shouts.

"Oh, you realize that only _now_ , little princeling?" Gangrel replies mockingly. "But I'm not heartless. I'll grant you the mercy of dying now, so you won't have to see your precious halidom burn to the ground and the people slaughtered in broad daylight!"

Gangrel turns to the mountainside. "Soldiers! Kill them all!"

Where there was once open mountainside, there are now Plegian soldiers popping up almost everywhere. And to make things worse, they've got Wyvern riders cresting the tops and flying down at us at breakneck speeds.

I turn to Emmeryn and Chrom. "Called it. They totally had an ambush set up."

"Not the time, Jack!" Chrom shouts. He glances back to the other Shepherds present. "Shepherds, battle stations! Phila, protect Emm at all costs!"

 **BGM: The valedictory elegy, Baten Kaitos Origins music**

"Yes, milord!" the Falcon Knight responds before getting Emmeryn on her pegasus and booking it out of the mountains.

A few of the plegians break off from the formation to attack me, Ricken and Maribelle. I draw my Bronze sword and get ready to fight when Maribelle steps up.

"Maribelle, what are you doing?! Get back!" I shout to her.

The Troubadour looks back at me with determined eyes. "You demonstrated your abilities for us all just a few minutes ago, Jack. Now it's my turn."

Maribelle turns back to the incoming soldiers and brandishes…her parasol?!

The first to reach her is a Myrmidon. The plegian gets ready to stab Maribelle, only to have his attack parried by the tip of the parasol. Before he can regain his balance, Maribelle steps in and knees him in the gut and knocks him out with an elbow to the back of his head.

Next up is a Barbarian who swings his axe horizontally. Maribelle jumps over the axe and delivers a spin kick to his head while balancing on the parasol where the axe swung just a moment ago. With the Barbarian stunned, Maribelle grabs him by his free arm and twists it behind him before reversing their positions. That makes the Barbarian take the Flux spell that a Dark mage intended for Maribelle.

Said Dark mage looks horrified at his fallen comrade as the dark energies of the spell wreaks havoc on him. The Dark mage grits his teeth before launching Flux spells at Maribelle at a furious pace. The Troubadour practically dances around the spells, occasionally batting one aside with the parasol or even her bare hand. Before long, Maribelle gets up close to the Dark mage and delivers a series of chops and kicks on him. The Dark mage tries a desperate retaliation by jumping back and preparing another spell, only to get stopped in his tracks as Maribelle throws her parasol into his face. The blonde rushes in, drop kicks the plegian and catches her parasol just as she lands back on the ground.

By this point, one of the Wyvern riders have reached the fight, swooping in with his axe raised high. Maribelle bends to the side and dodges the axe by a hair's breadth. As in; everything except her hair makes it out unscathed. The Troubadour watches horrified as a few cut off strands float down to the ground. She turns to the returning Wyvern rider angrily.

"Big mistake."

Just as the Wyvern rider comes in for another attack run, Maribelle jumps back and opens her parasol right in the wyvern's face. The reptile gets startled by having its field of vision completely obscured by white fabric and halts its dive, making the rider yelp as he tries to calm his mount down. Maribelle tosses her parasol up into the air and grabs the wyvern by the wing joint to swing herself up on its back. The rider looks back at her surprised. Before he can do anything else, the blonde grabs his left arm and stretches it out before delivering a hard palm thrust to the shoulder.

*Crack!*

The strike dislocates the plegian's shoulder, making him cry out in pain and lose his grip on the wyvern. The thrashing of the reptile and its vertical angle makes the rider fall off. Maribelle is already on the ground as she jumped off right after dislocating the plegian's shoulder. She gets in a stance where she rears back both arms on either side of her body. Just as the falling Wyvern rider reaches her, she strikes.

"Hah!" *Thoom!*

Maribelle delivers a vicious double palm thrust into the plegian's chest, sending him flying into the mountainside and knocking him out cold, if not outright killing him.

Right on cue, Maribelle's opened parasol comes back floating down. The blonde grasps it by the handle and shoulders it with a gentle twirl while smirking haughtily.

"Who else?"

Ricken and I look at the Troubadour with mouths open in shock. What. The actual. F-ck?! How did she defeat four trained soldiers armed with nothing but a parasol?!

I run a quick Observe on Maribelle and discover something interesting.

* * *

 **Parasol-fu, Lvl 38 [22.5 %], Passive  
** _While direct combat is frowned upon by the higher end of society, any noble worth their station knows that there comes a time when it becomes inevitable. The parasol is not only an inseparable companion for any true lady, it could make for a surprisingly useful weapon in the right hands. Mix in some hand-to-hand techniques, and it works wonders on brigands trying anything funny.  
Increases movement speed and attack speed by 190 % when attacking with a parasol._

* * *

Wait… Parasol-fu is a thing?!

"What a woman…" I hear Ricken say to my side. I can only nod dumbly. Who said Troubadours can't fight?

My stupor meets a swift end as I notice more plegians approaching our position. As good as Maribelle is, I doubt she can take all of them. Better intervene.

"Ricken, cover me!" I shout as I rush in to meet the incoming soldiers.

*Clang!*

My first adversary of the fight is a Barbarian.

"Die, Ylissean scum!"

I think he hates me.

"How about "no"?" I fire back and break our weapon lock. I move in before he can recover and slash him across the chest. The plegian winces as blood starts to leak from the wound, but he's very much alive. He goes in for a horizontal swing. I respond by ducking low and rise with a stab aimed at his heart.

*Shink!*

Bull's eye! The Barbarian goes still for a second before slumping over and dropping his axe.

I notice a Soldier coming on from my right. He has his lance in a reverse grip and jumps to gain extra momentum for a plunge.

*Fuom!* "Augh!"

Instead, he gets nailed in the side by an Elwind spell from Ricken. I kick the fallen Barbarian off my sword and move to engage the downed Soldier. He just manages to get up when I kick him in the face and send him back down. Before he can get his bearings back, I jump and plunge my sword into his chest. The Soldier coughs up blood and struggles to get free. Not happening! I quickly pull out my sword and aim for the heart on this guy too.

*Shink!*

Dead. Now for the next- Oh, s-it! Incoming Mercenary! Pull out the sword! Pull out the sword! Argh! Of all the times for the blasted blade to get stuck in the ground!

*Shing!* "Too slow."

Lon'qu! My man!

"Great timing, Lon'qu!" I say as I finally pull my sword out.

The Myrmidon nods. "Robin directed me here the moment the battle began."

We take our stances as we stand back to back. "Good thing she did. I need to thank her later."

"Let's get this battle over with." Lon'qu mutters disinterested. "I want to get back to training as soon as possible. Maybe we should see how many enemies each of us can defeat before the battle is over?"

I shake my head. "As much as I'd like to do that, we'd be better off staying close and keeping an eye on Maribelle and Ricken. They're not as adept in melee combat as we are." And I'm conveniently forgetting the fact that Maribelle just destroyed four plegians on her own.

Lon'qu nods in response. That's all that needs to be said before we rush the plegians trying to target our magic wielding friends.

They're honestly holding up pretty well, considering the hectic battlefield. Maribelle's done an admirable job dodging incoming attacks while healing Ricken's wounds, while Ricken blasts the plegians non-stop with wind magic to keep them at bay. Just as it looks like a Barbarian's about to break through Ricken's magic barrage, Lon'qu speeds up and intercepts the plegian with a merciless decapitation.

"You're no warrior." the Myrmidon mutters disappointed.

"Are you guys okay?" I ask Ricken and Maribelle as I catch up.

"We're doing fine for now, Jack." Ricken answers panting. "But these Plegian soldiers won't stop coming."

"Then it's a good thing Lon'qu and I are here. Let's finish this!" I reply. The others nod as we get ready to face the other incoming plegians. 3-to-1? I think we might be able to handle this.

* * *

Huff… Huuh… Okay, so maybe taking on a band of trained soldiers 3-on-1 wasn't such a bright idea after all, but we managed to take them down. Maribelle's busy healing our wounds before we get ready to try to join up with the others.

 **Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy detected!**

Oh, for crying out loud! We just got the situation under control!

"Look out!" Ricken shouts and tackles me to the ground. A split-second later, I notice something fly just where my head was. I get up and see the mysterious object fly back and stop in the hand of a Wyvern Rider. The object in question is a Short Axe. That means the one who threw it can only be one person.

* * *

 **Orton Lvl 20 Class: Wyvern Rider**

* * *

I knew it.

"I won't ask for your name. Only your life!" the Plegian Wyvern Rider says before he commands his wyvern to charge.

I get in a ready position. "Ricken, cover Maribelle! If that axe heads your way, blast it out of the air best you can."

The young Mage nods before standing protectively in front of the blonde Troubadour.

"Stay alert." Lon'qu says as he walks up beside me.

"Will do."

We tense up before rushing to meet Orton head-on. Unlike the other Wyvern Riders, Orton can make his wyvern accelerate quickly, giving him better mobility in melee range than the average mook.

Lon'qu rushes in for a stab, but Orton's wyvern backs off quickly. Orton uses that opening to throw his axe at Lon'qu. The Myrmidon ducks low to dodge the axe. That's where I rush in, hoping to catch the plegian while he's weaponless. Just as I jump and try to plunge my sword into him, his wyvern spins in mid-air and smacks me with its tail.

*Whack!*

OW! That wyvern hits hard. Gotta stop rolling before- Ohs-itohs-itohs-it!

"AAAH!" Son of a b-tch! That blasted wyvern smacked me off a cliff side! The ground's getting closer! This is gonna hurt.

*Whoosh!*

"Phew! Just in time."

Oh, thank Naga we have Sumia!

"You're a life saver, Sumia." I pant relieved.

The Pegasus Knight smiles before she steels her face and directs her gaze towards where Lon'qu is currently engaging Orton.

"That wyvern of his is a real pain to fight against." I tell her.

The brunette nods. "He must have trained it extensively. They're not fighting as rider and mount; they're fighting as a team."

Lon'qu's holding up well against the guy, but adding that wyvern to the mix makes things difficult. Lon'qu can't get any decisive blow in.

"Sumia, take me above that wyvern."

Sumia looks back at me questioningly.

"You said it yourself. Those two fight as a team. If we want to beat him, we need to disrupt their teamwork."

"And how do you suppose we do that?"

"Well… I kinda thought I'll land on the wyvern's back and startle it long enough for one of the others to get a decent shot in."

Sumia's eyes widen. "Jack, that's dangerous! You could get seriously injured if you miss!"

"And our friends need our help badly right now." I counter. "I'll make sure to aim properly before taking the plunge. Just make sure to line me up above him."

Sumia thinks it over for a few seconds before she nods. "All right. Be careful, Jack."

Sumia has her pegasus ascend sharply, bringing us at least a few stories' worth of height above the battling duo. Need to time this perfectly… Now!

I jump off Sumia's pegasus and skydive directly towards where Orton's wyvern will be as he goes in to attack Ricken. I manage to land on the wyvern just as it's just a few paces away from the Mage.

"Surprise!" I shout as I grab hold of Orton to avoid falling off.

"Whu- How did you get on my wyvern?!" the plegian asks bewildered.

"I thought you would only ask for my life." I fire back grinning before I punch him in the face. The blow stuns him and confuses the wyvern in the process. I jump off the wyvern while pointing at Ricken.

"Let 'er rip, Ricken!"

"Don't look down on me!" the little Mage shouts at Orton while gathering a huge amount of mana in his right hand. Then Ricken fires an absolutely MASSIVE Elwind spell at the Wyvern Rider, taking both rider and mount with it and smashes both of them into the mountainside.

*Thoom!*

Not only did that result in a jarring impact, Ricken's spell had the mana so concentrated that the wind-based mana sliced the plegian in a few places and left bleeding wounds. Not that it matters. I can see his HP plummeting to zero.

"This matters not." Orton wheezes out with a smirk. "Soon war will be upon…your soil… Heh heh…"

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **Orton has been killed! You gain 300 EXP!**

 **Ricken has leveled up!**

 **Due to continuous strenuous activity, STR increases by 1!  
Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT increases by 2!**

* * *

Lissa frantically runs up to Maribelle in tears and embraces her.

"Maribelle! Are you hurt?!"

"Nothing I didn't return twofold, darling." the Troubadour replies with a gentle smile.

"I'm glad you're safe." Robin adds as she approaches the two healers.

Maribelle turns to the Tactician. "Who…? Oh. It's you." Then she smiles. "I must say, Robin, Lissa had every right to be impressed with your tactical prowess. The way you directed us in that battle was simply marvelous."

Robin nods a bit uncertainly. "Oh, well, thank you, Maribelle."

Maribelle shakes her head. "No need to thank me, darling. I can see now that I am in capable hands so long as you guide us in battle. Rest assured, I will support you to the best of my abilities."

Looks like Robin's relationship with Maribelle is getting a head start compared to canon. Must be thanks to the damage control I ran back when we first met the blonde.

Maribelle turns to me next. "And I owe you a great deal of thanks as well, Jack. You not only rescued me, you even put King Gangrel himself on the spot. You may be more capable than I thought."

I scratch the back of my head. "To be fair, Ricken deserves most of the credit for this one. If it wasn't for him, I probably wouldn't even have found you."

That makes the young Mage join our conversation. "What?! No way. I just showed you the way, Jack. You handled the rest back there."

I shake my head. "Ricken, I can't stress this enough. You finding the path to Maribelle made everything I did afterwards possible in the first place. And not only that, you managed to overtake us, climb the mountains and find the way on your own. You may be small, but you're one heck of a Shepherd. Glad to have you on the team." I accentuate my point with a wink and a grin as I stretch out my fist to Ricken. Ricken catches on and returns the fist bump with a matching grin.

Our little group soon rejoins Chrom and the others. Looks like Phila deemed it safe to return with Emmeryn after the dust had settled. Gangrel and Aversa had retreated from the battlefield sometime during the fight, so none of us have any idea where they went.

Emmeryn looks troubled.

"All of this bloodshed and suffering for our people… Just for the Fire Emblem." the exalt muses sadly.

"The Mad King will be rallying his forces, if they have not mobilized already." Fredrick interjects. "I suggest we make haste back to Ylisstol and discuss our strategy."

Emmeryn steels her expression. "Of course, Frederick. It seems war is upon us. We must protect the Ylissean people at all costs."

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: The exalt and the king  
** _Your first run-in with the Mad King of Plegia ended pretty much as expected. Good thing Maribelle made it out of that mess alive. With your business at the Border pass finished, you can finally head back home. It's high time you prepare for a lot of gruesome battles in the future, as the kiddy gloves are officiall off. This is no longer just a game – this is war.  
_ **Objectives:** _Defeat all Plegian soldiers. Don't let Emmeryn die.  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
Rewards:** _Your standing with Ylisse has improved! You gain 5 000 EXP! You gain 5 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objectives:** _Team up with Ricken and rescue Maribelle before Gangrel demands the Fire Emblem in exchange for her.  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _Your relationship with Maribelle has improved! Your relationship with Ricken has improved! Your standing with Ylisse has improved greatly! You gain 2 000 EXP! You gain 2 000 gold!_

* * *

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter**

*"Marth's" mask get sliced in half, revealing her true face.*

 **Chrom:** Wait, you're…a woman?

" **Marth":** Took you long enough to figure out.

*Assassins run through the halls of castle Ylisstol*

 **Frederick:** Milord, we're being invaded! They seem to be headed for Her Grace!

 **Chrom:** Gods! Not again! We have to protect her!

 **Emmeryn** : No, Chrom! Save yourself!

 **Chrom:** You've been there for us in the past, Emm. I refuse to abandon you in your hour of need!

 **Gaius:** Well said, Blue. Looks like I'll switch employers tonight, then. Murder's not my cup of chocolate.

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Exalts die when they are killed! Treachery at every step!**

" **Marth":** I will change history for the better, no matter what.

 **Jack:** Maybe I should've asked Chrono if I could borrow the Epoch, then. Sure makes time travel easy.

* * *

 **Omake: Jack vs Lon'qu, version 2 (or: Sexy jutsu, Fire Emblem style)**

The sparking mana forms orbs in Jack's hands that are mashed together. As the mana disperses in particles of light, they reveal the form of a Hammer. Lon'qu raises an eyebrow at the odd choice.

"I can tell wielding that weapon is difficult for you. Why in the world would you conjure a weapon like that?"

Jack grins as he places the Hammer mallet first on the arena floor.

"Because I'll use it like this! Mimicry!"

*Poof!*

The smoke generated from excess mana soon disperses to reveal that Jack transformed into…Camilla!

The transformed Traveler strikes a pose while leaning against the Hammer and winks at Lon'qu.

"Hello, handsome ~ "

Lon'qu freezes up at the sight of the provocative female. At that moment, Jack dispels the transformation and rushes in with the Hammer.

*Wham!*

A viscous blow sends the Myrmidon flying out of the arena, resulting in a ring-out.

"Winner: Jack of Ylisse."

Jack descends the platform with a proud grin over the easy victory.

"Not bad, huh?" he asks his fellow ylisseans upon meeting up with them. He's met with silence. "Uh…guys?"

Jack suddenly feels bloodlust directed at him – and notices Lissa directing an empty, threatening look his way.

"Lissa? What's going on?"

Lissa responds by pulling out a giant war axe from…somewhere.

"Help!"

"Get back here, you pig!"

Chrom, Frederick and Robin watch with deadpan expressions as the young Cleric chases Jack around the arena while swinging an axe much too big for her size like it's a stick.

"He brought this upon himself." Chrom comments while rubbing his temples.

"Indeed." Frederick replies with a nod. The Great Knight leans closer to whisper in Chrom's ear. "Though I must say, that _was_ a fine demonstration of the female form, milord."

Chrom nods sagely. "That it was, Frederick. That it was."

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Keyblade mastery, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive  
** _Press_ _Δ_ _to win! The keyblade is a weapon shrouded in mystery and legend. Some believe it to be the crucial piece to unlock ultimate power. Some believe it to be the most retarded looking weapon ever. Some say it's an instrument of light, others an instrument of darkness. The only thing everyone agrees on is that the keyblade grants its wielder a plethora of abilities, both physical and magical. The keyblade may lack a sharp edge, but a master of this weapon can cleave even the strongest of obstacles with a single clean cut. It's also a universally handy tool whenever a lock or seal is involved.  
Passively increases damage dealt by magic of any element by 5 %. Increases attack speed and movement speed by 5 % when attacking with a keyblade. This skill does not stack with "Sword mastery". _

* * *

**Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **Myrmidon, Class  
** _A unit who has dedicated themselves completely to mastering the sword. These warriors are known for their swift movements and peerless skill at swordplay. On the other hand, their emphasis on dodging often comes at the expense on resilience. Frequently associated with edgelords.  
Sword related skills gain 10 % more experience. Increases attack power and attack speed by 10 % when attacking with a sword or dagger of any kind. Attack power from other weapons decreases by 10 %. Damage taken from physical attacks is increased by 5 %. _

**Oblivion, Keyblade, Base power: 77, Unique  
** _A black keyblade said to have been forged within a soul who found its way back into the light after wandering the darkness for a long time. If you focus, you can still feel traces of that very darkness pulsing within. Drawing upon that darkness empowers its wielder, be it physically or magically. Take heed, though. Those who wander the darkness soon find themselves walking down a path of destruction and loneliness with little or no way to turn back.  
Passively increases attack power by 15 % and damage dealt by magic by 5 % for any element except for light. _

**Parasol, Accessory, Uncommon  
** _A versatile and fashionable implement for any woman with class. Opening it provides cover for many kinds of weather, ranging from blistering sunlight to pouring rain. Its low weight makes it easy to carry, but unsuited for windy days. Handle with care._

 **Heal, Staff, Common  
** _A staff used by novice healers. The crystal mounted on top helps the bearer focus their mana when performing healing spells, increasing the damage restored whenever such magic is used. The design of the crystal is kept simple for the sake of being easy to use, so healing grave wounds is difficult when using this staff.  
Increases HP restored by 5 % when using a healing spell. Available skills when held: Heal._

* * *

 **I admit, I admit. I'm bending the rules of what Jack can Trace. See, as far as I know, keyblades are sentient, but not alive. Hence, I made it possible for Jack to Trace them. The question here is whether "sentient" counts as "alive". To that, I say "no". When I say "sentient", it's in the sense that something can make a conscious decision without any external influence, which falls in line with how the Kingdom Key chose Sora in the first Kingdom Hearts game. To my knowledge, however, keyblades don't have personalities, which I mark as a criteria for a weapon to be alive. It's for this reason that Jack can't trace any zanpakut** **ō, since these swords have personality to spare. Heck, Ichigo himself eventually learns and explicitly states that** **zanpakut** **ō are alive. So, to summarize, I think it's well within Jack's abilities to Trace keyblades.**

 **Heh, I'm breaking the game big time with both Lissa and Maribelle. While I'm letting these ladies smack their enemies around for comedic effect, it's also because I like them as characters to the point that I really want them to have some badass moments.**

 **Jack went Ace Attorney on Gangrel. As you may be able to tell, Gangrel rubs me the wrong way. Which means Gangrel rubs** _ **Jack**_ **the wrong way. Which means Jack plans to screw the Mad King over, should the opportunity present itself. I am not apologizing. XD**

 **BTW, take a good look on Aversa's level. I put her there for a very specific reason. Double entendre!**

 **With that, I'm done for now. Please rate and review.**

 **VipeR out.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I've searched the internet for clues of what Maribelle refers to whenever she calls someone "troglodyte". The closest answers I found are either a term derived from ancient Greek, which basically translates into "caveman", or "Pan troglodytes", which is the Latin name for the common chimpanzee. Either way I look at it, my conclusion is that Maribelle uses that term as a way to tell her enemy that they're less sophisticated than her, or possibly some kind of evolutionist insult. Girl knows how to throw a burn on her enemies.**

 **Now, onto some reviews:**

 **Firem78910:** Honestly, I'm not putting that much effort into the ID:s. The most I have planned is basically making gauntlets of enemies from BotW. Simplistic? Yep. But that's what I've decided. As for weapons, I've already mentioned this before: no guns. I want to generally avoid high-tech weaponry, which is where I place guns as a whole. The only exception to this rule would be if a magical equivalent is brought up. This brings me to the Red queen from DMC4. It's…a borderline case. Yes, the Red queen is a sword, but it has so many mechanical parts that it can also count as a machine. Jack could, in theory, trace one that's powered by mana, but that's as far as I would go with that idea. Also, tracing that sword when Miriel is nearby is almost guaranteed to have the Mage go crazy over it. Miriel in science mode can be…scary.

 **dcoon:** I plan on doing every paralogue except number 3 (a strangled peace), 12 (disowned by time) and the spotpass chapters. The spotpass chapters are skipped because I have already planned the outcome for the characters you recruit there. As things are now, Priam will, sadly, have to sit this one out, since I haven't thought of a way where he can integrate into the story.  
I'm placing paralogue 12 at a time that happens "off-screen". Jack will be busy being somewhere else when it happens.  
I'm skipping paralogue 3 for the simple reason that I can't find any story relevance for this fic in that chapter. That, and I HATE it! Seriously, protecting those three Villagers from the Risen is the worst bonus objective ever! It'd be much easier if they stayed put in the forest where they start out and get some cover. But, no, they run out from the natural cover and straight out in the open where Pegasus Knights can OTK them!  
You could probably tell from my rant how much I dislike it. So I'll just skip it.

 **Dragon of the Blazeing stars:** Huh. KH itself being the driving force behind the keyblade's choice of wielder sounds very sensible. Nice thought. Also, no, Jack's main weapon won't be any keyblade. However, the Shepherds _will_ get a resident keyblade wielder in the future, with their very own keyblade. As for who it is… That's a secret. :P  
As for the zanpakutō rule, that one is Mimicry proof. Zanpakutō are manifestations of their wielder's soul. If Jack wants to Trace one, he needs to replicate a soul, not just mannerisms or traits, but the very core of a soul reaper's being. That's beyond the scope of Mimicry. And I also made this restriction because _adding_ _zanpakut_ _ō to the mix could make me go down a rabbit hole I prefer to stay out of!_ I can't state this enough, since this topic has popped up even after I've openly stated that zanpakutō won't be a thing in this fic.

 **Ruberforumfree:** Honestly, the only excuse I have is that I haven't thought up on ways for Jack to use those skills that much yet. That changes in this chapter. And to be fair, he did apply some of those skills when fighting Lon'qu.

 **Anonymous reviewer, Sep 5** **th** **:** I know, right! In fact, I'd say Red like Roses part 2 could potentially fit any of the children, but it fits Lucina especially well for two reasons.  
1: Her birth is the only on that's canon.  
2: Being Chrom's eldest child, or only child if you go that route, Lucina is also Chrom's heir. Chrom's untimely demise resulted in Lucina having to pick up the mantle early on when fighting Grima and the Risen. That mantle was a heavy burden to pick up, especially for a child.  
I also watched the video you recommended. Oliver going to town on Lekain with a staff was just…beautiful. Simply magnificent.

 **A fan:** I'm trying to keep things a bit low-tech in this fic, mostly because the other Shepherds seeing Jack trace futuristic stuff like that would lead to some conversations that I honestly don't want to write (yeah, I'm that lazy – kind of). And it would probably be too OP. Heck, some of the stuff I have planned for this story could already be considered OP in the right situations!

 **Obsessive reader:** Why, thank you. I've put much consideration in what BGM:s to include for this fic. The best part? I won't use the same BGM twice in this story – ever!

 **warrior of six blades:** Uh, wow… I see you've been busy catching up on this fic ever since you read the first chapter. Thanks for the positive response in every review.  
Regarding Jack's description of the KH story: That depends on who you ask. If you're a fan who's kept track of the events of KH since the beginning, it'd be pretty easy to know how the story goes. For the uninitiated or newbies, on the other hand? There's a lot to take in since the games sometimes don't even come in the correct chronological order. Guess that's why there are entire Youtube videos explaining the KH timeline.  
So, I heard you like Cordelia. Well, here she is (in the chapter, that is)!

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _Sometimes fleeing takes the most courage._ – Phila

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Exalts die when they are killed! Treachery at every step!**

The march back towards the capital is filled with mixed feelings. On one hand, everyone's happy that Maribelle is alive and well. On the other hand, the approaching war against Plegia weighs heavily on everyone's minds, Emmeryn's especially. The fact that Chrom and Lissa walk a lot closer to her than before meeting with Gangrel is not missed on any of us. Not that I blame her. Emmeryn's been trying to keep the peace for as long as she could. Having the Mad King shatter that fragile peace like glass must've been a heavy blow for her.

We've made good time on our return trip and now make camp for the night. With how antsy some of the Shepherds are, we're having double night watch to help the others sleep easier. I have the first shift together with Ricken.

I could, of course, keep watch all night long. Combining no need for sleep with Shadow clones would let me make a whole ring of sentries that could go 'til the break of dawn. I appreciate these double shifts, though. Night watch can get pretty lonely when you're on your own.

While sitting on a tree branch and Meditating, I notice Ricken petting some forest critters. That's when an idea occurs to me.

"Hey, Ricken. Do you think your animal friends can help us keep watch around the camp?"

The Mage looks up at my position. "Maybe. It's up to them, really. Let me check."

Seeing the little guy communicate with animals looks pretty weird. It's a lot of chittering and squeaking. Nevertheless, he seems to get through to the animals. Ricken soon looks back up to me smiling.

"The squirrels agree – on one condition."

I raise an eyebrow. "Oh? What?"

"They want to bond with you. Something about proving how great they are."

That…sounds interesting. I accept.

* * *

As our shift ends, we pass the night watch over to Sully and Vaike. This is normally when I would head straight back to my tent, but I follow Ricken to keep my end of the deal with the squirrels.

We soon reach a clearing some distance away from the campsite. Ricken looks around in the treetops before he gives a sharp whistle. A branch among the foliage rustles before a squirrel jumps down. What looks weird is that this squirrel has seven twigs strapped to its back with plied leaves.

"This is Base, the squirrel who suggested the bonding." Ricken tells me. Then he hands me a nut.

I look at the Mage with a raised eyebrow.

"Come on, give him the nut!"

I shrug and bend down to offer the nut to the squirrel. The little critter sniffs my hand a little before it picks up the nut and eats it. After finishing the treat, Base reaches a clenched paw forward.

"Uh… What am I supposed to do now?" I ask.

"Bump your fist against his paw." Ricken explains.

I'm bumping fists/paws with a squirrel who has seven twigs strapped to his back. This looks oddly familiar.

The squirrel raises its paw into the air.

" _Wheee!"_

 **A new skill has been created through a special action! You gained "Animal tongue!"**

What the heck?!

" _Yo! Bonding with you was the greatest move! I could feel through your fist that you have the groove!"_

I understand what that squirrel is saying – and he talks by rapping!

"What in the world is happening?!" I shout as I throw my hands up in the air.

"You did it!" Ricken exclaims happily. "You managed to bond with him."

I turn to the Mage. "Wait, _this_ is the bonding you talked about?"

Ricken nods. "Yep. Well, Base is a bit special, but in a good way. You'll get used to it eventually."

I turn back to the rapping squirrel, who's added dancing into the mix. This is just…weird.

" _BAAASE!"_

*Thump*

The three of us turn to where we heard the sound to find a squirrel with a seemingly permanent scowl etched on its face. Or at least, it _looks_ like a scowl. In addition, this new squirrel has a lot more muscle mass than the average squirrel as well as a coat made of bark and leaves.

" _Brutha'!"_ Base exclaims. _"This dude's groove is real! We've sealed a great deal! He'll bond with our clan, no sweat. Of that-_

" _Iron paw!"_

*Squueeaak!*

" _You fool! What have I told you about leaving the canopies on your own?!"_

I turn to Ricken with a vague hope to find an explanation.

"Oh, that's Ace, Base's brother. They butt heads often, though it's mostly Ace strong-arming Base because Base keeps disobeying the rules of their clan. Ace is the leader of the clan, so he's very strict with the rules."

The more I look at these two squirrels, the more it feels like I'm looking at a different series.

"Out of curiosity, does their clan have a name?"

"Yep. The pack hidden in the trees."

" _We're heading back to the canopies. And this time, I'm putting you under watch!"_ Ace squeaks at his brother.

" _Brutha', so cruel! You should ease up on the rule!"_

" _Shut up, Base!"_

The big squirrel pulls his brother along by the grip on his head. They soon vanish among the treetops.

I give up. If someone were to throw around ninjutsu right now, the Naruto level would be over 9 000. Oh, wait. I can do Shadow clones and the Rasengan. Never mind!

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: morning**_

 **Due to continuous strenuous activity, STR increases by 2!  
Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT increases by 2!  
Due to plenty of quick maneuvering, DEX increases by 3!  
Due to diligent studying, INT increases by 1!**

 **You have leveled up! You have leveled up!**

* * *

I get back from my ID training right as the sun pokes over the horizon. Fighting against those Bokoblins was overall productive. Surprisingly, the boss battle involved two Silver Bokoblins this time instead of one. It took a while to take them down, especially since one of them grabbed Erza's lightning spear. Liberal use of dual-wielding and Telekinesis allowed me to overwhelm the two monsters with superior numbers in weapons.

As I exit the tent, I see Stahl sitting in the middle of the camp, tending to a fire.

"Good morning, Stahl. Up early?" I greet the green Cavalier.

"Oh, good morning, Jack." Stahl greets back. "I'm just making a fire to make a snack."

"Snack?"

Stahl reaches beside him and pulls out a pair of rabbits.

"Caught them just as my shift ended." he states proudly.

Isn't there a proverb that advises against chasing two rabbits at the same time? Sounds like Stahl disregarded that and pulled it off anyway.

"Huh. Nicely done. Well, enjoy your meal. Just remember to show up at breakfast."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!"

I get on my way and keep walking through the camp. I notice Sully walking out of her tent with a towel around her neck.

"Morning, Sully." I greet the female Shepherd.

"Mornin'." Sully greets back.

"What's up?"

"Just goin' for a morning dip. Helps gettin' my body going after a good night's sleep."

"Well, enjoy your soak."

We part ways, Sully heading for a nearby stream that we found before we made camp yesterday.

I soon reach my destination: a small training area.

"Humph! Yah!"

And just as I expected, Lon'qu's up and honing his skills.

I grab a training sword and walk to the temporary sparring ring.

"Good morning, Lon'qu." I greet the Myrmidon.

Lon'qu turns in my direction and nods back in greeting. He walks to the other side of the ring without a word.

"I see you are ready for morning practice." he says and gets in a stance. "Do not go easy just because I've already spent some time training."

"Wouldn't dream of it." I reply as I get into my own stance.

At an unspoken signal, we rush each other and meet in the middle of the ring.

* * *

"Guh…"

I rub my aching side where Lon'qu just gave me my latest bruise. I still have a hard time keeping up with him. Though I wouldn't say I don't stand a chance.

"Better." Lon'qu says while rubbing his right arm. I managed to score a hit there during our spar. It's not much, but I'm catching up the Myrmidon – slowly.

"Still need more training." I reply. "Well, thanks for a good spar. You up for breakfast?"

Lon'qu nods before leaving the sparring area with me.

"Hold the staff steady, Sumia. Good. Keep the form. Now, strike!"

"Hyah!"

*Thwack!*

"Excellent."

Lon'qu and I return to the camp to see Frederick instructing Sumia in lance wielding.

"Remember, the form used for mounted combat is very different from when you fight on foot. Make sure to master both forms." the Great Knight tells her as he parries staff blows left and right.

Sumia backs off and smiles. "I will. Thank you so much, Frederick."

The Great Knight smiles back before steeling himself. "Now, again!"

"Hyah!"

Seems like the Pegasus Knight is doing well.

Virion sits at a desk writing on a piece of paper. He looks up to the sky while tapping the top of his quill against his chin in contemplation before he nods with a smile and proceeding with the writing. Maribelle's seated by a conveniently placed stump and serving Ricken some tea. Judging by their smiles, I'd say they're having a good time together.

"AAAAHH!"

"Why meee?!"

Everyone's attention shifts to something happening near the edge of the camp. That's when we notice Vaike and Robin running for dear life – with Sully's horse hot on their heels. Guess the blond Fighter had the terrible idea of peeping on Sully during her morning dip. Remember, kids; peeping on bathing people is a bad idea. You could get an angry horse after you.

* * *

Breakfast turns out well enough. One of the great advantages of having Miriel on mess duty is that she follows the instructions to the letter, be it conducting an experiment or cooking according to a recipe. We hear that she had some help in cooking the breakfast, but I can't put my finger on who it was…

Why is there a tray with bowls of porridge floating among the seated Shepherds?

Oh, wait! She had help from Kellam!

Sully sends Vaike some dirty looks. Seems like she heard about the blond guy getting caught peeping by her horse. The Fighter tries to look innocent, not that it looks convincing with Robin sending glares his way as well.

The royal siblings eat their meals in silence, while seated at a separate table (that Fredrick cobbled together somewhere between preparing tea and planning meals for the day). The situation looks even tenser by the fact that both Phila and Frederick stand guard near them. Yeesh. Overkill much?

In fact, now that I listen carefully, the most noise at the table is Stahl tearing through his breakfast. And I think even _that_ pace is somewhat subdued compared to when he typically eats a meal. The incoming war must weigh heavier on everyone's minds than I thought.

The silence continues as we pack up and continue our trip back to the capital. With nothing better to do, I start grinding some subtle skills.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

It's been about a week since we returned to the capital. Right as we returned to the palace, everyone went on some kind of task. Frederick roped every Shepherd into joining in on his fanatical fitness hour. I've even noticed some recruits from the standing army of the halidom joining in, like it or not. Miriel spent much of her free time conducting her research. No one's managed to figure out what it is she's researching, though rumors about a living suit of armor in her room have sprouted here and there. Virion and Ricken were at the archery range for target practice. Sully took extra training sessions aside from Frederick's, to the point that we once saw her stumble back into the barracks exhausted (remember, this is _Sully_ we're talking about here). Stahl's appetite increased after Sully dragged him into joining in on that extra training. Sumia split her free time between running in nearby forests to get out of her tripping, and riding practice together with Phila in order to get more used to fighting while riding a pegasus. Vaike kept harping on Chrom that they need to spar more. They often returned in the evenings with bruises all over their bodies. The silver lining in that was that Lissa and Maribelle got more practice at healing spells. Maribelle also got her horse L'Arachel transported to the barracks. Lon'qu trained even harder than usual. I've seen him beat on training dummies before, and I can tell that he's upped the pace recently. He also occasionally mumbled something about getting a technique down.

Kellam…seemed to be working hard as well. His training sessions can get a bit loud sometimes. As in, we occasionally heard some sounds that seemingly had no real cause other than the Knight being in full swing with training. Process of elimination, really.

Robin's had the hardest training regimen of all, by far. Not only did she split her training between magic and swordplay, in which she discussed the respective matters with Ricken and Chrom respectively, she also juggled all that while studying tactics. During one evening, she was missing from the table as supper was served (and not by Sully). Everyone was naturally concerned for the Tactician, so I went to go check on her. I eventually found her in her room, slumped over her desk and snoring peacefully over a book about different battlefield formations. Poor girl. Splitting your time between at least three different disciplines at the same time is tiring on its own. Trying to the extent that Robin does it means it was only a matter of time before she collapsed. Moving as quietly as I could, I picked up the Tactician and carried her to her bed where I tucked her in as she was, minus the boots. She was bound to be hungry when she'd wake up, so I made a quick trip to the palace kitchens to get some bread and other stuff that would taste fine even several hours later. As I left the plate with food on her nightstand, I got a good look on Robin's sleeping face for the first time. She looked so…peaceful. It was hard to believe that she's pushing herself so hard just to get ready for an imminent war.

I smiled and brushed away a lock of hair that fell over her face before I snuck out of her room and closed the door silently. It was only after the door closed that it hit me what I just did. Tuck her into bed, bring her food for when she wakes up. Heck, who admires the sleeping face of someone else and brushes a lock of hair out of her face? I mean, I _guess_ what I did was sensible, but why in the world did I put so much care into doing it? It's not like I'm her mother, for Naga's sake!

Well, I decided not to dwell on that matter for too long. Instead, I used that moment as an inspiration to work even harder myself. The nights I've spent training inside UBW has allowed me to get at least a basic feel for every weapon I Traced in there. I'm a bit of a Jack of all trades (pun intended), but I'm also a master of none. With the war being so close, it's high time I started specializing myself and try to form a battle style of my own. Out of all weapon types I've trained myself in, I felt the most comfortable with swords and polearms. Actually, it would be cool if I could get my hands on a weapon that let me switch between both forms at any time, but I digress.

Next would be integrating other skills into that fighting style. Aside from increasing my overall battle performance with Reinforcement and Mind's eye, I needed to add my other active skills as well. Telekinesis was probably the easiest one. Since it's a skill that no one can see, I could use it for all kinds of effects in combat without anyone being the wiser. Redirect arrows? Piece of cake. Push back against enemy attacks? Already did that against Lon'qu. Manipulate my enemy's position while fighting? A bit tricky, but it should be doable with more practice. That would be one of the more useful applications. Push the enemy back when they attack, and pull them towards me when they retreat.

This brings me to the last skill that I had to get combat ready: Rasengan. Its damage output is crazy high, but I'd yet to feel confident enough to use it in battle. That had to change. One clone grinding that skill wouldn't do it anymore. I'd need at least ten.

* * *

I'm currently in my room grinding Meditation while pushing Mind's eye as far as I can, together with some clones. While my training's coming along fine, there's still something missing in making my own fighting style. I've had the skill Elemental mana manipulation on me even before I arrived in Ylisstol, but I've yet to apply it to anything. There's a lot of options in that skill, each with great potential. But if I want to use it, I think I need to gain access to an element first. And, going by my decision to specialize myself, I'd better stick to one element only. This begs the question: which element should I settle for? Considering I made the Rasengan skill for the purpose of making a stepping stone towards something grander, the answer seems pretty obvious. That being said, basing my decision on the Rasengan alone could potentially shut me out from other viable options. Hmm… What to do?

*Boom!*

What the heck?! What was that?

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: Foreseer  
** _Castle Ylisstol is under attack, and the assailants only want two things: the exalt's life and the Fire Emblem! Protect the exalt, and drive those intruders out of the castle, pronto! This will be more than a simple protection mission, though. The enemy is led by a sinister figure, and he's set his eyes on Robin. There's more to this assassination than meets the eye.  
_ **Objectives:** _Defeat all mysterious assailants. Don't let Emmeryn die.  
_ **Rewards:** _Increased standing with Ylisse, 6 000 EXP, 6 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Don't let "Marth" die.  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _?, Increased standing with Ylisse, 1 000 EXP, 1 000 gold  
_ **Failure:** _Emmeryn's death sets off a chain of events that leads the world to its doom. In other words; don't let it happen! Capiche?_

* * *

The moment I finish reading the quest alert, I activate Reinforcement and head outside as fast as I can. I see smoke rising from the west wing of the castle. Drat! I knew it was only a matter of time before Validar's attack, but I had hoped it would happen while I'm at the castle itself, not the barracks beside it! Throwing caution to the wind, I tense my Reinforced body and parkour my way to the nearest open window.

As I climb my way inside, I scan my surroundings with Mind's eye. Castle guards are running about wherever I see while trying to bring the maids and other staff to a safe place. You're kinda prioritizing wrong, guys! I notice a few other presences running around the halls, either dodging the guards or outright fighting them. It's a good thing the guards have such strict training regimens, 'cause those fights look brutal. Wait, there's one of those presences heading my way! I hide behind a corner where that person will run. Steady… Slow your breathing… Now!

* * *

 **Gaius Lvl 16**

* * *

"Whoa! Stay your blade, Buttercup!"

I manage to stop my Bronze Sword a hair's breadth away from slicing Gaius's neck open.

Boy, am I glad I ran into this guy. His skills will be indispensable for the Shepherds in the future. Still, I need to put up a convincing act first.

I narrow my eyes at the Thief. "You don't look like you belong here. And who're you calling "Buttercup"?"

Gaius takes a step backwards while holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "Easy there. I don't want to harm you, honest."

"Then why in the world are you running around in the castle corridors dressed like that?" I ask while indicating Gauis's clothing. "For that matter, why shouldn't I consider you an intruder that I'd be better off throwing out of the castle?"

"'Cause Blue hired me."

I raise my eyebrow. "Who?"

"Royal blood, blue hair, swings his sword with the strength of an ox."

"So…" I reply tentatively. "You've met Chrom, huh? So where does that put you?"

Gaius sighs. "Alright, I admit I really shouldn't be here, but hear me out. I originally came here with some other people because I thought I'd steal some gold or other valuable stuff before hightailing it outta here. Just as we're about to begin, the guy who hired me tells us that we're supposed to kill the exalt. I just met up with Blue, I learn he's the exalt's brother, and I agreed to join your side. See, murder's not my cup of chocolate, and Blue had these really tasty sweets on him. By the way, I'm not sharing."

"Uh huh…" I reply with a deadpan look. "And what can you do to prove I can trust you?"

Gaius shifts the lollipop in his mouth (I think it's a lollipop, at least). "Tough customer, ain't ya? Though I'd ask the same if I were you, to be fair."

The Thief quickly draws a knife from within his cloak before he throws it past my head – and hits someone behind me with a clean headshot.

I noticed that one approaching me while I talked to Gaius and planned to take care of them myself, but it looks like the ginger head beat me to it. I settle for turning around and finally getting a good look at my would-be assailant.

* * *

 **Yiga foot soldier Lvl 17  
** _A member of the Yiga clan, traitors to the royal family of Hyrule and loyal of an evil entity. They serve as assassins, hiding in more places than one could imagine and striking without mercy at anyone they consider a target or hindrance. The Yiga are capable of many dangerous techniques, such as teleporting above their unsuspecting victims for devastating sneak attacks. Letting your guard down against these assassins could very well be the last thing you do. Oh, and they LOVE bananas._

* * *

Wait a minute… How the heck did Validar manage to get in contact with a ninja clan from another world, let alone hire them for assassinating Emmeryn?!

More importantly, these guys mean trouble! If there's anyone who knows how to take a life, it's the Yiga. I gotta find the others fast and make sure we find a way to stop them before they reach Emmeryn's chamber!

"That good enough for ya, Buttercup?" Gaius asks me.

I nod slowly. "Yeah… Yeah, it is. My name is Jack, by the way."

The Thief shrugs in reply. "Yeah, whatever, Buttercup. Name's Gaius."

My eyebrow twitches at his casual dismissal before I shake my head. "Come on, we need to find the others. If there are more assassins like that one in the castle, the others are in trouble."

As we run through the corridors, Gaius glances at me. "Sounds like you know them."

I shake my head. "No, but I'm familiar with their ways. How did you end up with those guys if you don't like murder?"

Gaius shrugs. "A guy needs gold to get food. I sneak into places and help myself with what I can find for a living. Some shady guy said we'll raid the castle tonight and, well, castles are known to be loaded with valuable stuff, right?"

"In other words, you're a thief." I deadpan.

"I prefer the term "treasure hunter", thank you very much!" Gaius replies defensively. "Sure, I occasionally take stuff that's not mine to begin with, but I'd never rob someone who's already poor or anything."

"That doesn't change my opinion of you." I fire back.

Any further conversation stops as we run into another pair of Yiga foot soldiers.

 **BGM: Critical deep drive, Kingdom Hearts 2 music**

I glance at Gaius. "Team up?"

The Thief nods. "Team up."

We draw our swords and engage the Yigas.

Both red-clad ninjas jump back while flipping their sickles into reverse grips and get in low stances. Gaius responds by getting into a low stance himself while I settle in my own stance and have Reinforcement at the ready while Mind's eye is pretty much on auto-pilot. Rule number one when fighting assassins: the only time you can relax is when you're absolutely sure they're dead and haven't boobytrapped the place.

Gaius makes the first move and dashes in with his sword in a similar reverse grip. One of the Yiga meets him head-on. Their weapons clash numerous times, but neither can get the advantage. Good thing Gaius is handy with a sword despite preferring no fighting at all.

The second Yiga rushes in to attack Gaius's exposed flank. Before the ninja can reach the Thief, I'm there to intercept him. The foot soldier bends backwards as he dodges my swing and keeps flipping back as I give chase. Alright, time to see if the strategy I cooked up back in my room works. I stretch my free hand towards the flick-flacking ninja and use Telekinesis. The moment I feel a connection, I pull back my arm and yank the ninja towards me. I get a surprised yelp for my efforts. Just as I get ready to stab the surprised assassin, however, he turns his forward motion into a somersault and brings down his sickle against me.

*Clang!*

I'm forced to shift my stab into a block in response. Drat! Thought I had him there! He's better than expected. The Yiga only pushes for a small window of time before breaking off. We circle each other a little before I take the initiative and rush in. The ninja makes a quick maneuver to the left and jumps against the wall to attack my side. I back off and use the extra distance to get a better swing in. Just as we're about to clash, the Yiga jumps above my swing and attacks from above. I jump to the side and quickly get on the defense as my enemy attacks me ruthlessly. As wild as the slashes are, they have one thing in common; they're all lethal blows.

I notice that Gaius fortunately keeps up with his enemy, but we're pressed for time. We need to settle this quickly and reunite with the others, not stall for time against our current adversaries!

I jump back from the barrage of sickle slashes. Just as the Yiga lunges for my throat, I hold my left arm up. As the sickle comes back down, I release a pulse of Telekinesis. The brief pulse slows the swinging arm down enough for me to catch it with ease. I use the opening to stab at the ninja, only for him to dodge at the last second. Before I can pull the arm back, he grabs me by the arm, effectively putting me in the same position as him. We try to get out of each other's grip, yet neither of us let go. Okay, if trying to shake off the grip won't work, I'll have to improvise.

*Crack!*

Like headbutting, for example. The ninja gets dazed by my sudden move, giving me the perfect opportunity to kick him into the wall.

"Switch!" I shout to Gaius before I run in his direction.

The Thief responds quickly, abandoning his fight against the other Yiga ninja and running towards where I came from. His opponent gives chase, only to get intercepted by me. Our weapons clash a few times before the ninja jumps back. He circles me slowly. I walk in the same direction to stop him from reversing our positions. He eventually stops and tries dashing in instead. I crouch into a low stance myself and get ready for when he gets close. As we're only a few paces apart, I use Telekinesis to lift him up by his feet. The sudden force sends the ninja flying slightly. I grab him out of the air and wind up for a throw.

"Coming your way, Gaius!" I shout to the Thief and throw my opponent.

Gaius responds perfectly and grabs his opponent by the arm before he gets the ninja in position and kicks him into towards his flying buddy. The two Yiga crash into each other. Gaius and I rush in to finish them off. Unfortunately, the ninjas regain their bearings quickly and each make a handsign before they vanish in twin puffs of red smoke. They reappear side by side further down the corridor, crouching and a bit dazed, but still capable of fighting.

The Yigas stand tall and wave their arms in a circular motion. Red runes appear in the air where their arms pass, forming a pair of circles of ancient Shiekah writing. The circles last for less than a second before they vanish once more in twin puffs of smoke.

"Get back!" I shout as I jump back a bit right as the smoke clouds disperse. Gaius heeds my warning and jumps back with me just as the Yigas crash down on where we stood half a second ago. Sorry, chumps, but I've fought enough of your buddies through Link's perspective to know just about every trick your clan pulls off when trying to kill the hero.

Gaius and I rush the ninjas and slash, but they pull their sickles out of the ground and jump away in the nick of time. One of the Yiga dash towards us with his sickle at the ready. I meet him with a slash of my own.

*Clang!*

Our weapons lock together. I have the advantage in strength, but I'm aware that won't matter unless I get a good hit in. The Yiga slips out from the blade lock and closes in for my neck. I duck under the swing and deliver a sweep kick, only to miss as the ninja jumps over my leg. I smirk as I keep spinning and put my weight on my free hand and leg. My low position allows me to direct a snap kick at my airborne adversary, sending him into the wall.

Before the Yiga can get up, I dash in and ram my sword into his heart.

*Shink!*

The ninja shudders before it goes still. That's one down. Now to help Gai-

*Whoosh!*

I fall on my butt as I dodge a blade made of air by a hair's breadth. I look at where the attack came from and pale at seeing my attacker; a Yiga Blademaster. Ah cr-p!

"You just killed one of my clan brothers. I'll take yours in return." The big ninja says in a cold voice. Double cr-p! Yiga prioritize their clan _very high_.

The Blademaster rolls his neck once before settling in a stance. I get up as fast as I can and rip my Bronze Sword out of the fallen foot soldier. The dead ninja slumps forward before he falls in an unceremonious heap on the floor. Uh… Maybe doing that in front of his beefy buddy was a bad idea.

My thought gets confirmed as the Blademaster fires blade after blade made of air at me. I dodge the best I can, but those things fly _fast_! I'm forced to back away while keeping an eye on both the Blademaster and those air blades. Just as I think I'm at a safe distance to think of a counter strategy, the big guy vanishes in a puff of red smoke. I go with my instincts and duck-

*Shing!*

-right as the Blademaster appears behind me and slashes where my neck was a moment ago. A massive slash mark appears across the nearby wall along with some destroyed property, telling me how sharp that slash was. That painting looked expensive! I turn around and go for a stab, only to get blocked by my enemy. We push against each other, neither gaining any ground. Alright, Telekinesis it is.

I slowly manage to overpower the Yiga. He obviously doesn't approve and shifts his position in a way that makes our swords slide out of the blade lock. Before I can retaliate, the Yiga teleports again and appears a fair bit of distance from me. He slaps his hand on the ground, producing a wave of hissing, displaced earth that races towards me. That looks bad!

*Boom!*

Son of a- This guy knows earth-style ninjutsu?! And of the explosive variant to boot! I got away in time, but I realize I'm in a pickle here. That Yiga has better long-range options than I have and enough speed to keep me from Tracing any weapons. And he's using those advantages to pin me down.

The Yiga fires a few more air blades at me. I manage to dodge, but my dodging gives him the opening to teleport into close-range with his palm glowing red.

*Boom!*

A quick redirection of the palm with Telekinesis saved me from getting blasted by the explosive technique. I roll backwards through the dust and debris from the destroyed wall and find myself in the castle kitchen. Fighting that Blademaster head-on might be beyond my ability, so I run and hide behind some benches while the dust is still up.

The Yiga swipes the dust cloud away before walking into the kitchen. He slowly looks around, trying to find me.

Okay, calm down. He doesn't know where I am, so I can still get the jump on him. I could probably nail him with a good hit, but I need a distraction first.

A little probing with Mind's eye helps me find something that could work. Thank Naga I ended up in the kitchen, of all places. Here's to hoping the Yiga have the same fatal weakness that they have in BoTW.

The big Yiga ninja stalks the kitchen hall slowly while looking left and right. He stops when he notices something on the ground; a cluster of fresh bananas.

"Oh, bananas!" he exclaims happily.

Just as he picks up the tasty fruit, I rush in with mana swirling in my palm.

"Rasengan!"

*Sshr-BOOM!*

The Yiga ninja flies straight into the wall from the impact of my technique. He still has HP left, so I draw my sword and plunge it through his heart.

"Word of advice: you're only allowed to eat dessert _after_ the main course."

As the big ninja goes still, I take note of the sword that slipped out of his lifeless fingers. I gently pick it up and give it a good look.

* * *

 **You got a Windcleaver!**

 **Windcleaver, Sword, Base damage: 70, Rare  
** _A sword wielded by elite members of the Yiga clan. The blade is not only razor sharp, but also enchanted with wind magic. This gives the blade its glowing wavy pattern along the side. Channeling mana through this weapon allows the wielder to launch blades of highly compressed air as they swing. The greater the skill of the wielder, the sharper the blade.  
Available skill when wielded: Windblade_

* * *

Yeah, this weapon is definitely what I need. After I wipe my Bronze Sword clean of blood on the Yiga's clothes and put the weapon away in my bag, I untie the Windcleaver's sheath from his hip. I then pick up the single-edged sword and replace it in its sheath before I sling the whole thing across my back. I try drawing the blade a few times and nod in satisfaction at my draw speed. You, my new weapon, are going to fit right in.

I run through the castle halls after making sure the coast is clear. Fighting that Yiga Blademaster separated me from Gaius. I hope he and the other Shepherds are okay.

I notice something at the edge of Mind's eye's range; "Marth" is fighting against another one of those Blademasters. I also notice that her mask is missing, meaning it must've been sliced in half.

 **AN: Did any of you guys notice that it's only NOW that I address "Marth" by her gender? Yep, that was deliberate – and insanely hard to write while making the text flow well. Totally worth it, though!**

She's holding up well against her opponent, but they're in a stalemate. Better help her. I run into the corridor where they're fighting to see the two sword wielders break apart from a blade lock and getting ready to clash again. I reach into my bag to retrieve a little something that I brought from the kitchen for situations like these.

"Hey, big guy! Catch!" I shout as I throw the object.

The Yiga ninja looks in my direction – and notices a cluster of bananas flying through the air.

"Oh, bana- Guk!"

The big assassin is permanently silenced as "Marth" capitalizes on the opening and stabs him in the chest. The Yiga Blademaster goes still for a moment before he slumps down on the floor.

A quick application of Telekinesis allows me to catch the bananas before they hit the floor. These fruits aren't just tasty, they're prime Yiga bait too.

"Marth" sighs as she wipes the blood from Parallel Falchion. "You have my gratitude."

"You're welcome." I reply. "I figured you're on our side when I noticed you fighting the big guy, so I did what allies always do; help each other."

"Marth" smiles at my reply. "I'm happy to hear that." Then her face gets serious. "Listen, this assassin did not come here alone. There is a large group of them in the castle, and they are all after the exalt's life. We must stop them at all costs."

"Yeah, I noticed." I indicate the Windcleaver at my back. "I've already fought some of those guys, one of which was like the big guy on the floor. I decided to take his sword after the battle."

"You defeated one of those big ones on your own?"

I show "Marth" the banana cluster. "Believe it or not, these assassins are completely obsessed with bananas. Throw one into their line of sight, and they forget everything else happening around them. Kinda like how you killed this one here." I rip one from the cluster and hand it to her. "Keep one, just in case more of them show up here."

"But, what about you?" the blue-haired sword wielder asks as she accepts the banana.

"I need to look for my friends. I'm worried about them."

"Marth" nods and points towards a corridor. "I believe some of them are over there."

"Thanks!" I shout over my shoulder as I dash in that direction. Eh, she'll be fine.

I'm forced to stop in my tracks as I notice the telltale spell circles of when Yigas are about to appear from their teleportation techniques. Cr-p! There's two of them armed with bows! Gotta move fast!

"One for the bards!" *Thunk, thunk!*

Before either ninja can even nock an arrow on their bows, they both fall face first on the floor with an arrow each sticking out of the back of their heads. As I look down the corridor, I notice Virion smiling while lowering a- …When did he get his hands on a Duplex Bow?

"Virion? Boy, am I glad to see you alive and well."

The Archer nods back. "I could say the same to you, Jack. Since we could not find you when the other Shepherds reported in, dear Robin almost feared the worst and had us search the castle halls for you while fighting off the intruders."

I wince at hearing the news. Hope the Tactician's not _too_ upset about me running into the castle on my own. "Uh… Good to hear, I guess. By the way, where'd you get that bow? I don't remember you using one like that."

Virion lifts up the bow with a serene smile.

"Ah, yes. During my search through the castle halls, I ran into one of those intruders garbed in red. He wielded this very bow. Imagine my surprise when two arrows were fired from it even though I clearly saw that he only nocked one. I was naturally intrigued. So, after felling my foe with a masterful shot, I decided to inspect his bow. While a tad vicious in design for my tastes, the craftsmanship is exquisite. And what's more, every time I let loose an arrow from it, it mysteriously turns into two."

I nod. "Huh. Sounds useful."

"Indeed it does. With some practice, this bow may turn into a marvelous boon for the archest of archers. And my arrows should last twice as long while I use it."

I'll say. The Duplex Bow can do some serious damage when used correctly in BotW. Considering Virion's skill level, he's not far off.

"I'm going to find Robin, then, at least to put her mind at ease." I tell the Archer. "Can you handle things here?"

Virion nods. "Holding this corridor should be an easy task…"

A Yiga pops up behind Virion and tries to sneak attack the Archer. Just as the ninja is about to strike, however, he seemingly flies into the wall with enough force to dent the stone.

"… After all, sir Kellam is here to assist me, along with the lovely Miriel. Though it is mostly her who keeps track of our stalwart knight."

I look at where the Yiga lies motionless on the ground. I managed to out-ninja a ninja by playing on his weakness, but Kellam does it without even trying. For crying out loud, the guy should stick out like a tree on an open savanna! How can I _not_ see him?! How can _almost no one_ see him?!

Bah, I'll leave that for another time! I've got a Tactician to report to.

"All right. Just, be careful." With that, I continue my trip down the castle corridors, throwing a quick greeting to Miriel and Kellam while I'm at it.

I eventually find Robin and Chrom fighting off a small group of Yiga ninja. While they're fully capable of handling that on their own with their teamwork, they also have assistance from…a giant rabbit? Huh. Looks like Panne joined the fray.

"Robin!" I shout while I launch a wind blade from my new sword and slice up a Yiga foot soldier.

Robin turns in the direction of my attack and spots me.

"Jack!" she exclaims relieved. "Thank goodness you're alive. I was worried when you didn't show up among the others."

"I'll explain what happened later." I tell the Tactician as I stand back-to-back with her. "Let's handle these assassins first."

"My sentiments exactly." Robin replies. Hey, is that a new tome? Elthunder, by the looks of it.

* * *

 **Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy detected!**

* * *

Validar's here already? He must've noticed how long the Yiga are taking in their attempts to kill Emmeryn.

 **BGM ends**

Some of the ninja in the corridor step aside. I find myself shivering as the air seems to turn sinister with dark magic. That's when he rounds the corner.

* * *

 **Validar Lvl 30 Class: Sorcerer  
** _A sinister man with a dark complexion and even darker ambitions. Calculating and ruthless, Validar will use anything and everything for the sake of fulfilling his goals. This single-minded devotion lends him greater resilience than his thin physique would suggest, making him more dangerous to face the further he is cornered. Candidate for worst father in Fire Emblem history._

 **Titles:  
Grimleal high priest (+ 10 % MP)  
Fell blood descendant (+ 10 % damage for dark element magic, - 10 % damage for light element magic)**

 **HP: 4 000 / 4 000  
MP: 3 245 / 3 245 (2 950*1.1)**

 **STR: 16  
VIT: 20  
DEX: 15  
INT: 58  
WIS: 34  
LUCK: 10**  
 ** **CHAR: 25****

 **Items:**

 **Elfire (equipped)**

* * *

The Sorcerer directs his gaze towards Robin. A malicious grin spreads across his lips.

"Well, well… Ha ha ha! Oh, I know you… Submit to me, and perhaps I might honor you with the truth!"

I move in front of Robin and point my Windcleaver at Validar.

"I don't know what you're playing at, you old creep, and frankly, I don't care. Get out of this castle and take your red buddies with you. Or else!"

The Sorcerer's grin is quickly replaced with a scowl.

"Step aside, boy, or you will pay for interfering with my designs!"

 **BGM: Dark impetus, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by sleep music**

I narrow my eyes and get in a battle stance. "Make me."

"Fine, then!" Validar replies and literally opens fire. We're forced to scatter to dodge the blazing spell. As I regain my bearings, I notice Validar right in front of me with another Elfire spell at the ready. Cr-p! How did he move so fast?!

*Fwoom!*

"Yikes! Hot, hot, hot!"

I barely managed to roll out of the way. Man, that was _way_ too close for comfort!

Validar laughs cruelly as he keeps launching spells. Rgh! I can't keep dodging forever! That's when I notice a Yiga foot soldier trying to sneak up on me. You're just what I need!

Just as the ninja closes in, I use Telekinesis to pull him off-balance. I grab his arm at that moment and put him between me and Validar. The Yiga actually screams in pain as he's burnt to a crisp.

The opening allows me to rush in. Taste enchanted steel!

*Clang!*

Drat! Another Yiga intercepted my blow. Validar launches another spell at the both of us while keeping up his sinister laughter. It's only thanks to Reinforcement that I have enough physical strength to break off in time to dodge the spell. The Yiga, however, takes the full brunt.

My word… He sacrificed his own underling just to get a hit in? Observe wasn't kidding when it said Validar will use anything to achieve his goals.

Can't stay on that! Okay, so he'll use the Yiga as sacrificial pawns if it means he can line up a shot. That means I have to separate him from the ninjas so he won't have any meat shields. Well, Chrom and the others should handle the Yigas just fine. Time for some Joestar-style tactics; run away!

"Catch me if you can!"

"There is no escape!" Validar shouts as he chases me through the castle corridors, all while launching more Elfire spells.

After rounding a few corners, I stop and turn around to face the Sorcerer.

"So, are you ready to accept your fate?" the Sorcerer asks grinning.

I grin back. "In your dreams, Pops. I had to get you away from your underlings first. Now you don't have anyone shielding you." I raise my sword at him. "It's you and me."

Validar's grin turns even darker. "Very well. I will enjoy turning you to ashes, boy."

Validar takes the initiative and casts fire spells in a wider spread this time. I respond by jumping away and running close to the walls. Any time a spell closes in, I jump up and off the wall for some quick side-to-side maneuvering. I manage to find a gap between the fireballs and rush in with my sword.

*Whoosh!*

What the- Where'd he go?!

Behind me?!

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" *Fwoom!*

You've got to be kidding me! He can teleport?! No wonder he moved so fast!

So he can both cast dangerous magic _and_ teleport… I need to distract him somehow.

Validar suddenly teleports in close to me. Wait, his right hand is humming and glowing purple!

Roll!

I look up from my roll and notice he accidently hit some flowers instead of me. The frightening part is that all flowers in the vase wilted on the spot. If that's what Nosferatu does to its victims, I never want to be on the receiving end of it.

"You move well, boy, I'll give you that much. But, is running away all you can do?" the Sorcerer taunts me.

I scowl as I get back in a stance. Looks like I can't rely on my eyes against an enemy like this. So I close them and let Mind's eye take over.

Validar tries his teleporting trick again and appears behind me again. I'm prepared, however, and slash quickly as I pivot. Mind's eye is so detailed, I can see the look of surprise as he backs off and touches his chest where I slashed him. It's only a flesh wound, but I've finally managed to score a hit!

And my moment of triumph ends instantly as Validar scowls and concentrates a dangerous amount of mana in his right hand. That can't be good!

Dark magic concentrated in orbs the size of basketballs fly at me at a rapid pace. I'm more than capable of dodging the spheres, but I have trouble closing in. I respond with a few windblades, but Validar reacts fast enough to teleport out of the way before they can connect.

Wait… That might work.

Right as I spot a gap between the orbs, I get into the gap and fire two windblades in quick succession. Validar teleports again, but I'm ready for the teleport. I notice a slight spark that tells me where he's about to appear and dash forward with my Windcleaver at the ready. Right as the Sorcerer reappears, I'm already in range and swinging my sword.

*Shing!*

The slash mark I placed on him earlier gets a companion as another bloodied line appears across his torso. This time, the wound is deeper.

"Enough!" the Sorcerer snarls and puts his teleporting into overdrive. He's popping up all over the place, hardly giving me any time to react. Cr-p! Gotta focus…

Left!

*Fwoom!*

Managed to dodge that Elfire spell.

*Fwoom!*

The next one flew just a hair's breadth from me. Right as I duck to the side, however, Validar teleports in right in front of me with his right palm glowing red.

Well, s-it.

*Boom!*

Ow, ow, ow! What's with me getting blasted through walls tonight? Repairing castle walls is costly, for crying out loud!

I tumble end over end from the blast against the wall, only to stop as I hit the opposite wall and end up seated against it.

Validar walks through the dust cloud at a casual pace with an orb of fire magic floating above his hand.

"As much as I enjoy this game of cat and mouse, I tire of you." the Sorcerer says disinterested. "I have important business to attend to in this place tonight, and you are interfering. But I am willing to overlook this slight and spare your life, should you obey me."

I look up from my position against the wall. "Really? You'd spare me?"

"Yes." Validar replies grinning. "You need only lead me to the exalt, and I will pretend you never crossed me at all."

 **BGM interrupted**

My face grows more angular as the colors of the world seemingly shift.

"I refuse." I answer.

Validar looks at me in shock. "What?"

"One of the things I like to do is to say "No" to an enemy who thinks he has the advantage."

Validar's face turns calm – deathly calm. "Very well. Then die."

Worth it.

The blazing spell hits its mark, only for it to vanish with a pop and a puff of smoke.

 **BGM continues**

"What in-" *Shing!* "Guah!"

Ha! I finally managed to score a clean blow across his back. Judging from his scream, he definitely felt that one.

Oh, did I mention I made a Shadow clone right as I rolled to a stop against the wall and had it take my place while I hid right beside the new hole in the wall before Validar walked through the dust cloud? 'Cause that's totally what I did!

As Validar stumbles from the back slash, he's completely open as a Thunder spell slams into his side.

"Jack!" I hear Robin shout as I see her approach us down the corridor.

"Perfect timing, Robin!" I grin in her direction. "Let's take this guy down. If he falls, the assassins should retreat soon afterwards."

"Then let's do it." the Tactician replies as she reaches me.

Validar shakes off the residual charges from Robin's Thunder spell and regards the both of us. The hall falls eerily silent as we each wait for some unspoken signal to begin.

A twitch from Robin's right hand shatters the momentary lull. The Tactician begins with a Thunder spell cast straight ahead. I dash right behind the sparking orb, Windcleaver at the ready.

Validar bats the Thunder spell aside. As he sees me right behind it, he vanishes. Where'd he- Robin!

"Watch out! He can move around in an instant!" I shout at her.

The Sorcerer reappears behind Robin with his palm glowing red.

"Get down!" I shout and send a windblade her way. Robin heeds my warning, making Validar stand in the line of fire instead. The Sorcerer teleports again. Where this time?

…

Above me!

*Fwoom!*

I jump back just in time as an Elfire spell crashes down where I stood a moment ago. Validar vanishes from my line of sight before I can home in on him.

The Sorcerer reappears further down the corridor. This time, the fire spell in his hand is much bigger than any spell he's cast during the battle. He's done playing around.

I respond by channeling lots of mana though my Windcleaver. As the Sorcerer launches his spell, I bring down my sword _hard_ and launch a massive windblade. The blade of compressed air struggles a bit before it finally slices the fire spell in two and still goes strong towards Validar. He teleports again. I can finally tell where he's going and turn back to Robin.

"To your left!"

Robin's been preparing on her own. While Validar and I sent our long-range attacks against each other, the Tactician charged mana into her hand in preparation for a powerful lightning spell. Just as Validar reappears where I knew he would, Robin lets the spell fly.

"Elthunder!"

Caught off-guard at the accurate attack, Validar is forced to block it with his right hand. The difference in magical prowess becomes evident as the Sorcerer manages to get a good grasp on the spell and slowly gains ground against Robin.

That's when I rush in with the Windcleaver in my right hand and bring it down with a shout.

Validar responds by finally dropping his tome and coating his left hand in dark magic. The enchanted limb catches my blade with no signs of bleeding. Huh. Neat application of magic. The Sorcerer now visibly strains as he tries to hold back attacks coming from two directions at once. That's when my left hand comes into his view, along with the spiraling sphere of mana held within.

It was at that moment that Validar knew; he f-cked up.

"Rasengan!"

*Shrr-BOOM!*

 **BGM ends**

The force of my technique sends the Sorcerer flying into the other end of the corridor at break-neck speed. The impact is powerful enough to leave spiderweb cracks.

"No…" Validar groans as he falls out of the wall. "This is…all wrong… How could…you have known the plan…"

Just as he collapses, two Yiga foot soldiers teleport to his sides and pick him up before they vanish without a trace.

* * *

 **You defeated Validar! You gain 2 000 EXP! You gain 2 000 gold!**

 **Due to continuous strenuous activity, STR increases by 1!  
Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT increases by 3!  
Due to plenty of quick maneuvering, DEX increases by 4!  
Due to carefully studying your enemy's movements and finding a weakness, INT goes up by 2!**

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: Foreseer  
** _It was a difficult battle, but you managed to protect the exalt from the assassins and drive the intruders from the castle. But with your knowledge, you're well aware this isn't the last you've seen of Validar. What's even more concerning is the fact that he had Yigas by his side. How in the world this those Hyruelan ninjas make it here?  
On a side note, turns out "Marth" was a woman all along – but you already knew that!  
_ **Objectives:** _Defeat all mysterious assailants. Don't let Emmeryn die.  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
Rewards:** _Your standing with Ylisse has improved! You gain 6 000 EXP! You gain 6 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Don't let "Marth" die.  
_ **Bonus objective cleared!  
Bonus rewards:** _? Your standing with Ylisse has improved! You gain 1 000 EXP! You gain 1 000 gold!_

 **You have leveled up!  
**

* * *

I slump back against the nearest wall.

"I think it's over." I huff.

Robin listens closely for any sounds of battle. Hearing none, she decides to follow my lead and slumps down right beside me.

"Yeah…"

I look at the Tactician with a smile.

"You really came through for me there. Had you not shown up, I don't think I would've defeated him."

Robin smiles back.

"Well, it's just like you said back when we were just recruited in the Shepherds."

I raise an eyebrow.

"We're a team. We stand together in battle and help each other." Robin elaborates.

I allow a small chuckle to escape my lips. "Wow. Never expected my own lesson to be thrown back at me. Well played, Robin. Well played."

Huh… I haven't thought about _those_ particular words for a long time, even if I try to put them into practice. Did those words mean that much to her?

"By the way, what was that earlier? The thing you used to defeat the leader of the assassins?" the Tactician asks curiously.

I look at the ceiling in contemplation. "Remember when I explained how my mana is at its easiest to channel when I imagine a shape?"

At Robin nodding, I continue. "Well, there was a point where I got curious about which shape that I can make with my mana is the most complex, so I tried to experiment a little. Turns out, the most complex shape I could come make is actually the simplest."

Robin raises an eyebrow at my answer. "That doesn't sound like it makes a lot of sense."

I shake my head with a fond smile. "That's what I thought too, until I managed to figure out why." I spin up a Rasengan in my right hand. "Take a look at this. What can you tell me about my mana, Robin?"

Robin looks at the sphere for a moment. "It looks like a completely still sphere on the outside, but there's mana inside that's constantly spinning."

I nod smiling. "Correct. Therein lies the complexity. Try counting the number of ways my mana is spinning."

Robin frowns as she starts counting. "Four. No, wait. Eight. No, twenty. Ugh, I can't count them all."

"That's the point." I reply. "This sphere is actually made of hundreds of tiny strands of mana, each one of them rotating around a focal point and independently of each other. It's almost like how a ball of yarn is actually a very long string. Each strand of mana holds a tiny amount of force. If all of them unleash that force at once… Well, you've already seen what this technique can do. What's more, the spinning motion allows for this sphere to tear through even solid rock without problem." The sphere dissipates in my hand. "I call it: the Rasengan."

Robin looks at me in shock. "Really?! No wonder it packs so much power." Her face then scrunches up in thought. "Jack, why didn't you use this technique earlier? It could have helped immensely in the battles we have fought in."

"Honestly, I didn't feel that it was ready to be used in a fight. Heck, this was originally an experiment I did partially for fun. It was only after I discovered how powerful the Rasengan is that I started practicing with it, and that was somewhere after we arrived in Ylisstol for the first time. Between Frederick's inhumane training exercises and helping out the Shepherds, I've had a lot on my plate. Practicing this technique simply had to wait."

Robin nods as she processes my words. Then she looks at me…hopefully?

"Say… Could you…teach me how to perform that technique? The Rasen-whatever-you-called-it?"

I mull the question over in my head. It might be a good idea. Robin has already shown aptitude in shaping mana outside of her body by performing the Mana soles skill. Sure, Rasengan is many times more complicated than that, but she's demonstrated good control of her mana. Heck, if Naruto could do it, what's to say she can't? No offense to Naruto (he's awesome, hands down), but Robin has him beat in terms of intelligence. She'll probably figure a lot of the details out. And if she gets stuck, I'll be there for her.

I nod. "It's worth a try. I know how the Rasengan works both in theory and practice. Now I only need to figure out the best way of teaching you."

Robin smiles. "Thank you, Jack. I won't let you down."

I smile back. "I already look forward to teaching you. This might be fun."

 **Your relationship with Robin has improved!**

I get back up from my seated position.

"Well, as great as relaxing right after a hectic battle is, I think we should report back to Chrom." I stretch out my hand to the Tactician. "What do you say?"

Robin accepts my hand with a smile.

* * *

As we return, we see Chrom embracing Emmeryn with a relieved smile.

"Thank the gods you're safe!"

"It is you I have to thank, Chrom." the exalt replies.

Phila bows with a look of shame on her face. "I beg your forgiveness, milord! I failed in my duty – they should have never made it into the castle in the first place."

"Peace, Phila." Chrom reassures the Falcon Knight. "You couldn't have known what was coming. Only Marth could-"

Emmeryn tilts her head to the side curiously. "…Marth?"

"Yes, I would speak more with… Um…"

Chrom looks around for the sword wielder, only to come up short.

"Robin? Where's Marth?"

The Tactician follows the prince's lead, only to receive the same result. "Hmm… An excellent question. She was here a moment ago."

Chrom scowls. "… Not again!" He dashes off in search of "Marth". Well, hope they'll have a fruitful conversation.

In the meantime, Emmeryn approaches Panne.

"Brave taguel, there are not words to express my gratitude."

"So you know our true name?" Panne responds. Judging by the tense muscles, she's ready to fight at a moment's notice. Yeah, good luck earning her trust if you're a human…

"Sorry, what's a taguel?" Robin asks.

"I am a taguel." Panne replies. "The… The last taguel. We are shape-shifters." She narrows her eyes. "Most of your kind called us "beast" or "coney" in the midst of their hunt. I only helped you because my warren owes Ylisse a debt. Do not think us friends, you and I!"

"I don't understand…"

"Yes, it's precious little your kind seem to understand." Panne grits her teeth. "It was man-spawn like you that invaded our warren and slaughtered my people."

Emmeryn recoils in shock. "What?! Is this true? Who would do such a thing?"

"Ha! Do not act so shocked. You are all the same." Panne snarls. "Right down to your base desire to ruin and destroy all you touch – even each other."

"…There is truth to your words, perhaps." Emmeryn muses. "I'm told that, in taguel society, everyone is treated as an equal. Mankind could have learned much from your warren. The words may come too late and mean too little, but I am deeply sorry." Her features turn sad. "We have stolen your friends and family and made the world a lesser place."

"Your Grace! You had no fault in this!" Phila interjects.

"You claim to be blameless, and yet you would apologize?" the taguel snarls. I notice her hackles rising. Better get ready for action, just in case. "Pah! Your words are but wind."

"I know…" Emmeryn admits. "But they are all I have."

Panne's features remain aggressive for a short moment longer before she calms down. "…You seem sincere, man-spawn. You feel my pain as your own. …I've never felt that before." The taguel opens her arms as if to show herself to the world. "Look at me. …See what I am. I will never trust mankind." Then her features soften into a smile. "But you… Prehaps you truly are not like the others."

Phew. Looks like I can relax.

Emmeryn answers in kind with a smile of her own. "All I ask is a chance to earn your trust."

* * *

Chrom returns shortly after Panne retired for the night. Surprisingly, or maybe not _that_ surprisingly, the taguel decides to sleep outside, away from the rest of us. Not that I blame her. Sleeping among the kind who slaughtered her whole family is an idea that would've appalled me too. Hopefully the Shepherds can help her find a new home, maybe even among us.

Right as I return to the barracks and head for my room myself, Chrom enters and has all the Shepherds gathered.

"Shepherds, we have urgent orders. We're to escort Emmeryn to the eastern palace before returning to Ferox and have Kahn Flavia rally her troops. We set out in the morning."

I raise an eyebrow at the sudden message. "Is this about the sudden attack tonight?"

The prince nods. "I can't have Emm stay here and in harm's way while we head for Ferox. At the very least, she'll be safe there."

We all agree upon hearing the orders and start preparing for marching. No one seems to mind that we'll get less sleep tonight.

I'm about to ascend the stairs to the floor where my room is when I'm approached by Frederick.

"Jack, I wish to discuss something with you." the Great Knight tells me.

I nod in response. "Sounds important. So, what is it?"

"I heard from Robin that you used some strange ability when fighting the leader of the assassins tonight."

I spin up a Rasengan in my hand. "Oh, you mean this?"

Frederick looks at the spinning mana sphere before nodding. "That matches her description. Anyway, what I wish to discuss was the agreement we had before setting out for Regna Ferox."

Oh, yeah. I agreed to let Frederick watch me to decide whether I'm trustworthy in his eyes.

"You have displayed several strange abilities since we talked then, and none of them are skills that I have heard of before. Nonetheless, all you have done in this span of time has aided the royal family and Ylisse as a whole."

I raise an eyebrow. "Sooo…what's your point?"

The Great Knight smiles. "Strange as your abilities may seem, you have proven yourself a trustworthy ally in my eyes. I hereby consider you a Shepherd, through and through."

I smile back at hearing his decision. "Thanks, Frederick. Hearing that from you means a lot." I stretch out my hand for a shake. "Here's to hoping that we'll work well together in the future."

Fredrick accepts the handshake. "The feeling is mutual."

 **Your relationship with Fredrick has advanced! Your relationship with Frederick is now "Trusted"!**

As I return to my room, I make a clone for a special task this night, alongside the bed clone. Better get some extra Rasengan training done tonight, as well as some practice to get used to my new Windcleaver.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

Everyone was up and ready to go at sunrise, though Lissa looked rather sleepy when she and her siblings joined us outside the castle. It was only during the gathering that the other Shepherds took note of my new sword. Lon'qu in particular looked interested when he heard the news. Guess he's getting competitive again.

Something else happened during the night. I received the memories from the special clone I made after we finished fighting Validar and the Yiga ninjas.

* * *

 _ **Clone's memories**_

 _Lucina walked the streets of the capital towards parts unknown. As she neared the edge of the capital, she turned around and threw one last glance towards the castle._

" _Pst! Hey, you." A voice spoke up from the bushes. Lucina looked towards the foliage to notice a squirrel walk out from them. The disguised sword wielder blinked at the little critter._

" _Did that squirrel just talk, or am I just hearing things?" she mused out loud._

" _Nope, you heard right." the small critter answered, much to Lucina's shock._

" _Wha- How in the world is this possible?"_

" _If you want to know, follow me." The squirrel looked around a bit before returning his attention to his conversation partner. "Can't exactly talk with you here. It'd be troublesome if we drew a crowd, and believe me, a talking squirrel_ _will_ _draw a crowd."_

 _Lucina contemplated it for a moment before she nodded. "All right. Lead the way."_

 _The squirrel led her into a forest a few minutes from the capital. It stopped when it reached a clearing before looking around._

 _The critter nodded in satisfaction. "This should be good enough."_

 _It then turned towards Lucina. "Well, I have quite a few things to tell you, so you might want to settle down somewhere comfortable."_

 _Lucina shook her head. "I'm fine. Just tell me what it is you want."_

 _The squirrel scratched its head. "Well, first off, I'm not a real squirrel."_

 _Lucina looked at the animal in shock. "You're not?"_

 _The animal deadpanned. "Squirrels don't speak Human. That's common sense, Lucina."_

 _Lucina narrowed her eyes while slowly reaching for Parallel Falchion. "What are you, then? And how did you learn who I am?"_

" _That's the second thing." the squirrel answered before vanishing in a puff of smoke. It soon revealed the form of Jack. "I'm actually a copy of the Boss that he made by shaping his mana into the shape of a body. Oh, and I can transform, too. As for how I learned your real name, well, Boss has his ways."_

 _Lucina relaxed before smiling at my clone. "I should have known it was you. You always had a way to accomplish the strangest feats, Master Jack."_

 _That threw my clone for a loop. "Hold on! "Master"?"_

 _Lucina looked a bit pensive before answering. "Yes. Since you already know my true name, I assume you also know that I am actually from the future."_

 _My clone nodded. "Yep. That's what allowed us to know about those assassins before it was too late for the exalt. Thanks for the heads up, by the way."_

 _Lucina nodded in agreement. "You're welcome. However, what I did not mention was that I learned to fight from two persons. The first was my father. The second was you."_

" _Me? Or rather, Boss? What did he teach you?"_

" _He taught me ways to move while fighting that I never knew was possible. I assume you know what I'm talking about, since you already saw me fight during the tournament in Regna Ferox."_

" _Wait,_ _Boss_ _taught you that? He didn't even know those moves were possible before then."_

" _He will in the future, though he only demonstrated the basics. I managed to figure out the rest after more training on my own."_

 _My clone nodded as he processed the information. "Huh. Boss'll have a real headscratcher when he finds out about this. Well, on to the next point. On the night when we first met you, you warned us about a horrible calamity. Care to elaborate on that one?_

 _Lucina nods. "I'm not entirely sure about the details myself, but I know that the exalt was originally killed tonight by those very assassins. Her death would set off a chain of events that will eventually unleash a great evil and bring ruin to the whole world. The reason why I came here in the first place was to prevent that from happening._

 _My clone scratched his head. "That sounds good and all, but why would you leave right after the fight? I think you could help out a lot more if you stayed with us."_

" _Perhaps, but I am only here to prevent anything directly related to the advent of the calamity. I cannot afford the risk of altering the course of history too much."_

 _My clone looked at the princess with a deadpan expression. "Yeah, no. I don't buy it. You'd still be better off by staying with us."_

" _What? Why?"_

" _Think about it. There are more people who want Emmeryn dead than just those assassins. Heck, as far as I know, they acted independently of Gangrel, and he's dead set on killing Emmeryn too."_

 _Lucina bit her bottom lip. "What would you have me do, then?"_

 _My clone shrugged. "Well, if you don't want to help us directly, we should at least keep in touch."_

" _How?"_

 _My clone faced a tree and whistled. Shortly afterwards, a squirrel – a real one – appeared. My clone pulled a satchel from his bag and opened it to pick up a nut from within. Then he gave the nut to the squirrel._

" _Alright, Itachi. Make sure to remember the woman here. We'll exchange messages between each other in the future, so make sure your clan keeps an eye on both of us."_

 _My clone then gave the satchel to Lucina. The princess raised an eyebrow while accepting it._

" _Master, you talk to squirrels?"_

" _Yeah, I had a hard time wrapping my head around that too at first, but they're surprisingly helpful. If you want to tell me something, just write a message on something small and whistle to call a squirrel to you. And make sure you have some nuts prepared. That's the payment they want before offering help. In fact, you should give one to Itachi here right now."_

 _The princess looked at the squirrel in disbelief before she nodded and offered him a nut. Itachi sniffed her hand a little before he accepted the nut._

" _Well, that will be all. See you around, Itachi."_

 _The squirrel nodded before he vanished among the treetops._

" _Well, like I said, Lucina, there will most likely be more attempts on Emmeryn's life in the future. Send me a message if you catch wind of something interesting."_

 _Lucina nodded with a smile. "I will. Thank you, Master."_

 _My clone gave a mock salute. "Well, I'm off. Good luck on your mission."_

 _*Poof!*_

* * *

Sooo… Future-me apparently trained Lucina in the art of movement tech? That's…not something that I saw coming. More importantly, was she the _only_ student I took under my wing? If the answer is "no", I think I'll have a _lot_ of explaining to do in the future in case their parents get upset. Future-me, you may sound awesome, but curse you for putting this burden on me! Not cool!

* * *

Our march led us to a mountain range known as Breakneck pass. We started climbing somewhere close to noon. That was roughly an hour ago.

 **Due to marching for a long period of time, VIT increases by 1!**

"Ugh, my poor feet. I've got blisters the size of eggs!" Lissa complains.

"Oh, it's not so bad, Lissa." Chrom replies from the front of our group. "Just a healthy little stroll! How are you holding up, Robin?"

The Tactician huffs and wipes the sweat from her brow. "My legs feel like pudding… Your endurance astounds me, Chrom."

Chrom smiles at seeing her struggle. "Hah! Should I carry you?"

Faster than the eye can blink, Lissa's at his side. "You can carry me!" Goodness, what's with this girl and her inconsistent physical prowess? "…No, seriously. I would really be okay with you carrying me."

"Hmm…"

Ah, yes. Then there's this old guy; the hierarch.

…This guy… THIS! GUY!

He's the only ylissean on my top ten list of people I want to punch in the face, and that's the child friendly variant! By Naga, I want this guy exposed for the treasonous jerk he is! Preferably before the plegians arrive.

"Is something troubling you, Hierarch?" Frederick asks politely. "You keep glancing up at the peaks."

The old man glances briefly at the Great Knight before resuming his peak watching. "Hmm? Oh, I'm just a b-bit nervous, I'm afraid. Gh-ghastly times, these!"

"Chrom, who is that?" Robin asks curiously.

"The hierarch? He's been a friend of House Ylisse for many years." the prince explains. "He guided Emmeryn during the early years of her rule. Why do you ask?"

Well, if the guy plans to abandon said friendship, I may as well make some fun out of it while I have the chance. I walk up behind the old man and sling my arm over his shoulders, making him tense.

"Why, these are ghastly times _indeed_ , esteemed Elder!" I say in a louder-than-necessary voice and a massive grin. "In fact, it would be most _terrible_ if a squad of Plegian Wyvern Riders swooped down from _out of the blue_ and pinned us against the mountainside while their allies trapped us in a pincer strike, all _because someone sold out our position to the enemy!_ Yes, we would be fighting for our lives with our backs literally against the mountainous wall and surrounded by enemies. Simply DREADFUL, wouldn't you say?"

The old man swallows nervously upon hearing my words. He struggles out from underneath me and backs away shaking. "Y-yes, dreadful, indeed. And…t-that's quite the imagination you have there, young man."

I scratch my nose while trying to look aloof. "Oh, so that's what ylisseans call it? Where I come from, we call it "foreboding feeling"."

I manage to pick up a shudder from the hierarch as he addresses Chrom.

"M-milord, I was not aware you brought a court jester with you. And with, ah, such a m-morbid sense of humor at that."

The prince sighs exasperatedly. "My apologies, Hierarch. Jack's…an odd one. But I can assure you, he is reliable in battle." Then he turns to me. "Jack, _please_ stop harassing the hierarch! Such morbid thoughts are bad for his health."

I give Chrom an I-don't-give-a-s-it expression. "Ah. My bad."

At that moment, Mind's eye picks up on what I was expecting: Plegian soldiers running in our direction. And Wyvern riders either cresting the peaks or flying in from below.

"Grah ha hah! Time to die, princey!" a Barbarian shouts confidently while brandishing his axe.

"Called it!" I shout cheerily.

"Gods d-mn it! Not now, Jack!" Chrom shouts. "How did they even know we were here?" The prince draws Falchion and gets in a battle stance. "Everyone! Prepare for battle!"

Everyone thankfully responds quickly and get in formation. Frederick, Stahl and Sully bring up the front. Chrom, Robin, Vaike, Lon'qu and me are right behind them. Miriel, Virion and Ricken provide cover fire. Lissa and Maribelle provide medical aid if someone gets injured. Panne, Gaius and Kellam take the rear guard. And Sumia is right above our heads, ready to provide support from the skies. In the middle of our formation, Phila takes up guard by Emmeryn's side, while also keeping an eye on the hierarch. This is the formation Robin came up with on the off-chance we would get attacked during our march.

Just as we get ready for the incoming battle, we hear Phila shout to the hierarch. Mind's eye lets me see the old guy running between the rest of us and straight towards the battlefield. Right as he passes me, I grab his shoulder and stop him cold.

"Whoa, there! And where do you think _you're_ going, esteemed Elder?"

"Let go of me!" the hierarch shouts while struggling in my grip. "Do you not know who I am?!"

"You're an old man running straight towards enemy lines." I reply in a deadpan voice. "That either makes you suicidal…" My grip on his shoulder tightens as I narrow my eyes. "…or a traitor!"

The hierarch starts to sweat before he points a hand against my face. "Hah!"

*Flash!*

"Gah!"

My eyes! Son of a- The old fart blinded me with light magic!

I blink as my vision gradually returns. By the time it's decent, the hierarch is already right in front of the plegians.

"Hold, sir!" the old man shouts to what appears to be their leader. "I am the man King Gangrel told you about! Did you not receive orders to take me into your protection?"

What follows is basically the plegians mocking the old guy for betraying his own ruler and ending with him being brutally cut down by one of the Barbarians in the front.

The leader spares the dead man an uncaring glance before he directs his gaze towards Chrom.

"Right! Now for the main event." he says with a cocky grin. "By moon's end, they'll be erecting statues of me in the capital! Ho there! Ylisseans! Give me the Fire Emblem and your wench of a ruler, and spare yourselves a gory end!"

Chrom grits his teeth. "Phila, take Emmeryn to the rear of the column. We'll fend off these blackguards!"

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: Incursion  
** _While trying to relocate the exalt for safety reasons, you're ambushed by plegians in the middle of the mountains! Since everything was supposed to happen in secrecy, you obviously had a traitor in your midst. You can sort that out_ _after_ _putting the plegians down, however. And watch your back. Reinforcements are on their way – for both sides.  
_ **Objectives:** _Defeat all plegians.  
_ **Rewards:** _Increased standing with Ylisse, 7 000 EXP, 7 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _?, 500 EXP, 500 gold  
_ **Failure:** _Gangrel gets his hands on the Fire Emblem and has Emmeryn executed at the first possible moment. Oh, and Vasto finally gets laid after becoming a war hero in Plegia (not that anyone cares)._

* * *

Nothing more needs to be said as both sides charge each other.

 **BGM: Meta Knight's revenge, Super Smash Bros. Brawl music (Originally from the Kirby series)**

*Boom!*

Frederick opens hostilities with a merciless charge, leaving the Plegian ranks open for the rest of us to get up close and personal for some mayhem. My Windcleaver is already drawn and swinging as I slash at any plegian in range. I'm forced to constantly stay on my toes, as the enemy quickly regroups and try to box us in. I notice Stahl having trouble fending off a couple of Soldiers while a Myrmidon tries to sneak up on him. We can't have that! I charge in with mana spiraling in my hand.

"Rasengan!" *Shrr-BOOM!*

The sword wielder is sent flying and crashes into the mountainside with enough force to leave a human shaped dent in the bedrock. Yeah, he's dead.

The plegians that saw me send their buddy into the mountainside approach me with much more caution now. That gives me the opening to run up to Stahl and help him get some breathing room by cutting down one of the Soldiers.

"How are you holding up?" I ask as we double team the other Soldier.

"Good enough." the Cavalier replies as we finish off the plegian with a synchronized cross slash.

I quickly jump up behind Stahl on his horse. "Mind if I hitch a ride?"

Stahl smirks in return. "Hang on!"

As we ride through the plegians, I launch wind blades every which way to get some pressure off of Stahl's back.

*Screech!*

I look up into the sky to see Wyvern Riders descending on us. I learned something important last time I fought plegians; I HATE fighting Wyvern Riders!

Okay, so I'm basing this opinion after fighting one _particular_ Wyvern Rider, but that guy and his wyvern were jerks! Maybe I can change my opinion after I'm done smacking these guys around.

I tense my legs before I jump off Stahl's horse. That brings me close to the height of the approaching Wyvern Riders.

"Eat windblades, suckers!"

I slash my Windcleaver furiously, sending several windblades towards the flying plegians. One of them reacts too slowly and takes the full brunt of my attack. Wyvern and rider fall to the ground with bleeding slash marks covering their bodies.

The other one, however, dove to the side and got away unscathed. He circles me as I reach the apex of my jump and begin falling down. At that moment, the wyvern screeches as it charges towards me, the rider raising his axe with a bloodthirsty look in his eyes.

I'm not about to become a sitting duck just because I'm free falling! I charge a Rasengan in my free hand. Just as the plegian closes in, I launch another windblade against the wyvern's wing. The wyvern dives to the side and dodges the windblade while keeping the charge. That's what I want, however. Just as the rider is about to bring down his axe, I thrust my left hand forward.

"Rasengan!" *Boom!*

Unleashing the spiraling sphere into the air like this normally does very little, but with the Wyvern Rider so close, I still manage to clip him with some of the rotational force while getting some precious distance from him. The backwards thrust allows me to flip backwards in mid-air, put my feet against the mountainside and slide down to the ground to safety.

The Wyvern Rider quickly recovers from the surprise attack and resumes his diving attack against me. I make a mad dash through the frontlines towards my allies. Gotta time this right. Where is he?

There! I see Ricken fending off an Archer. The little guy's having trouble keeping up with the unnervingly accurate arrows. I ready my Windcleaver as I run up behind the plegian Archer.

"Ricken! Switch!"

I deliver a fatal backslash across the Archer's back and then continue running towards Ricken. The Mage looks behind me. Catching on to my plan, he charges mana for a powerful wind spell.

Just as I'm a few paces from Ricken, I shout.

"Now!"

"Take this!"

I get down in a slide right as Ricken lets the Elwind spell fly. The Wyvern Rider was so focused on me that he completely missed the Mage fire wind magic at him from pretty much point-blank range.

*Fshoom!*

As the Wyvern rider flies off his mount and down the mountainside, I get back up and high-five Ricken.

"We have _got_ to do that again sometime!" I shout grinning.

"Yeah!" the Mage shouts back with a matching grin.

We face the incoming plegians again and get ready to fight – only to get some unexpected help.

"Clear a path!"

Vaike comes in axe swinging, cutting down a Myrmidon in a surprisingly sneaky maneuver. Before the other plegians can react to the Fighter's entrance, I'm already at his side.

"Need any help?" I ask.

Vaike grins back. "Don't need it. Watch and learn!"

Holy cr-p, Vaike's on a roll! He tears through the plegians like they're amateurs! Except there's a massive flaw in all that.

"Wait, you can't fight them all on your own!" I shout as I run after him, slashing around me before the plegians can close the path that Vaike's hewn out with his axe. By the time I catch up, Vaike takes a double-handed grab on his axe.

"That's enough back talk!"

The Fighter jumps into the air before he brings his axe down with a war cry.

*Boom!*

Plegians are sent flying in all directions from the violent impact. Vaike totally got that move from Chrom.

As the Fighter gets back up from his landing, he smirks proudly. Then he shoulders his axe – except it's gone.

"Vaike? Where's your axe?" I ask alarmed.

The Fighter flexes his fingers, only to grab air.

"Oh, come on! I _just_ had it in my hand!" Vaike shouts indignantly.

I duck a Barbarian's axe swing and retaliate as I facepalm.

"For crying out loud, Vaike! How do you keep doing this?!"

"It's not my fault, I swear!" Vaike answers while he gets a Soldier in a headlock and punches the poor guy repeatedly in the face with his free hand. "I know I had the axe in my hand when I swung. Just as I get back up, the blasted thing is gone!"

"Behind you!" I shout as I kick the Barbarian from earlier away from me.

Vaike looks behind to see a Dark Mage charging up a fire spell with an evil grin. Just as he's about to launch it, he's tackled to the ground by a big brown blur.

"No! Stop! Augh!" the plegain shouts before going still.

Said blur turns out to be Panne.

" **I suppose you tried."** the taguel muses as she gets off the now mangled Dark Mage. Daaaaa-n, she's savage!

A Myrmidon tries to attack her side, only for Stahl to ride in and block the blow.

"Made it!"

Taguel and Cavalier quickly team up and make quick work of the sword wielding plegian.

" **Well done."** Panne comments after the Myrmidon falls.

"Thanks!" Stahl replies.

Huh. Maybe Panne's fitting in better with the rest of us than I thought.

Oh yeah, I still need to take care of that Barbarian from earlier. He's charging me with his Steel Axe raised high and bellowing a war cry. Just because I'm facing away from him doesn't mean I can't see him, though. I flip my Windcleaver in a reverse grip and sidestep the swing at the last moment before I stab backwards. I love Mind's eye.

*Shink!*

The Barbarian gasps as the blade slides into his stomach. I smirk before I pull the Windcleaver out, turn around and slash him from shoulder to hip.

"Not good enough." I mutter as my enemy dies.

Wait a second. He won't need that axe anymore. I grin as I pick up the fallen weapon and turn to Vaike.

"Vaike, catch!"

The Fighter sees the axe flying through the air and grins. He throws the dazed Soldier to the ground and catches the axe before he brings it down on the plegian.

*Shink!*

"Class dismissed!" the Fighter declares confidently.

I shake my head in exasperation. Really, Vaike?

We're slowly gaining ground on the plegians. Things are looking up.

"Prince Chrom! Captain Phila! Beware! Enemy reinforcements to the rear! They'll be upon us soon!"

Huh? Who's- Hey, it's Cordelia! Looking good – except she looks wounded. And tired. How long has she been riding in order to catch up to us?

"Is that… Gods, Cordelia?!" Phila shouts in surprise.

Robin turns in the direction of the red-headed Pegasus Knight. "Cordelia?"

"She's one of my knights. Young yet, but quite gifted." Phila replies. "But she was stationed on the border… Why-" Phila pales upon realizing what happened. "Oh, gods! Could it mean…?"

We're about to regroup with our newly arrived ally when an alert pops up in my field of vision.

* * *

 **Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy detected!**

* * *

 **BGM ends**

I turn back to the Plegian lines to see a particularly strong-looking Wyvern Rider approach.

* * *

 **Vasto Lvl 25 Class: Wyvern Rider**

* * *

Oh yeah, this guy. Didn't the quest alert mention something about this guy finally getting laid if we lose? Weird…

"I'll splatter you across the canyon floor!" the Plegian boss yells as he brings down his axe. I grab hold of Vaike and apply some Telekinesis on top of Reinforcement to get the both of us out of harm's way.

"Get back and help the others handle the enemy's reinforcements. I've got this one." I tell the nearby Shepherds.

"You sure you can take him, Jack?" Vaike asks, suddenly being all serious.

I nod. "Trust me. I've handled tougher foes than this one. Besides, we don't know how great the reinforcements are. Chrom and the others could need all the help they can get."

The others look at me skeptically before they nod and head back to where Cordelia's met up with the rest of our buddies. Now it's just me and Vasto.

"So…" I drawl. "You're the one who ordered the hierarch killed?"

Vasto smirks. "I may have ordered my men to kill some swine. What of it? Here to avenge your compatriot?"

I shake my head. "No. Rather, I'd like to thank you." At Vasto's raised eyebrow, I continue. "See, I figured pretty quickly that it was the old fart who sold out our location. Had he not been killed before the battle, we would've hunted him down and executed him for high treason. You just spared us the trouble of finding him and even killed him for us. So, thanks." I shrug. "The only thing I could complain about is that we won't be able to make an example out of him by executing him in public after this whole mess is over, but beggars can't be choosers."

Vasto chuckles upon hearing my explanation. "Hah! I like your style, boy! Had things been different, we might've gotten along, you and I." The plegain brandishes his Steel Axe with a bloodthirsty grin. "Too bad we're on opposite sides in this war. That means you have to die."

I smirk back as I raise my Windcleaver. "Funny. I was thinking about saying the same thing to you."

Vasto scowls. "You think _you_ can kill _me_? I'll put you in your place, pup."

 **BGM: Die, RWBY OST**

Vasto's wyvern screeches before diving at me. I jump back as Vasto strikes down and then rush in for a horizontal swing, only to miss as the wyvern ascends to the air quickly. The wyvern spins in mid-air with its tail stretched out. I duck underneath with a grin. No way am I falling for that move again! I jump from my low position and deliver a rising slash that has Vasto maneuver his wyvern quickly to the right. Before I reach the ground again, I launch a windblade from point-blank range. Vasto's wyvern gives a mighty flap and speeds off to the left.

"Get back here!" I shout as I concentrate mana in my Windcleaver and launch windblades at an increasingly rapid pace against the Plegian Wyvern Rider.

Said Wyvern Rider flies along the mountainside and dodges the windblades, making them hit the mountain instead. Then Vasto takes a sharp turn for a new attack run on me. As they close in, I unleash another barrage of windblades.

"Do a barrel roll!" Vasto shouts.

The wyvern obeys and spins out of the way of my projectiles before resuming its dive.

"What the-" *Smack!*

Ow! Freakin' wyvern slammed right into me! Right as I recover, I'm quickly forced to guard as Vasto comes in for a merciless axe swing. Good thing I can stack Telekinesis on top of Reinforcement.

That's when I notice the wyvern open its maw and see a fire breath building down the throat.

"Roast him!" Vasto shouts.

No, you're not! I break off from the weapon lock and send a kick straight into the wyvern's jaw. The blow stuns the flying mount and stops the fire breath abruptly. With the opening given, I jump over the wyvern and bring down my Windcleaver on Vasto.

*Clang!*

Our weapons lock again, but not for long. I only swung with my right hand to leave my left free to form a Rasengan. Right as I'm about to bring it down, Vasto manages to make his wyvern fly backwards, making me thrust the spiraling sphere into the ground instead.

The wyvern swoops back in with a tail swing. I jump over it before clashing with Vasto again. I kick off the wyvern's head and launch a few windblades as I land. Vasto quickly maneuvers the wyvern to the side before coming in for another axe swing. I'm ready this time and answer with full Reinforcement as I bring down the Windcleaver hard.

Sparks fly as our weapons clash, but not for long. I'm quickly forced to break off from the clash as the wyvern starts to snap at me, probably to get revenge for that kick earlier.

Now I have to keep up with an irate wyvern right alongside its axe happy master. I'm forced on the defensive as I alternate between dodging snapping jaws and blocking axe swings. I gotta think of something!

I manage to find an opening to break off. That lets me run back in, but just as Vasto tries to slice me in two with his axe, I slide along the ground, putting me underneath the wyvern. While I'm out of sight, I make a Shadow clone that continues the slide behind the Plegian boss while I stop in place. Vasto naturally takes the bait and cuts down my clone, only for it to go up in smoke. Before he realizes he's been duped, I manage to land a clean slash across his back.

*Shing!* "Augh!"

The wyvern retaliates with a fast tail swipe, knocking me back and giving its master some breathing room after the sneak attack.

I need to end this now! As I get back up, I spin another Rasengan in my left hand. Vasto eyes the mana sphere momentarily before smirking.

"Heh. I saw you use that strange technique against my men earlier. You have to get close in order to use it properly, don't ya? You'll never reach me from here!"

I smirk back. "Then I guess I have to improvise." I rear back my arm and prepare Telekinesis for my next move.

Then I _throw_ my Rasengan like a baseball. "Catch!"

*Boom!*

Vasto's caught off-guard as the Rasengan flies into his chest. The explosion blows him off his wyvern. As he falls to the ground, I rush in and land a flying kick right in his chest, sending him tumbling into the mountainside.

I approach Vasto as he looks up at me weakly.

"You doves think…killing me will change anything?" Vasto asks smirking. "Heh… Even now, my brothers storm across your precious border… Go on, dear exalted coward! Run! Flee while they slaughter your subjects! Save yourself… Let their faith in you…bleed away…with the rest…"

"Tell that to someone who cares." I reply impassively.

*Shing!*

Vasto's head rolls off his shoulders after a clean cut.

I flick the blood off my Windcleaver, twirl it once and sheath it behind my back with a click.

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **You killed Vasto! You gain 1 000 EXP! You gain 1 000 gold!**

 **Due to continuous strenuous activity, STR increases by 3!  
Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT increases by 2!  
Due to plenty of quick maneuvering, DEX increases by 2!**

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action! You gained "Rasengan fastball"!**

* * *

I return to the others and note that they're done with their part too. Well, glad that's over. And I finally got back at the Wyvern Riders, even though they were two different ones.

"…They're gone." Chrom notes relieved.

"Your Grace! My prince! Run! As far and fast as you can!" Cordelia implores the royal siblings. "More plegians are coming, not a half day's march behind you!"

"Cordelia, what are you doing here?" Phila asks concerned. "…Tell me the border remains secure."

Cordelia averts her eyes with a pained look. "That I could, milady! But it would be false… Gangrel himself led his might against us! The end was upon us when my knight-sisters begged me fly and warn the exalt…"

Cordelia falls down on her knees as tears stream down her eyes, with no signs of stopping anytime soon. "I should have stayed… I should have stayed! Ah, gods, I can still hear the screams…"

Phila places a comforting hand on the crying Pegasus Knight. "Peace, Cordelia. You did your duty. The sisters rightly prized your youth. You've many years yet to keep their legacy alive."

"But I abandoned them!" Cordelia shouts with a cracking voice. "I'm weak… Their legacy deserves better."

Phila steels herself. "Sometimes fleeing takes the most courage. They knew that. Now pull yourself together. Let the faith they showed in you give you strength."

Cordelia looks up to her captain imploringly. "Captain Phila, I… How can I go on like this? They were my…my family…" The dam finally bursts. "Gods… Oh, gods…"

I can't just leave her sobbing like this with no support! I walk up to her and crouch down before embracing her gently.

"You're not alone…" I say in (hopefully) my most comforting voice. Being the only physical anchor available, Cordelia clings to me as her tears flow freely and her pained cries echo across the mountains. Hearing her cry like this makes a tear slide down my own face. I can't even imagine the agony she's feeling right now.

Chrom grits his teeth and slams his fist against the mountainside. "Damn those monsters!"

"I must return to the capital." Emmeryn declares resolutely.

Phila looks at her in shock. "Your Grace, I cannot advise-"

"I should never have left." Emmeryn continues unimpeded. "If it's discovered I'm away when this news comes to light, the people could panic. Riot. More ylisseans could needlessly die."

The exalt turns to Chrom. "Here, Chrom. I entrust this to you."

Emmeryn reaches into her robe and pulls out a golden object that looks like a shield. Is that what I think it is?

* * *

 **Fire Emblem, Accessory, Divine  
** _The royal treasure of Ylisse and a sacred artifact that has been passed down through generations in the exalted bloodline. When the five sacred gemstones are mounted in its openings, the bearer can perform the Awakening ritual in order to unlock Falchion's true power once more. Bear in mind, however, that anyone attempting this puts their life at risk. Furthermore, only one who can wield Falchion may attempt the Awakening. Anyone else will be reduced to ashes in the sacred flames of Naga.  
Current gemstones: Argent.  
_

* * *

"The Fire Emblem?" Chrom asks surprised.

"Take it to Ferox – to safety." Emmeryn commands.

Chrom's eyes widen at the implications. "And leave you? No, Emm."

Emmeryn shakes her head. "No part of House Ylisse matters more than the Fire Emblem. It possesses tremendous power. But too much blood has been shed over it already. I hope it finds a better guardian in you than it did me."

"Emm, come on." Chrom pleads. "You can't… Don't talk like that! You sound like you're ready to give up…"

"I am not giving up, Chrom. I am only giving what I can."

"Emm, please! This is madness!"

"Sis, wait!" Lissa shouts. "Let me go with you!"

Emmeryn turns to Lissa. "Stay with Chrom, Lissa. I command it." The tone in her voice leaves no room for argument.

The Cleric clenches her hands around her staff as a tear slides down her cheek. "This isn't fair! It's not fair! I know our people need you, but we need you, too!"

Emmeryn smiles and pulls Lissa into a comforting embrace. "Dry your tears, love. This is not good-bye."

At this moment, Phila returns with her pegasus in tow. "Your Grace, the pegasus knights will accompany you to Ylisstol."

Emmeryn nods. "Very well, Phila. Thank you."

"I will keep the prince and princess safe, Your Grace. You have my word." Frederick declares.

The exalt turns to the Great Knight. "I know you will, Frederick. Thank you."

Frederick steels himself and slams a fist against his armored chest. "It is my honor."

And lastly, Emmeryn turns to me. "Jack."

I look up from my attempts to comfort Cordelia.

"Please help Frederick in protecting Chrom and Lissa. They mean more to me than I could ever express with words."

Despite her reassurances that it's not good-bye, the tone in her voice feels like it's carrying the underlying message of "…should anything happen to me…"

As much as I want to join in on protesting, I find myself bowing my head as much as I can with a Pegasus Knight clinging to me.

"I… I'll protect them to the best of my abilities, Your Grace." I answer through grit teeth. Curses! Of all the times for that 200 + CHAR stat to kick in!

"Cordelia."

Upon hearing Phila address her, Cordelia leaves my embrace and stands up to face her captain.

"You will stay here with Chrom." the Falcon Knight commands.

Cordelia looks at Phila in shock. "But, Captain-"

"I know your heart is heavy, but this is how it must be." Phila interrupts. Then she smiles comfortingly. "Your knight-sisters will be with you in spirit, wherever you go."

Cordelia looks like she's about to argue, but quickly steels her features. "…May they give me strength. As you command, Captain. I will pray for your safety."

"Come Phila. We must go." Emmeryn interjects as she turns to leave.

"No! You don't have to go! This is absurd!" Chrom roars.

Emmeryn turns back with a frown. "Chrom, you don't-"

"Walking to your own death will not bring peace to anyone! Ylisse needs you. WE need you! Be selfish for once in your life!" Chrom begs.

Emmeryn remains silent for a while before she gives the prince an affectionate smile. "I love you, Chrom. Both you and Lissa are my everything. As for the peace I seek…" Emmeryn shakes her head. "You cannot see who it is for."

The exalt steels her features as she mounts Phila's pegasus. "I have to go. I'm sorry – I truly am. Let us embrace again in Ylisstol when you arrive with Feroxi reinforcements. I know you will come."

Chrom shakes his head in desperation. "…This is a terrible plan."

"The blood of the first exalt flows strong in us." Emmeryn replies smiling. "You and I will keep Ylisse safe. I believe it with all my heart. Safe journey, Chrom. Safe journey, Lissa."

As Phila and her Pegasus Knights take off with Emmeryn, Chrom reaches for her one final time.

"Emm… Emm?! Ah…" The prince falls to his knees and slams a fist into the ground in resignation.

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: Incursion  
** _The terrifying news that Cordelia brought at the cost of her knight-sisters has forced Emmeryn's hand. You may have won this battle, but protecting the exalt just became much harder as she returns to the capital to defend her people. Get to Ferox and have Flavia assemble her troops ASAP!  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat all plegians.  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
Rewards:** _Your standing with Ylisse has improved! You gain 7 000 EXP! You gain 7 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Don't let Cordelia die  
_ **Bonus objective cleared!  
Bonus rewards:** _Your relationship with Cordelia has improved! You gain 500 EXP! You gain 500 gold!_

 **You have leveled up!**

 **Your standing with Ylisse is now "Ally"!**

* * *

Robin narrows her eyes as she absorbs all the information.

"Chrom, we should hurry to Regna Ferox."

Chrom looks up from his position on the ground.

"The exalt won't last long against Gangrel with most of the pegasus knights wiped out. If we even want to stand a chance at protecting her, we'll need Khan Flavia's aid." the Tactician elaborates. "That means we have to reach Ferox – now!"

Chrom gets up and steels his features. "I- You're right, Robin. Gangrel will pay for what he's done to Ylisse. Shepherds! We head for Ferox immediately!"

As everyone gets ready to march, Chrom approaches Cordelia. Girl's barely holding it together, after everything that's happened.

"Let's go, Cordelia. We'll avenge your knight-sisters, I swear."

Cordelia lets out a shaky breath before steeling herself. "I- Yes, my prince."

Chrom smiles at her. "You're one of us, now. I can't promise that we'll be a family for you, but by the gods, we'll try."

Cordelia closes her eyes as one last tear slides down her cheek.

"I- Thank you… Thank you so much…"

 **To be continued**

* * *

Preview of the next chapter:

*The sun shines brightly over the Plegian desert*

 **Jack:** Ugh… So hot…

 **Robin:** This is the fastest way to reach the capital of Plegia undetected. Please try to hold out, Jack.

 **Maribelle:** And this is why you never mock the parasol.

*Nowi runs over the dunes with Gregor hot on her heels*

 **Nowi:** I said: leave me alone!

 **Gregor:** Why little one make rescuing so difficult? Gregor only want to help!

 **Grimleal:** There they are! Get the girl, now!

 **Gregor:** Timing only get worse, no? This is becoming tiring day for Gregor.

 **Chrom:** Halt, fiend! Leave that little girl alone!

 **Gregor:** *Sigh* _Very_ tiring day. Why everyone bully Gregor?!

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Must…protecc…loli dragon… Dark dunes in the blazing hot desert!**

 **Jack:** Sora _really_ should've taken Genie up on the offer to make a highway through the dessert. It would've made traveling through here so much easier.

* * *

 **Omake: Deleted scenes**

Validar approaches Robin with a sinister grin.

"Become my apprentice. Learn to use the dark side of the Force."

Robin scowls. "Naga d-mn it, Father! This isn't Star Wars!"

Validar looks at the Tactician in shock before he pulls out the script and reads it carefully.

"What?! Who changed my script?"

"Bwa ha ha ha!"

Validar grits his teeth. "Gangrel…"

"Catch me if you can~." the Mad King taunts as he expertly dodges Ruin spells.

* * *

As Lucina offers the nut to Itachi, the squirrel stares into her eyes. Itachi's eyes suddenly turn red with a curious design in the middle.

" _Tsukiyomi."_

Next thing she knows, Lucina finds herself bound to a tree with dozens of identical squirrels surrounding her.

" _This is the world of Tsukiyomi."_ Itachi's voice squeaks out from seemingly everywhere. _"For the next 72 hours, I shall teach you about the glory that are hazelnuts."_

*Smack!*

Jack hits the squirrel over the head, breaking the illusion and allowing Lucina to wake up in a daze.

"How many times do I have to tell you?!" Jack shouts at Itachi. "No putting honorary members of the clan in your Sharingan induced illusions! Heck, did we even have a Tsukiyomi scene planned, for that matter?"

" _Sorry."_ the squirrel squeaks.

* * *

As Vasto closes in on Jack, the Traveler responds by launching several more windblades.

"Do a barrel roll!"

During the maneuver, Vasto's grip on the saddle slips, throwing him off the wyvern and down the valley below.

*Insert falling Goofy scream*

Jack and the wyvern look where the plegian fell before looking towards each other.

"Uh… That _was_ the stuntman, right?" Jack asks the Wyvern uncertainly.

The wyvern does the equivalent of a shrug.

Jack shrugs back. "Oh, well. Wonder if Orton's up for another fight scene."

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Animal tongue, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _Communicating with animals has been a vital part of developing human civilization. Few humans, however, truly understand what an animal says unless they share a deep bond. Your bond, however, is on a whole other level, allowing you to understand what an animal says, word for word. All those lessons with Chopper finally payed off.  
Allows the user to communicate with animals as though they were speaking with a human. Current languages: Squirrel._

 **Rasengan fastball, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 200 MP  
** _A skill originally created by Boruto Uzumaki, the son of the seventh Hokage. Whereas a normal Rasengan only works at close range, this version of the spiraling sphere can be thrown to hit enemies at range. Bear in mind, however, that it loses power as it travels.  
Base damage: 500 % of the caster's INT stat. Element: None. Maximum range: 5 meters._

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **Mad King, Title  
** _You're known for being an oddball, the personification of the chaotic alignment. You could laugh for seemingly no reason at all. And, most importantly, people have a hard time getting a read on you because you're so unpredictable. People tend to regard you with mistrust due to your crazy behavior. The most grating part? Your face practically screams "U mad?", even when you don't mean it. You're not necessarily evil – you're just an expert at getting under everyone's skin.  
Passively increases INT by 10 % and reduces CHAR by 10 %._

 **Sorcerer, Class  
** _A master of the dark arts and an overall accomplished spellcaster. Having studied so many facets of the arcane disciplines grants these mages the ability to both cast magic with frightening efficiency, as well as counter incoming spells. They can cast magic of any element just fine, but they are always at home when it comes to the dark element. While often associated with evil, this is not always the case. Eccentric, on the other hand? That would be a more fitting description.  
Damage dealt with melee weapons of any kind is reduced by 10 %. Damage dealt with dark-element magic is increased by 15 %. Damage dealt with magic of any other element except for light is increased by 10 %. Damage taken from light magic is increased by 10 %._

 **Concoction, Consumable, Uncommon  
** _By using the recipe for Vulneraries as the base, herbs with stronger medicinal properties were added to make a more potent medicine. Most of these herbs are difficult to find and cultivate, which also results in a steeper price. It may well be worth it, as some of these herbs naturally gather ambient mana as they grow. Consuming this medicine therefore restores some of your mana along with healing your wounds.  
Restores up to 20 % of your maximum HP and MP. Each flask holds three rations._

 **Silver Lance, Polearm, Base damage: 100, Very uncommon  
** _A lance typically reserved for elite cavalry and guards stationed at keeps with key strategical value. While not as durable or hefty as iron or steel, silver has the rare property of being especially easy to enchant. These enchantments grant this weapon greater striking power than traditionally forged weapons. However, the enchantments require a high level of skill and the qualified mages are few and far in-between. This, along with how expensive silver is, makes this weapon much more expensive to go along with its tremendous damage output._

* * *

 **Phew. Cramming two whole in-game chapters into this one took more space than I anticipated. But I'm finally done with it.**

 **Chapter 6 is one of my favorite chapters in the entire game.  
Gameplay wise, you have the option of trying numerous strategies to stop the assassins from reaching Emmeryn. You can either play defensively and gather everyone near the chamber, or you can go offensive by establishing dominance in the pillar hall further south. Or you could do like me: split everyone into three groups to block the hallways, while praying that Lissa and Maribelle can move fast enough to heal anyone that gets injured. Not the most optimal, but it looks awesome.  
Story wise, this is the chapter where Chrom reveals some of his and his sisters' past. It's at this point that it becomes clear that the royal siblings are anything but a pair of Mary Sues and a Gary Stu. These three had it rough growing up! The reason why they sometimes don't seem to need much character development (although Chrom still gets plenty of it in the game) is because they've already spent 15 years with that kind of stuff before they even meet Robin. That's the main reason why I love the royal siblings as characters. They know hardship, and they've grown both individually and as a family by enduring them.  
This is also the chapter where we're introduced to one of the major villains of Awakening: Validar. Speaking of Validar, I've chosen to mention the father aspect as a statement of my own opinion. Seriously, raising your child to become the vessel for an apocalyptic dragon because you were never worthy yourself is NOT okay! That being said, Validar is far from the only terrible father in the Fire Emblem franchise. Two that immediately come to mind are Ashnard in PoR and Desmond (Zephiel's father) from FE7.**

 **Be warned, as the following paragraphs may contain spoilers for those games, as well as chronologically related games.**

 **Ashnard deserves mentioning due to some lore in RD. Here it's revealed that he had a relationship with a dragon laguz, though they never got together out of love. As unromantic as it was, they actually conceived a baby boy together in a moment of mutual attraction (mother's words, not mine). Ashnard was ecstatic at first, since the boy was half dragon, but eventually gave up upon discovering that the boy didn't possess any of the talents that the king of Daein had hoped for. As a result, Ashnard abandoned his son. During the events of RD, it's revealed that that boy was Soren. The irony lies in the fact that Soren had a hand in defeating the king of Daein years later as a member of the Greil mercenaries.**

 **And then there's Desmond. Ho boy… This guy is just messed up. A little backstory is needed to illustrate my point. Desmond married two women – one for political reasons, but never out of love, and one purely out of love, but with no political influence – and had a child each with those women. The elder child, Zephiel, was born from his political marriage. Being the son of a woman that he didn't even love, Desmond had no love for Zephiel either. His half-sister Guinivere, however, was born from the woman that Desmond loved, and Desmond loved her deeply as well. All right, that's the backstory.  
Growing up, Zephiel excelled at just about everything he tried, from combat prowess to politics, while Desmond himself only reaped average results at the same age. The young prince grew popular, even gaining the adoration from his half-sister. The young boy's rise to fame left Desmond jealous, to the point that he hired assassins to kill the prince. The plot failed, but Desmond's resentment remained. The irony of this family story is that Zephiel didn't excel purely due to some unprecedented talent; he pushed himself relentlessly in the hopes of gaining his father's approval. Yet the more he excelled, the more his father resented him. Zephiel's past in FE 7 paints him in a very different light compared to his portrayal in BB. He may be a nihilistic war monger, but that's rooted in some deep family issues. Seriously, the events of BB could've potentially been prevented if Desmond stopped feeling sorry for himself and actually tried to see his son for who he was and what he tried to do. Resenting your son just because he excels at stuff more than you do is NOT okay, man!**

 **Okay, those were the spoilers.**

 **Yeah, I decided to give the squirrels names. As for the two squirrels Jack met in the beginning of the chapter, you probably know who they're based off. As an added bonus; try putting their names together. What do you get?**

 **The Yiga's reaction to the bananas are a reference to the Donkey Kong 64 community. If you want to learn more, just watch the DK 64 run during SGDQ 2017 and pay attention to the crowd whenever the runner obtains a golden banana.**

 **Jack's finally started to integrate more stuff into his battle style. It's a work in progress, but he's building to make that style a reality. He even got a new go-to weapon, one of the coolest looking weapons in BotW IMO; the Windcleaver. Seriously, just look at the thing! It's a katana (or nodachi, if you're splitting hairs) that can launch windblades! It's awesome!**

 **And for those who waited for Jack to solo a boss: you got your wish fulfilled.**

 **A quick shout out to warrior of six blades: Sorry to disappoint you if you expected some Cordelia action. She needs to recover from that emotional blow first. Rest assured, I've got stuff planned for her in the future. She needs to get back on her feet first.**

 **That's all for now. Please rate and review.**

 **VipeR out.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Man, I think I went overboard with this chapter.**

… **Ah, who am I kidding? This is perfect! Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening. This chapter…had a lot more content than I thought it would have. Still, I like how it turned out.**

 **Now, onto some reviews.**

 **Firem78910:** The Urvan axe could work, though pulling it out would earn Jack a few raised eyebrows, since that axe is pretty much legendary in Awakening. Not that he hasn't gotten raised eyebrows already. As for the Master sword; that's a no-go. It is, in fact, a living weapon. Don't believe me? Check the Skyward sword lore.

 **Naga Mada:** Who said anything about using Outrealm gates? The Grimleal are the bad guys who dab in dark magic, remember? Their methods are way less ethical than an Outrealm gate.

 **ShadowPheonix34:** No, not with the build I have decided for Jack. His element is decided in this chapter, and it's not lightning. I've decided to reserve the lightning specialization for Robin instead, since that's the element I associate with her the most. That means Morgan will get some lightning related abilities as well (kid takes after canon parent A LOT).

 **warrior of six blades:** Good eye on predicting Jack's relationship with the 2nd-gen Shepherds. His conversation with Lucina was just a little taste of what's to come. As for Cordelia… While I do plan to foster a little friendship between her and Jack, that's as far as I'm taking their relationship. I've got something different planned for the girl. And no, that doesn't involve a threesome with Robin added to the mix. As hot as some people find those to be, threesomes aren't my cup of tea.

 **Kyrin Fireheart:** Oh, so _that's_ what Maribelle refers to. Wow… Her insults are nastier than I thought. I think I'm finally starting to understand how Brady takes after her. His burns are just as sick as his beloved mother's. They're just held back by fewer layers of sophistication.

 **Ruberforumfree:** I have some of that planned for a future chapter – but not until they become a couple! And I _will_ place an explicit warning when we get to the (relatively) heavy stuff.

 **dcoon:** Obviously, the main pairing will be Jack and Robin. Another pairing will be revealed in this chapter. Aside from those pairings, I've placed hints of the other ones here and there since the fourth chapter of this fic. Some are subtle, while some are obvious. As a general rule of thumb, I won't reveal a pairing definitely until the characters themselves announce their relationship. That's all the info I'm giving out.

 **Guest reviewer, Sep 24** **th** **:** That is indeed what Zephiel's weapon does. And while it does do a few things that I have in mind for Jack's future go-to weapon, it's not the one I have in mind. To be fair, though, you're closer to the truth than you might think. As for the class change, it's gonna happen off-screen.

 **TheGamer:** While Jack _could_ store Traced weapons in his bag, it would be counterproductive. Traced weapons only exist so long as Jack sustains them with mana, or else they disperse. Since he can't Meditate in combat, this could hamper his MPR and run the risk of emptying his MP pool before the fight is over. So, no. Jack won't store any Traced weapons in his bag. Though I do applaud the idea.

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark:** Garon certainly has the track record to make the list. However, I'm a bit iffy in his case due to him being mind-controlled. It puts into question which actions were even his own. Still, the fact that no one picks up on the truth unless you play Revelations means he was so in-character that he acted like a puppet without anyone being any the wiser. That _would_ mean he's that much of a tyrant on a normal day. Yup, he definitely makes the list.  
And feel free to copy the ideas in your own fics. Like I say in the copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic and the two OC:s. Anything else is pretty much free game. It's not like I owned any of the other concepts to begin with.

 **TheOrangeLord:** I do plan on having some characters from other worlds get a brief cameo in the future, but I'm not sure how much yet. Also, Palutena's bow is definitely within the realm of possible weapons for jack to Trace. It won't be his go-to weapon, but I can already see how he'll use it. Thanks for the tip.

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _I don't like fighting, but I know when it's necessary._ – Nowi

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Must…protecc…loli dragon… Dark dunes in the blazing hot desert!**

Knowing how deep in trouble Emmeryn is back at the capital had Chrom push us towards Ferox at record pace. Not that I fault him. With Gangrel heading for Ylisstol with his elite troops, it's only a matter of time before the capital falls.

We're about a day's march away from the Feroxi capital when we finally make camp for the night. As badly as Chrom wants to reach Flavia and share the news, even he realizes the folly of marching through the harsh Feroxi climate at night.

"There we go." I tell the squirrel as the little critter secures the note I gave it. "Make sure this message reaches Lucina as fast as possible, Haku."

The albino squirrel nods before racing off into the foliage. That note basically holds the info of what happened back at Breakneck pass. In all the time I've played Awakening, I've never figured out how Ylisse's future princess dropped off the radar so suddenly until she joins up after chapter 13. Hopefully, the squirrels find her much faster than I would on my own.

"Man-spawn."

I turn around to find Panne approaching me with a serious expression (then again, she always looks serious in the beginning).

"Hm? Did you need something… Panne, was it?" I ask curiously.

The taguel regards me in silence for a while.

"You…are not like the others, are you?" she finally asks.

I tilt my head sideways in confusion. "Well, that depends on how you put it." I answer. "How do you think I'm different?"

"Your scent." Panne replies as she gets uncomfortably close. Uh, how about some personal space, Panne?

"Huh? What's up with the way I smell?"

"I have met enough man-spawn to be able to discern them by scent. While it does vary among your kin, every human I have met holds something common in the way they smell." Panne sniffs me (getting kind of awkward here, girl). "I always find a hint of soil in their scent. But you… You lack that."

I back away from the taguel carefully. "So… what exactly does that tell you?"

She narrows her eyes. "Man-spawn, tell me the truth. You are not from these lands, are you?"

Surprise runs through my body like a shock. Panne found out about that just by _smelling_ me?! Well, the cat's halfway out of the bag at this point.

"You're right, I'm not." I admit. "I come from a far away land, one where only a few of my kin would carry the smell of soil. As your nose told you, I'm not one of them."

"How can this be?" Panne asks perplexed. "Do not misunderstand. I hold no trust for you humans, but there is something intriguing about you."

I scratch my head while trying to think up an explanation that won't sound too crazy.

"Well, long story short, the place where I come from is very different from the lands you call "home". Where I come from, humans have progressed so far, we sometimes have difficulty knowing what to do during the day. I'm one of those humans. I mostly stayed inside when growing up. I think your sense of smell managed to catch on to the consequences of staying away from the outside for such a long time. The only way to gain the smell of soil on your scent that I can think of is by being outside. But since I stayed inside for most of my life before traveling, I haven't had time to catch as much of that scent as most humans here have."

Panne ponders my words for a while.

"What a strange tale you tell me, man-spawn. And yet, it explains why I smell no soil on you."

The taguel turns to leave, much to my surprise.

"Hey, where are you going?" I ask her.

Panne turns her head towards me. "You gave me the answers I sought. My curiosity has been sated. I no longer have any reason to be near you. Like I said before; I hold no trust for humans. I do not wish to be near you anymore than necessary."

With those words, Panne walks off into the forest. Yeesh. Talk about getting the cold shoulder.

 **Your relationship with Panne has improved!**

Wait, seriously? _That_ counted as growing closer to her? That was just…weird.

* * *

As I return to camp, I catch Vaike taking over for night watch after Sully.

"So, sparring ring at mornin'?" I hear Vaike ask.

"Sure thing." Sully answers with a grin. "Prepare for a beatdown."

Vaike grins back. "Ain't gonna let ya throw me around this time, Sully! You're on!"

With that, the Fighter walks to his shift.

"What was that all about?" I ask Sully as I approach her.

"Muh? Oh, it's just a thing that Vaike and I have had runnin' for a while now." the Cavalier explains. "Vaike challenges me for a duel, I beat him into the ground, we talk for a bit, and we're done." A smile blooms on her face. "Don't tell 'im I said this, but Vaike's startin' to become a man that I respect. That's no small feat."

"Wow… How often does this guy get into spars?" I muse. It amazes me how often Vaike spars. First Sully, then Chrom. Lon'qu has also mentioned being challenged by the blond Fighter from time to time. No wonder Vaike went so crazy during the last battle. He's gotten a lot of experience from Naga knows how many spars within the last few weeks.

"Vaike may complain about losin' a lot, but I can tell he enjoys it." Sully adds. "And frankly, it's kinda scary how fast he's improvin'."

"Well, that means he's becoming a reliable ally in battle, right?" I reply.

Sully nods. "D-mn straight. I might even go as far as say I trust him to have my back. Again, don't tell 'im I said that."

"My lips are sealed." I assure the Cavalier.

Sully chuckles. "Good. Keep it that way, or else." Then she stretches her arms into the air with a yawn. "Ooh. I'm not one for beauty sleep or cr-p like that, but I need some serious shut-eye after that shift. How 'bout you, Jack?"

I scratch my cheek. "Yeah, I might need to get back to my tent too. We're heading out early tomorrow, right?"

Sully nods. "Yeah. Captain Chrom's been on pins an' needles ever since the exalt returned to the capital. We'd better shake a leg first thing in the mornin' to get back to Ferox."

"Sounds like a plan. See you in the morning." With that, we head to our respective tents.

Ah, my tent. Not the most luxurious of sleeping arrangements, seeing as I'm limited to a humble bedroll, a lantern and whatever small knickknacks I could find that fits in here. Not that it's really an issue, thanks to my bag. For all its simplicity, though, it's a cozy place. Plenty of space to move around in. I could probably fit a small desk in here together with my bedroll and still have room to move around freely. How all of that space can be rolled up into a roll of cloth roughly two-thirds of my height and equal my width, I'll probably never figure out.

On a side note, it took some learning before I managed to set it up properly. Let's just say, the first few times landed me in some embarrassing situations. The Shepherds still occasionally laugh about it like it's some inside joke. Not cool, guys.

Well, I'm in my tent, but I'm not gonna sleep. It's night training time!

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

 **Due to constant strenuous activity, STR goes up by 3!**  
 **Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT goes up by 2!**  
 **Due to training several complex maneuvers, DEX goes up by 2!**

 **A new skill has become available due to your high vitality! You gained "Iron body"!**

 **Iron body, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _There's being tough, and then there's being so resilient that you can just pat some dust off your shoulder after taking a hit. The amount of resilience that you've built up has reached a point where you don't even get hurt from minor attacks. So long as the enemy can't surpass this wall, you stand untouchable.  
Reduces all damage taken from physical attacks by a certain value. This value is equal to the sum of your STR and VIT stats. If the value is higher than the damage inflicted, you take no damage at all. Note: This value increases in the same manner as your other stats when using Reinforcement._

* * *

Yeah, now that's a training session I like to call fruitful! My VIT stat finally passed the 50-mark last night, and my hard work has payed off with this new skill!

After a quick breakfast the following morning, we cleared our campsite and were back on the road in record time. Chrom and Lissa have tension pretty much written all over their faces as we travel the road. The one who's the worst off by a longshot, however, is Cordelia. She's putting up a strong front, but anyone who looks a bit closer can see how much of an emotional wreck she is on the inside. Dulled, downcast eyes, unsteady gait, hardly responds whenever Sumia tries to cheer her up. Sigh. If only there was a way to get the spark back in her eyes…

We finally make it to Flavia's residence. Chrom relayed the news as fast as he could, only to get stopped cold in his tracks upon hearing that Flaiva needs time to organize the army. With nothing better to do, we're forced to wait until the feroxi can mobilize so we can bring the beatdown on Gangrel.

"Hyah!" *Thwack! Thwack, thwack!*

Which means we've basically got nothing to do.

"Yah!" *Thwack, clack, whoosh, thwack!*

Which, in turn, meant that Lon'qu challenged me to a spar. To mix things up for a change (and to keep my promise to the Myrmidon) I picked a staff for this spar instead of a wooden sword.

Things are working quite well, all things considered. I have the advantage in reach thanks to my weapon of choice, but the difference in experience evens it out.

Our spar ends with Lon'qu swinging his training sword at my side while I land a blow on his right shoulder.

We both back off, panting and sweaty.

"You need to train to swing your weapon faster, or else you will never be able to use it to its full potential." Lon'qu comments while rubbing his aching shoulder. "Nevertheless, I can tell you've built a solid foundation for your spear wielding. You may even be better with a polearm than during our first battle."

I grin while rubbing my side with a wince. "I'll take that as a compliment. And don't worry. I feel comfortable using polearms now, so I'll definitely train in using them."

Lon'qu nods.

…

He's not gonna say anything else? Might need to push a bit.

"Well, I can tell you've gotten better with a sword." I comment. "I don't remember you swinging your sword that well during our first fight. You've improved as well, Lon'qu."

"I do spend a lot of time honing my skill with the blade." Lon'qu replies. "Although, I simply cannot seem to make any progress on a technique that I have attempted for a while now."

That piques my interest. "Oh? Care to share?"

Lon'qu lifts up his training sword and studies it closely. "It's a legendary skill among swordsmen known as "Astra". Whenever it is performed, it is as though the swordsman swings five times in the time normally needed to swing once. I have tried mastering this technique for a long time, but it keeps eluding me."

If I remember correctly, you need to become a Swordmaster in order to learn that skill.

I smile with a shrug. "Well, if anyone can master it, I'd bet it'll be you."

Lon'qu looks at me with some surprise showing in his eyes.

I smirk. "I already told you back when we first met that I could tell that you're strong. That hasn't changed. And if Khan Basilio himself states that you have the makings of a khan, that speaks volumes of your potential."

Lon'qu smiles. "I'm surprised you would express that much faith in me."

I smile back. "Hey, there wouldn't be any point in having you as my rival if I didn't believe in you growing stronger. And even if we didn't have this rivalry, I still consider you reliable enough to always have my back whenever we fight the enemy."

"Then it is only fair that I put just as much faith in you." Lon'qu replies. "I can tell that you've improved in several areas since we first met. Even now, you're catching up to my swordsmanship. If there is anyone who I trust to have my back in battle, it's you, Jack."

I offer my fist to the Myrmidon with a grin. "It's settled, then. When in battle, we have each other's backs. Outside of battle, we'll keep pushing each other to grow as strong as we can."

Lon'qu returns the fist-bump smiling. "That is an agreement I'll gladly accept."

 **Your relationship with Lon'qu has improved! Your relationship with Lon'qu is now "Allies"!**

* * *

Apparently, trying to get healed from the bruises from the spar was an idea that Maribelle was very much against. She said, and I quote; "I will _not_ spend my precious time patching up whatever little bruise you sustained on yourself just because you cannot bear a little pain from an exercise of your own volition!"

Yeesh. Stingy. I mean, how much does it take to heal a few bruises? Bah! I'll just have to suck it up and let them heal on their own. An hour of Meditation should do the trick.

As I idly rub my bruise, I run into Cordelia.

"Oh. Hey, Cordelia. How are you holding up?" I ask the Pegasus knight.

Cordelia seems a bit startled before steeling herself. "Ah. I'm fine, Jack. Just taking some time to relax before practice."

Judging by the slightly downcast eyes, I can tell she's hiding something. And I think I know what.

"Is it still weighing heavy on you? The memory of your knight-sisters, I mean."

Cordelia looks at me in slight surprise before sagging visibly and looking to the side. "Am I- Is it _that_ obvious?"

I shake my head. "Look, it's probably not my business to pry, but I can tell that the memory's still bothering you. I won't fault you for it. Take the time you need to mourn them. If you don't do it now, you may never find the time, and that will only haunt you for the rest of your life."

Cordelia scowls at me with a tear appearing in the corner of her eye.

"But I can't just spend my days sulking! Everyone is working hard to prepare fighting Plegia. If I don't get ready to fight too, then what good am I for the Shepherds?!"

"There's a big difference between letting go of your past and running away from it, Cordelia." I reply. "Trying to stay strong in front of your comrades to avoid worrying them will only hurt us in the end. That's what running from your past will do. And ironically, those who run away will only end up getting chased by their past until it catches up."

I place a comforting hand on her shoulder. "On the other hand, letting go of your past means that you make peace with it. Accept that what happened, happened. Facing your past hurts – it always does. But the sooner you face the pain, the less it will chain you down. That's why mourning your loved ones is so important."

Cordelia's expression softens upon hearing my explanation. She places a hand on top of mine.

"But… Won't moving on mean that I abandon the memories of them?"

I smile. "No. It just means you grow as a person. Your past with your knight-sisters is a vital part of who you are today. Never forget that, and never forget _them_." Then my face grows serious again. "Remember, you always have a choice. You can either live in the past, or make peace with it and let it help you grow."

Cordelia smiles as the tear finally escapes her eye. "Thank you, Jack." Then, much to my surprise, she pulls me into a hug. "Thank you so much for your kind words."

I awkwardly return the hug. "Um… You're welcome?"

As we separate, Cordelia regards me curiously.

"I never expected to hear someone so close to my age say the things you did. How did you acquire such wisdom?"

A few lessons in counseling and, surprisingly, video games and animé.

"I…had the fortune of growing up with very wise people. People who were also kind enough to help me through painful and struggling times of my own."

The Pegasus knight smiles again. "Then you're blessed indeed to have grown up with such wonderful people. I'll try making peace with my past, no matter how long it takes."

I smile back. "Take as much time as you need, Cordelia. And don't worry. You're not alone – not as long as you're with us. We'll help you through the pain."

At this moment, I notice a certain prince approach us, courtesy to Mind's eye. A mischievous thought enters my mind upon realizing who I'm talking to.

"Well, see you later." I tell Cordelia before walking past her – right as Chrom rounds the corner.

"Why, hello, Chrom!" I greet the prince enthusiastically. "Just the man I was looking for! See, Cordelia wanted to talk with you, but she couldn't find you. I just agreed to help her searching, but here you are!"

Chrom looks at me, baffled at my sudden enthusiasm. Nonetheless, he nods and regards the Pegasus knight standing behind me.

I turn around to see Cordelia's face morphed into a mix of surprise, joy, awkwardness and terror, complete with a blush that matches her hair color.

I send her a wink before leaving the two of them with a wave over my shoulder.

"Well, I'm off. Remember, Cordelia; take as much time as you need."

 **Your relationship with Cordelia has improved! Your relationship with Cordelia is now "Trusted"!**

I don't care what canon says about these two never being able to get married. I may see any Awakening related media through some very selective views, but I always feel the developers are constantly teasing us with a potential Chrom-delia ship that simply never sets sail. Well, the canon can screw itself on that matter! I want to see these two together. And if I have to pull a few strings… Well, no one can complain if their marriage ends up a happy one, right? I hope Sumia finds an alternate special someone, though.

* * *

I put down two buckets of water on the table in front of Robin.

"All right. Time for your first lesson in performing the Rasengan." I tell her with a grin.

Robin looks at the buckets with a sceptic expression.

"Jack, how are a pair of buckets going to help me learn your technique?"

"Well, when you break it down, the Rasengan is essentially an extremely complex mana channeling exercise that's been weaponized. What I'm going to teach you is how to perform the various parts of this exercise. How well they will mesh together when you apply them in combat will be up to you." I explain.

I pick up a bucket and sit down beside the Tactician.

"The Rasengan can basically be broken down into three steps. To use it, you need to perform all three steps at the same time. We'll begin by you learning one step at a time. Step one is rotating your mana."

To demonstrate, I channel my mana in a way that makes the water in the bucket form a mini whirlpool. Robin looks down at the moving liquid curiously.

"That's it? I'm just going to rotate the water using my mana?" she asks.

"Well, that's how you'll start learning the first step. Grab the other bucket and try for yourself."

Robin nods and takes the other bucket.

"Now I want you to close your eyes. Imagine your mana like a needle thin thread. Now, take one end of that thread and guide it. The rest of the thread should follow naturally. Guide the thread in a circular motion. Make sure it rotates in a steady rhythm. Keep it up. There, now you can open your eyes."

As Robin opens her eyes, she sees the water in her bucket swirl in a mini whirlpool.

"Well, that was easy." Robin comments with a smile.

I give her a knowing smile in return. "Considering your skill at channeling mana, I agree – on this level on step one. Now it gets trickier." I show her my bucket again. This time, I add another direction, making the whirlpool swirl at two different angles simultaneously.

"This time, I want you to add another stream of mana. This stream is meant to rotate in the same direction as the first you made. However, you must make both streams rotate at different angles at the same time without either of them breaking."

Robin nods before looking down in her own bucket and focusing. She's having markedly less success with this one.

"Nngh… This is much harder than the last one." she eventually says.

"That's the real challenge of step one." I comment. "It's one thing to rotate your mana in a single direction continuously. To do so with two or more requires the ability to split your attention between each stream of mana until you can manage several different angles at the same time as easily as breathing."

I show her my bucket for one last demonstration. "Once you master this step, you'll be able to do something like this."

Robin looks down to see the water in my bucket swirl in a vaguely spherical shape, with some water occasionally breaking the form, only to quickly return to the round shape.

The sight leaves her in awe. "Wow…"

"It's one thing trying to withstand mana that rotates in one direction. It's an entirely different story when the mana rotates in more directions than you can count. That's the secret behind the Rasengan's penetrative ability." I explain. "The rotation is the foundation of this technique. Mastering it is crucial."

Robin looks up from my bucket with a determined expression.

"I'll master this step before you know it, Jack. Count on it."

I smile at her determination.

"All right. I'll take your word for it. Just don't put too much time on it at the expense on the other areas you practice in. And whatever you do, don't push yourself too hard. It was bad enough that you missed out on supper once because you fell asleep in the middle of your studies."

Robin smiles back. "I know. I'll be careful. Thank you for taking care of me when I fell asleep, by the way."

My mind registers the last sentence just as I'm about to rise from the table. The result? I end up bashing my knee under the tabletop in surprise.

"Ow! Wait, you knew it was me?!" I ask her bewildered as I rub my knee.

"I knew it was _someone_." Robin explains. "I just didn't know who. The way you reacted to what I said pretty much confirmed my suspicions."

That sly fox.

"When did you notice? I thought you slept through the whole thing."

"I woke up when you pulled the boots off my feet before tucking me into bed. At first, I thought that was it." A gentle smile forms on her face. "Imagine my surprise when you came in some time later and left some food on my nightstand. And you even brushed a lock of hair out of my face. That's the sweetest thing anyone has done for me. Well, as far as I can remember, that is."

I feel my face heat up as the truth settles in. This means she basically noticed everything I did. Ah, s-it. This feels awkward.

"Uh… W-well, let that be a lesson for you." I manage to force out as I turn to the doorway and make my way there with somewhat robotic movement. "Just- Just don't expect me to do it every time you fall asleep. Not that I'd mi- I mean, I won't always be there! Uh, what I'm trying to say is, uh, remember to get enough sleep!"

Robin's laughter at my actions follows me as I walk through the corridors. That laughter simultaneously makes me happy and makes me want to crawl up in a hole somewhere and hope the ground swallows me whole. That woman seems to know exactly how to knock me off-kilter. Merciful Naga, what is WRONG with me?!

 **Your relationship with Robin has improved!**

Not helping, Game!

* * *

"Yah!" *Fwoom!*

I exit Flavia's residence to see Miriel practicing fire magic on a training dummy. Looks like she's taking a more direct approach to prepare for battle this time around.

In fact, finding her here may be the perfect opportunity to check off something that been topping my bucket list for some time now.

"Hello, Miriel." I greet the Mage.

Miriel looks away from the training dummy that she just charred with her latest Fire spell.

"Hello, Jack." she greets back.

"How's spell training coming along?" I ask her.

Miriel adjusts her glasses. "Progress has been acceptable. The efficacy at which I can cast spells has increased significantly during these past few weeks. That only applies in theory, however. In a battle, casting spells at full power while staying aware of the enemy has proven to be difficult."

I nod as I slowly process what she just said. So, what she's saying is that it's one thing casting magic on a training dummy, but applying that success in a real fight is a lot harder. Sounds reasonable.

"Well, I guess the battle part can be solved with combat experience." I reply after some thought. "I know it worked for me."

Miriel nods. "That is the conclusion I myself reached after some discussion with Ricken. Though, knowing you, you did not begin a conversation with me for the sole purpose of checking on my progress at using magic."

It honestly scares me how fast she can observe this kind of stuff. I shudder at the thought of what would happen if she learned Observe. She'd have a field day on everything around her.

I nod. "You're right, I wasn't. You see, I've considered trying my hand on magic as well."

Miriel raises an eyebrow. "I was not aware you had interest in the arcane arts. While I have observed that you have abilities that are magical in nature, you have yet to battle in a way that suggests that you use spells per se."

"That's the thing." I reply. "I've been thinking hard on how I want to build my fighting style, and I realized integrating some magic into it will be an important step. That's why I came to see you, since you have the deepest understanding of magic out of all the Shepherds."

Miriel nods. "I see. While I do not consider myself a master at magic by any means, I consider myself competent enough to at least teach you the basics. Since you have already displayed aptitude in channeling mana, we can go to casting spells immediately."

Sweet! "So, how are we gonna do this?" I ask with a grin.

The Mage reaches into her robes and pulls out a green tome, which she hands to me. "I happen to have a spare Wind tome with me. I generally use it to conduct experiments, though it sees little use in battle."

* * *

 **Wind, Tome, Common  
** _The most basic of all wind-element tomes. Aspiring mages often practice with these tomes due to the simplicity of basic wind magic and the relative ease of manufacturing these tomes. While not the most effective instrument in battle, it always provides a reliable fallback, should all else fail.  
Passively increases damage dealt from wind-element magic by 5 %. The cost for all wind-element spells is reduced by 2 %. Requirement to wield: None_

* * *

How interesting. As I read through the Observe log, I notice that there's something in here that I expected, but didn't find.

"There's something that I've been wondering for a long time, Miriel. Whenever I see anyone cast a spell, they always seem to need a tome to cast it. Is holding a tome necessary to cast spells?"

"No." the Mage answers. "However, the pages in a spell tome are written with ink that has spirit dust mixed in it. Channeling mana through the tome not only makes it easier to cast spells from that very element, you also need less mana due to spirit dust having the ability to absorb ambient mana. More advanced tomes have a higher concentration of spirit dust mixed in the ink. The higher the concentration, the more skill is required to channel mana through the tome properly."

I scratch my head at the information. "That sounds very complicated. Does that mean apprentices should never touch any high-level tomes?"

Miriel scowls. "Under absolutely no circumstances! Many may find magic fascinating, but they forget the forces involved in casting it. A practitioner attempting to use a tome too advanced would end up channeling too much mana through the tome, resulting in the spell going out of control. The results could be disastrous!"

I gulp at the implications. Guess there's a point in tome ranks after all. It also explains why no one would, say, place the Valflame tome in the hands of an amateur. Poor guy would probably reduce himself to cinders in his first attempt to cast fire magic from it.

"This tome should give us a measure of your aptitude in casting spells." Miriel explains. "Try channeling some mana through the tome and aim your hand at one of the training dummies on the other side of the courtyard."

I nod and face the training dummies. Like with how I learned the Mana soles skill, I try with as little mana as I can at first, and steadily increase the output. After some experimenting, I feel something. I become aware of the mana flowing through the tome in my left hand. While my mana normally feels…bland…it now feels…light. Like it could move with a freedom I never thought possible.

"It seems to work." Miriel comments. "Now, strike!"

"Wind!" I shout as I take aim at a training dummy.

*Fwoosh!*

A ball of compressed air saturated in mana flies from my hand and hits the training dummy with a dull impact.

* * *

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action! You gained "Wind mastery"!**

 **Wind mastery, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive  
** _Air bending, wind-style jutsus, aeromancy, call it whatever the heck you want. Air is the element of freedom. It surrounds all living beings (above sea level) and travels where nothing else reaches. Many take it for granted because of its constant presence, never realizing the implications. Those who master the element of wind become legends in their own right, performing stunning feats with just skill and the very air they breathe. A wind master is never out of their element, making them dangerous to fight just about anywhere.  
Passively increases damage dealt with wind-element magic by 5 %. The cost of all wind-element skills is reduced by 5 %.  
Mastered spells: Wind_

* * *

Wow… This feels…strange. I know I'm constantly surrounded by air, but it feels like it's only now that I'm aware of that very fact.

"It would seem you succeeded in learning wind magic." Miriel observes from my side.

I look at my right hand for a while before clenching it. Yes. This is exactly what I need to become stronger. Now to find ways to integrate the wind element in my fighting style.

"Thanks, Miriel." I answer the Mage with a smile. "This should help me immensely."

Miriel nods. "Short as it was, I found it…satisfying to have a student. I wish you the best of fortune in trying to learn the arcane arts, should you wish to pursue it."

I really wish I had a better way of thanking her than just words. I mean, she helped me learn the element I need to expand my skillset, so it's only fair I give her something that-

Wait… I DO have something for her.

I rummage around in my bag a bit before finding what I was looking for.

"Say, want to trade tomes?" I ask Miriel as I show her a red tome.

Miriel gives the tome a curious look.

"An Elfire tome. Where did you get this?" the Mage asks.

"Remember when we fought off those assassins back in Ylisstol? Their leader dropped it after we defeated him. I think you'll make better use of it than I do." I explain.

Miriel accepts the red tome with a smile. "Why, thank you. I do believe I am capable of using it effectively at my current skill level. This should help me significantly in future battles. I originally planned to let you keep the Wind tome, should you learn how to cast wind magic, though I see no harm in swapping tomes with you."

I return the smile. "Great! Well, I'm gonna go practice somewhere else. Good luck on your own practice."

 **Your relationship with Miriel has improved!**

* * *

I'm currently sitting in the room I was provided for the duration of our stay here. Now that I'm alone, I can address something that I've been carrying on me for quite some time; the skill book I received when I first cleared the Bokoblin ID. According to the cover, it grants the skill "Soul drain". Sounds a bit morbid, but it might come in handy.

* * *

 **A new skill has become available by consuming a skill book! You gained "Soul drain"!**

 **Soul drain, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 20 MP per second  
** _A skill that lets the caster drain the life force of their target through direct contact. There is no defense against this technique, other than keeping your distance. There are few things as agonizing as the feeling of having you soul drained out of your body, so expect anyone afflicted with this skill to fight back.  
Base damage: 100 % of the caster's INT. Restores HP equal to half the damage dealt. Element: none. Can only be used through direct contact. If the target is killed by use of this skill, the caster can rip their soul out of the body, allowing the caster to view that target's memories._

* * *

Ripping the souls of my enemies out of their bodies? This skill…sounds brutal. Still, I won't deny that it could work wonders in a fight. It seems to basically function like a close-range Nosferatu spell, except it has no element. Hm… Wonder if I can infuse this skill with some wind magic down the line. Better practice the basic skills first though. With that, I get ready for my nightly training.

Speaking of infusing wind into my current skills; there _is_ a skill that I've been thinking about for some time now. I have a very varied skillset compared to most other characters in this world. Yet, for all my diversity, Lucina showed me that there is one aspect that I've yet to cover; movement. I need a high-speed movement skill. That's one of the reasons why I chose wind as my element (which Miriel was kind enough to help me with). If there is one element that allows for improved movement, it's wind.

I stand on the plains of my UBW and contemplate how I'm supposed to do this, as my clones are busy practicing various skills, mainly Wind mastery. I know how the wave dash works from a theoretical standpoint, but I'm not sure if I can move my body that way. Future-me may have figured something out, but I'm not Future-me. I need something…simpler. Something that works with my current skillset.

Well, the most movement-based skill I have right now is Mana soles, so that might be a good starting point. Let's see… Mana soles works in that I make a disc of mana under my feet to spread my weight over a wider area. I wonder… Can I use that disk for more than just that? What if I, say, used it as a platform, or any kind of solid surface?

I perform Mana soles to experiment. While I think I can run and jump pretty well, I'm not that confident in calling it high-speed level unless Reinforcement is involved. That means I have to add that into the mix as well. Much to my pleasant surprise, I find that I can indeed use the disc as a solid foothold to jump. Some more experimenting allows me to even kick off these discs while they're angled in such a way that I push forward much better. Now to add wind magic to the pu- Whoa!

I barely manage to stop myself before I run into a clone who's practicing swordplay with Guts's Dragon slayer. That thing's dangerous, man!

* * *

 **A new skill has been created through a special action! You gained "Gale step"!**

* * *

Ha! Just the skill I wanted! That should round up the new skills I want for now. Let's get training!

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

The following few days passed with nothing of note happening. Everyone spent their free time practicing or sparring to prepare for battle. Well, Cordelia spent most of her time mourning her fallen knight-sisters. As down as she was when we arrived, she seemed to improve markedly. That, more than anything, seemed to lift everyone's morale a bit.

As for me, my days involved sparring with Lon'qu and enduring Frederick's fanatical fitness hours, while my nights were mainly spent practicing my new element and the skills that go with it.

It's been about five days since we arrived, and still no sign of us getting ready to march.

I just finished my latest spar with Lon'qu when I notice Chrom, Lissa and Sumia stand outside Flavia's audience hall. Lissa looks like she's on pins and needles, Chrom looks like he's somewhere else entirely, and Sumia looks between the two siblings in concern.

"B-but she's safe inside the castle, right?" Lissa asks seemingly everyone and no one at the same time with a worried voice. "Phila and the others will protect her! And Khan Flavia is assembling her best troops as we speak. We'll make it back home in time. I know we will!"

Silence is the only answer Chrom gives her.

Lissa scowls. "Chrom? Say something! Say, "Yes, of course we will!""

Chrom finally reacts to his sister trying to reach him. "…I'm sorry, Lissa. What?"

"Ugh, fine! Never mind!" the princess huffs. "Let me know when you get out of your own head for a second!"

Chrom stares at the ground in a mixture of anxiety and shame. Poor guy must be more worried for Emmeryn than anyone else – including Lissa.

That's when Sumia approaches the prince with a determined expression.

"Snap out of it, Captain!"

*Pow!*

Ouch! That's one mean right hook she's packing! Doesn't help that she's wearing metal gauntlets, either.

The blow almost floors Chrom. Instead, he remains standing with a swollen cheek.

"OW! …What the h-ll was that for?!" Chrom shouts.

Sumia gets startled by Chrom's outburst. "Oh no! …Did I do it wrong? Captain Phila says sometimes a good slap will break someone out of their doldrums."

Lissa facepalms at her explanation. "Sumia, when you slap someone, you do it with an open palm. You just punched Chrom in the face!"

Sumia's face turns an interesting shade of red as she finds the ground very interesting. "Um… It's the thought that counts?" she replies uncertainly. Girl, had Chrom been anyone else, you would've probably been arrested for assaulting royalty. Thank Naga Chrom is Chrom.

Chrom winces as he rubs his swollen cheek. "Gods, that seriously hurt…"

Flavia enters the scene laughing. "Ha ha! What's wrong, my dear prince? Sometimes love hurts! You're lucky to have strong women like these, and not just dainty flowers about." Then her face grows serious. "In any case, I have good news and bad news."

Chrom faces the reigning khan with a hopeful face.

"*Sigh* Might as well hear the bad news first."

"I've hit a snag in mobilizing my troops." Flavia explains. "Raimi's brigade is stuck north of here trying to drive off some bandits. I can't march into battle without my most trusted captain."

Lissa's eyes widen at the news. "What?! Are you having bandit troubles here too?"

"Just about every country has trouble with bandits." Flavia replies with a scowl. "These ones, however, are an especially worrisome bunch. They're led by two fearsome berserkers that call themselves "the twins". They and their band of underlings have plagued eastern Ferox for months. I've sent what troops I could spare in the hopes of rooting them out and get rid of them for good, but they always manage to give my men the slip. Or worse, they kill the soldiers and then keep on pillaging."

"So, you're telling me you can't mobilize all of your troops until these "twins" are brought to justice?" Chrom asks.

"Or put to the sword, whichever you prefer." Flavia adds. "Honestly, I don't really care, so long as I get rid of them. Those are the good news. If I can get Raimi back among my soldiers, I'm good to go."

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Side quest: Rooting out the twins (part 1)  
** _Flavia's all ready to kick some Plegian butt – almost. The last of the troops she wants to bring are still busy fighting a group of bandits led by fearsome twin Berserkers. If they go, Flavia can assemble the last of her troops. Why not lend her a hand? You've got some experience fighting bandits already.  
_ **Objectives:** _Defeat Victor  
_ **Rewards:** _Increased standing with Regna Ferox, Increased closeness with Chrom, Increased closeness with Lissa, 3 000 EXP, 3 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _?, 300 EXP, 300 gold  
_ **Failure:** _Flavia will need more time to assemble her troops, resulting in you having to wait longer. Decreased standing with Regna Ferox. Decreased closeness with Chrom. Decreased closeness with Lissa._

* * *

Well, why not?

"Then why don't we help?" I ask.

Everyone turns to me with surprised expressions.

"Jack?" Chrom asks surprised. "When did you get here?"

I shrug. "A bit before Sumia clocked you in the face."

Said Pegasus knight tries to look as inconspicuous as possible.

"Anyway, care to elaborate on what you said, Jack?" Flavia asks.

"It's simple." I reply. "You can't assemble the rest of your troops because those bandits are giving you trouble, right, Khan Flavia? Well, if those bandits are the only problem stopping you, then we should find the best way to handle them. We haven't had much to do since arriving here, aside from getting ready for war. We might as well lend your troops a hand, so they can finish up quicker. That means we can go back to the capital with reinforcements faster too." I glance at Chrom. "That is, if it's acceptable for you, Captain?"

Chrom smiles in response. "Jack, that's brilliant! I can tell some of the Shepherds have been itching for some action during our stay here. We can help Khan Flavia with her bandit problem and let off some stress in the process."

The prince turns to the khan. "Well, what say you, Khan Flavia?"

Flavia grins happily. "Hah! Do you even need to ask? Of course I accept. Do with them as you wish, so long as you get rid of them. I'll keep my end of the bargain and have my troops ready afterwards. Count on it!"

There's finally a fire in Chrom's eyes again. "All right. Then we head out to face these "twins" and rid Ferox of their banditry. Everyone, gather the Shepherds!"

Half an hour later, we're all gathered outside Flavia's residence and ready to set out, save for our Pegasus Knights.

"What's taking Sumia and Cordelia so long?" Chrom mutters for himself impatiently.

"Sorry for the delay, Captain!" we hear Sumia shout as she runs up to us – with no pegasus in tow.

This is quickly picked up by everyone.

"Sumia? Where's your pegasus?" Chrom asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Her left wing got wounded during a training exercise a few days ago." Sumia explains sadly. "She needs about one more day before it's fully recovered. I'm sorry, Captain, but I have to stay and tend to her."

Chrom smiles at her reassuringly. "Don't worry. Your pegasus takes precedence. We'll handle the bandits and get back before you know it. Just make sure her wing heals properly."

Sumia brightens up before she settles on a determined expression. "Thank you, Captain! I'll make sure she's ready to fly again by the time you return."

Chrom nods before getting contemplative. "Still, this means we won't have anyone watching the skies for this mission. Jack, I trust you to scout the area ahead thoroughly as we advance."

I'm about to answer when someone else beats me to it.

"Captain Chrom, wait!"

We turn our heads in the direction Sumia came from to notice Cordelia in full combat gear and her pegasus by her side.

"Cordelia?" Chrom asks surprised.

"Whew. Looks like I made it in time." the red-headed Pegasus Knight pants as she reaches us.

"Wait, you're going with us?" Lissa asks.

Cordelia nods. "Yes. I'll be your eye in the sky in Sumia's place."

"Are you sure about this, Cordelia?" Chrom asks uneasily. "Last time we talked, the…you know…"

The Pegasus Knight nods. "Yes, the memories still weigh heavily on me, but I can't let them keep me on the ground forever. If I want to be part of the Shepherds, as well as continue the legacy my knight-sisters entrusted me with, I have to pull my weight."

Sumia looks down in…shame?

"I didn't want her to go, but she insisted." Then she turns to her fellow Pegasus Knight. "Please, Cordelia. You don't have to force yourself for my sake."

Cordelia shakes her head with determination practically burning in her eyes. "I appreciate your concern, Sumia, but I have to do this. If I don't stand up and fight now, I'll never be able to take to the skies again. I can't feel sorry for myself forever." Then she smiles at me. "Besides, I'm not doing this alone. I have comrades backing me up."

I give her a thumbs-up and a grin. Looks like her spark is finally returning. That's when an idea pops up in my head.

"Well, Sumia brings up a good point. Don't push yourself on our behalf. This'll be the first time you fight since you joined us. Take baby steps, Cordelia." I smile wryly. "In fact, I think you'd be safest fighting alongside Chrom for this mission."

Cordelia's cheeks turn red at my response. "W-what?! M-me…with the Captain?"

I shrug. "Why not? I've fought alongside Chrom before, so I know that he's a reliable partner. Besides, something tells me you two will make a good team." I turn to Chrom for confirmation. "That is, if you agree, Captain."

Chrom puts his hand on his chin for a moment before he nods. "That sounds like a sensible plan." Then he smiles at Cordelia. "All right, Cordelia. You can count on me to have your back, just like I'll be counting on you."

Cordelia's face lights up with a smile to match her blush. "Oh gods, yes! Ah- I mean, yes, sir!"

Duuude… Girl's got it _at least_ as bad for the prince as Sumia. Speaking of Sumia, I notice her expression show something akin to…betrayal, I think.

Sigh. This is the only reason why I feel bad about going with this. I _know_ how much Sumia likes Chrom, but I'm aware how much the prince means for Cordelia too. In the end, I want Cordelia to be the one with him, no matter what canon says.

Dang it, Sumia, you need to broaden your horizons! You're a Pegasus Knight, for crying out loud! You, if anyone, should have the broader perspective!

* * *

A few hours of marching later, we come upon a merchant holding a wounded soldier.

"Blast… It seems all hope is lost." the merchant sighs in a resigned voice. "Still, hold fast. I'll treat your wounds…"

"Ngh… It's t-too late…" the soldier groans.

"What's happened here?!" Chrom shouts as he runs up to the pair. Lissa and Maribelle are right behind him with their staves at the ready.

"Nothing but death ahead, travelers." the merchant replies. "I'd turn back if I were you… Whatever your business here, it will have to wait."

Chrom places a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Just tell us what happened."

"Bandits have blocked the road ahead." the merchant explains. "They're demanding a king's ransom in illicit tolls for all who wish to pass."

Chrom scowls. "They think to profiteer on refugees? Despicable."

"Our caravan's livelihood is at stake." the merchant sighs. "We'll do no business in this country now…"

"The flow of goods must be secured, milord, or the people are likely to starve." Frederick remarks.

"Then we'll secure it." Chrom replies. Then he turns to the merchant. "You and your caravan can wait here. We'll let you know when it's safe."

"There, all done." Lissa speaks up pleased.

Our attention turns to the Cleric and Maribelle, as well as the soldier being back up on his feet.

"Thank you." the soldier sighs relieved. "For a minute, I thought I was a goner."

"You're a soldier under Captain Raimi's command, aren't you?" Chrom asks. At the soldier confirming it, Chrom asks. "May we see her? We're here on behalf of Khan Flavia to help her with a certain bandit problem. Judging by what the merchant told us, I'd say we found a trail."

"I-I'm afraid we don't have time." the soldier tells us. "I was sent by Captain Raimi to scout the area when some of the twins' underlings got the better of me and almost killed me. Right as I was about to pass out, I heard them talking about raiding one of the nearby villages."

Robin's eyes widen before they set in a determined scowl. "He's right, we don't have time to see Raimi, Chrom. If we go to her now, the village could be razed to the ground before we can stop the bandits."

Chrom nods in agreement. "All right. Lead the way. Shepherds! We're moving out! Prepare for battle!"

* * *

We've taken cover in a forest not far from the village the soldier told us about. Everyone's preparing their weapons and gear for the incoming battle. Me? I'm waiting for my informant.

"Jack, we need to move out soon." Chrom reminds me. "We can't afford to wait much longer."

"And you don't need to." I answer with a smirk as I hear some bushes rustling. A squirrel with white fur on top of his head jumps out of the foliage and lands before me. After letting the little animal feast on a nut, I crouch down to address him.

"Jiraiya, report."

The squirrel swallows the last of the nut before he begins his report.

" _You've got your work cut out for you, Jack. There's a sizable group of bandits to the south, with a few more approaching from the mountains in the east. They've set their sights on the village up north, on the other side of the river. If you want to stop them, you have to move fast. Their leader looks ridiculous, but I can tell he's strong, so you need to be careful too."_

The squirrel waggles his eyebrows. _"Incidentally, I noticed a cute redhead standing outside the village. I think she's actually trying to protect it from the bandits, though I think she wouldn't mind some help. Who knows? If you help her out, you might find yourself a hot-"_

*Whack!*

Jiraiya holds his head in pain as I dismiss the Tree branch that I Traced on a moment's notice. "Finish that sentence, and I'll rat out your secret to Tsunade." I tell Jiraiya with a bored, yet threatening, voice.

" _I'll be good!"_ the squirrel squeaks fearfully before he darts back into the foliage.

I stand back up with a sigh. I swear, those squirrels are nutcases in more ways than one. I turn to address our Tactician.

"Alright, Robin, here's what we're up against."

As I relay the information I got from Jiraiya, Robin nods occasionally while being deep in thought.

"I have a plan." she eventually says. "Jack, how fast can you run?"

I smirk at her question. "I could use some more practice, but right now, I could probably keep up with Cordelia's pegasus."

The Pegasus Knight looks at me in shock. "What?! How would that even be possible? Humans can hardly keep pace with an ordinary horse, let alone a pegasus."

I activate Gale step and run a few circles around the Shepherds before I stop with a grin. "You're telling me."

Everyone present gape at my movement speed.

"Holy crow, Jack! Since when can you do that?!" Lissa asks, being the first to recover from her shock.

"Since a few days ago." I reply. "I decided to experiment a little with the snow-walking trick and my new wind magic, and presto! Now I can run really fast!"

Robin shakes her head to regain her composure. "Uh, all right. This… This could give us an important edge in future battles." It's not long before she slips back into strategy mode. "You know where the village is. Head there and help the mysterious woman protect it. Chrom, Cordelia, Frederick, Maribelle and Ricken. Follow Jack's lead. The rest of you, you're with me. We'll attack the bandits approaching from the south and stop them from even coming near the village."

Chrom nods at the battle plan before he gets on Cordelia's pegasus (much to her apparent joy and embarrassment) and draws Falchion.

"All right, you have your orders. Shepherds, move out!"

 **BGM: Freeze!, Paper Mario music**

At Chrom's signal, I let Gale step loose and dash off at break neck speeds with snow flying into the air in my wake. I faintly hear the others call for me to slow down.

There's only one problem with that… I haven't figured out how to do anything other than dash and stop with this skill yet!

"Ride faster!" I shout behind me, hoping against all odds that they heard my unreasonable plea.

I soon come up against a few bandits resting close to the bridge going over the stream in the area. Deciding to simply wing it, I spin up a Rasengan and take aim at the closest one.

"Incoming!" *Boom!*

All my momentum from my high-speed charge was put into that one attack. The result? Uh, I think the bandit flew somewhere beyond the forest over the yonder. Well, at least I managed to stop.

The remaining bandits look at me in shock. Then they look at the spot where their buddy was slacking off right beside them until a second ago. Back to me. _Then_ they grab their weapons and charge me. I draw my Windcleaver in response and jump back while unleashing a few windblades. I manage to kill a Mage during my retreat, but his two Myrmidon allies make it through the barrage. I'm about to engage them when a shadow flies over my head.

"I got this!" *Shink!*

"We're not done yet!" *Shing!*

Cordelia and Chrom just caught up with me and felled the two Myrmidons with a head-on assault.

Chrom scowls at me as he turns my way. "Jack, we told you to slow down!"

I scratch the back of my head. "Sorry, Chrom. Haven't figured out how to do that just yet with my new technique." That's when the others finally catch up as well, with Ricken hitching a ride on L'Arachel.

The prince sighs. "Well, this just got more complicated."

I shake my head. "Look, I can't control my speed yet, but I still have enough control to decide where to go. The village shouldn't be far from here. I can run ahead while Cordelia keeps an eye on me. The rest of you guys should be able to follow her lead."

"That's a risky plan." Cordelia protests. "There's bound to be more bandits along the way."

"They won't be a problem if they don't see me coming." I reply smirking. "Trust me, I've got this." I then turn serious. "I understand your concern, but we're pressed for time here. We need to reach that village as fast as possible, and that means I can't afford to slow down."

Chrom looks a bit pensive before he nods. "You're right. Just… Just be careful, all right?"

I nod back. "Will do, Captain." I turn to Cordelia. "Keep your eyes trained on me. I'll clear a path for the others."

Thanks to my mini-map, I know exactly where to find that village. I set myself in that direction.

"Here I go!" *Fwoosh!*

Now, running straight into a forest at break-neck speeds would normally be a recipe for disaster. That is, if I _did_ do this the normal way. As I approach the tree line, I activate Mind's eye, giving me the perfect view of the approaching forest. I can see where every tree grows, where every snag lays on the ground, and most importantly, where every bandit hides within my range. Between my omnidirectional "sight", quick adjustments with Reinforcements and liberal use of the tree trunks, I practically zip and bounce between the trees like a hyperactive human-sized squirrel as I traverse the forest. And since the bandits inside don't catch on to me until I'm practically right on top of them, that means I have the perfect opportunity for sneak attacking them. It's a blessing, really, seeing as they have Archers hiding among the trees. Can't have those around if Cordelia wants to spot me from the sky.

*Shing! Shing! Shr-Boom!*

I mainly try to carve a path through the woods for Frederick and Maribelle to ride through smoothly. Doesn't mean I can't off a few bandits while I'm at it.

"Hyah!" *Whoosh! SHING!*

I unleash a particularly hard swing and launch a big windblade that cleaves a wide berth of trees in front of me all the way to the exit of the woods. As I pass the tree line, the village finally comes into view. I speed ahead and notice fighting happening in front of the village. A lone redhead fends off three bandits simultaneously, though it looks like she's taken a few hits, judging from her pained expression and the tears in her outfit. To make matters worse, a few bandits try to sneak around the fighting with their sights on the defenseless village instead. What do I choose? Help the brave lady or protect the village?

…

Who am I kidding?! Shadow clones for the win!

*Poof, poof, poof!*

"Protect the village! I'll help her!" I command my clones. They give a quick affirmative before rushing off to intercept the bandits.

With the village handled, I set my sights on the fight outside it. Time to even the numbers.

*Shink!* "Guah!"

The Barbarian cries out as I ram my Windcleaver through his back with the speed of an arrow. Before anyone can react to my sudden entrance, I kick the bandit off my sword and slash him clean across the back. He's dead before he hits the ground.

The bandits quickly back off upon finally realizing what just happened. That lets me sidle up by the redhead. You guessed it, it's an Anna.

"Am I late for the party?" I ask while keeping an eye on the bandits.

Anna smiles at me gratefully. "You're just in time, cutie. Thanks for the save. …That _was_ a freebie, right?"

I roll my eyes at her question. Leave it to the Annas to think of money and favors even when their lives are on the line.

"Take it whichever way you want." I reply. "I'm mainly here to get rid of these bandits and make sure you don't get yourself killed for protecting the village."

"Aw, that's so sweet of you! Now I get why my cousin back in Ylisstol spoke so fondly of you."

"I'd think you were twins, had you not said that."

"Yeah, me and my relatives get that a lot."

You don't say, girl…

The Myrmidons charge us with their swords ready for…horizontal slashes! Anna jumps over the left one while I crouch under the right. My adversary put way too much commitment into that attack, giving me the perfect opening for a rising slash. He barely has time to take a step back before I land and finish him with a slash across the chest. Man, after all those spars with Lon'qu, fighting swordsmen at this level barely qualifies as a warm-up.

Anna parries and dodges the slashes of her opponent a few times before she rushes in, baits a slash, and then flips her sword in a reverse grip. A clean strike across the Myrmidon's neck leaves him bleeding out on the ground.

"Whew. I can handle a few bandits just fine, but these guys just keep coming." Anna sighs. "I'm running low on supplies as it is with all the hits I've taken. Please tell me you've got some Vulneraries."

I smile as I notice a familiar Pegasus Knight pass the tree line.

"Better. I've got reinforcements coming in. And one of them happens to be a Troubadour."

Maribelle and Frederick clear the woods not long after. We're soon gathered in front of the village with Maribelle healing Anna's wounds. Boy, were the Shepherds surprised upon discovering that the Anna here is merely the cousin to the Anna running the smithy in Ylisstol.

"Thanks for the help, sweetie." Anna says happily to Maribelle as the last wounds heal up.

"That should clear things up for the vicinity of this village, correct?" Frederick asks.

I shake my head. "Not quite, Frederick. I heard that more bandits are on their way from the mountains in the east. They're fewer than the ones approaching from the south, but Robin and the others should have those covered."

Chrom gazes towards the mountains with narrowed eyes. "Do you think we can intercept them?"

I mull the question over in my head. "Maybe if we're fast enough. Me and Cordelia would obviously be the first ones to reach them. Frederick and Ricken can provide back-up when they catch up. Though it would be risky if any bandits from the south manage to slip away and head for the village."

"Leave those to me, then." Anna suggests. She places a hand on her flexing biceps with a smile. "Thanks to you guys, I'm good to go for another fight – though I'd prefer not fighting at all."

"And I need to tend to any refugees in the village who are injured." Maribelle adds.

"Uh, sorry guys, but could I stay in the village?" Ricken asks. We look at him surprised.

"It's just… I don't want to leave Maribelle alone." the young Mage explains.

Maribelle places a hand on his shoulder and smirks confidently. "Come now, Ricken. I may not be a frontline fighter, but I am far from defenseless. I can handle a ruffian or two just fine."

The fact that she singlehandedly beat four trained soldiers into the ground wielding nothing but her parasol and her own body reinforces that point. Ricken looks down on the ground and bites his lip before he nods.

"Stay safe, Maribelle." He tells the Troubadour before he gets on Frederick's horse.

"That's what I should be telling you." Maribelle mutters before heading into the village.

Chrom climbs back up on Cordelia's pegasus. "All right. Let's go stop those bandits. If we're fast enough, we should make it back in time to help Robin and the others."

We all nod before I start running, with Cordelia taking to the skies and Frederick setting off not far behind.

* * *

We spot the bandits from the other side of a bridge, just as they clear the mountains. First order of business: kill the Archer!

*Shing!*

I slide to a top behind the bandit. The other bandits stare at me in confusion before they cry out in horror as the head of their Archer buddy slides off his neck from a clean cut. I turn around and point my Windcleaver at them.

"Next."

Their mistake, however, was turning around and focusing on me. That left their backs open for Cordelia and Chrom to crash down on them from behind in a brutal dual strike. Try as they might to recover from the attack and regroup, they only get a little time to struggle between the three of us before Fredrick barrels in full force with Ricken cleaning up with his newly taught lightning magic.

I calmly sheathe my sword behind my back. "That's the last of those bandits. All that's left are the ones coming from the south."

"Then we'd better hurry and be done with them." Chrom replies.

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Side quest: Rooting out the twins (part 1)  
** _After a hectic battle in the snow, the bandits have been pushed back from the Feroxi settlements. Flavia can finally mobilize the rest of her troops and get ready to fight Plegia. Though one question keeps bugging you. Only one of the twins were defeated. Where did the other one go?  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat Victor  
_ **Objective cleared!** _  
_ **Rewards:** _Your standing with Regna Ferox has increased! Your relationship with Chrom has improved! Your relationship with Lissa has improved! You gain 3000 EXP! You gain 3000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Don't let Anna die.  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _The prices in shops managed by an Anna is permanently reduced by 2 %! You gain 300 EXP! You gain 300 gold!_

 **BGM ends**

 **Due to continuous strenuous activity, STR increases by 2!  
Due to maneuvering through a dense obstacle area at high speed, DEX increases by 4!**

 **Your relationship with Lissa is now "Trusted"!**

* * *

"I don't think that'll be necessary." I tell the prince with a smile.

The others look at me in surprise.

"How can you tell?" Ricken finally asks.

I walk in the direction of the village. "Just a hunch."

* * *

Our return to the village is met with the other Shepherds waiting for us. My companions send me suspicious looks that I answer with a smile and no words. Hey, a hunch is a hunch.

"A thousand thanks, good sir." the merchant from earlier says while bowing to Chrom. "I'd feared our goods would spoil before reaching market. I'm certain the townsfolk will be happier for the fresh food as well."

"It seems you've done a kindness to my fellow merchants." Anna comments as she approaches the prince. "The name's Anna. Some folks like to call me the Secret Seller. Next time we meet, I'll be sure to cut you an extra-special deal."

Chrom rubs his chin in thought. "…Secret Seller? That sounds…familiar."

Anna gives him a teasing smile. "I'd tell you more, but then it wouldn't be much of a secret, now would it? Heck, you've already caught on a little, since you know my cousin living in the capital of Ylisse. Well, until next time."

With that, Anna sets off to Naga-knows-where, probably for her next business.

Chrom scratches his head. "I honestly can't wrap my head around that woman and her family."

I nod sagely. "Took the words out of my mouth, Chrom. Seeing just one of them leaves me confused. I know about family resemblance, but theirs is just ridiculous."

I glance to the side and notice Robin discuss with the soldier Lissa and Maribelle saved earlier. They seem to have reached an agreement of sorts, judging by him nodding.

"All right. I'll return to camp to let Captain Raimi hear the news. We should return to Khan Flavia soon."

The soldier sets off, leaving just us Shepherds and the village.

"It would seem our business here is finished." Frederick notes. "Well, milord? Shall we return to Kahn Flavia?"

Chrom nods. "Yes, let's."

* * *

We've barely made it back into Flavia's residence when we're met with Basilio running up to us.

"Chrom! Good gods, I've been looking for you everywhere!" the bald khan exclaims.

"Is something wrong?" Chrom asks.

"Our scouts have returned." Basilio explains. "Dark news, I'm afraid… Ylisstol…has fallen."

The news sends a wave of shock among our group.

"The plegians captured your exalt and retreated back across their lines. Gangrel has declared she's to be publicly executed within the moon."

Chrom looks like someone stabbed him in the gut. "E-executed?!"

Lissa begins to sway on her feet. "Ooooh…"

Good thing Maribelle's there to catch her. "Lissa? Darling! Stay with me!"

Flavia snarls. "The dastard's not even trying to be subtle anymore."

"I agree. It's an obvious trap." Robin adds scowling.

Basilio shakes his head. "The Mad King knew our scouts would relay this information back. It's clearly a provocation – a hot brand to the buttocks! We should consider our options carefully before jumping to any-"

"Shepherds! We march to Plegia!" Chrom orders without hesitation.

Basilio sighs. "*Ahem* Well, that would be ONE option, yes… But perhaps we've seen enough royalty waltzing into traps for one war already, eh?"

"I don't care if it's a trap, Basilio." Chrom answers. "He's going to murder my sister!"

"Peace, Chrom." Flavia interjects. "Breathe a moment. No one's suggesting we don't act. We're simply saying we should act _wisely_. We'll need guts _and_ wits in equal measure if we're to save your sister."

That's when Robin steps up with a determined expression. "The khans are right. I'll think of something, Chrom. I promise."

Chrom takes a few breaths before calming down. "…All right, Robin. I leave it to you to formulate our strategy."

"Are you certain you're up to the task, Robin?" Flavia asks seriously. "It won't be easy. You hold the exalt's life in one hand, and all of ours in the other."

Robin chews her lip for a moment before matching the intensity of Flavia's expression. "A responsibility I do not take lightly. But I am equal to the challenge."

Flavia laughs at hearing her response. "Ha ha! You've got stones, at least. I like that!"

"No hesitation, no mincing words… She's either a genius or a fool!" Basilio muses. Then he grins broadly. "I suppose we'll find out once we march. Hold on to your tassets, ylisseans. We've an exalt to save!"

* * *

Not even ten minutes later, Robin's turned Flavia's audience hall into a veritable war room, complete with a massive oaken desk as a war table and a map of the continent sitting on it. That's when I get shooed out from the hall along with every other Shepherd aside from Chrom and Frederick. Robin wants to concentrate, and she'll only let the highest ranked people discuss plans with her. Guess I don't rank high enough.

While we're waiting for our Tactician to finalize her strategy, the rest of us prepare for marching. It's mostly checking our weapons and supplies at this point, since we just got back from a mission. Sumia soon meets up with us. Since she was here when Basilio's scouts returned, she already knows the dreadful news. It's a good thing her pegasus has made a full recovery. She's ready for action.

I call a squirrel to me while waiting for Robin to get ready. The little critter soon lands in front of me, accepting the nut I give her. Then I hand her a note with a short, simple message.

 _We're headed for Plegia. Make haste and be there. – Jack_

"Shizune, deliver this note to Lucina as fast as you can." I order the squirrel.

Shizune accepts the note without protest. _"If speed is important, I should pass it on to Minato. He is the fastest member of our clan."_

I nod. "That's good. We're in a race against time. Hurry!"

Shizune nods before she vanishes among the threes growing around Flavia's residence.

Next up would be modifying my stats. As good as I am now, I think it's high time I boosted my stats with some points. I've built up quite a horde since my adventure in this world started. Seeing as the battles will only get worse, now would be a good time to give myself a fast power boost. My base stats in VIT, INT and WIS are all over 50, so it's probably good if STR and DEX caught up to them and I got the bonus skills that are bound to come as they reach that level.

The game does not disappoint.

* * *

 **A new skill has become available due to your high strength! You gained "Bro, do U lift?"!**

 **A new skill has become available due to your high dexterity! You gained "Monkey moves"!**

* * *

Now I'm pretty much ready to march at a moment's notice, but there's something I need to address before then. Since the battles are bound to get fiercer from this point onwards, the Shepherds will need all the help they can get on the frontlines. That means me acting as the scout might not cut it anymore. I need a replacement, and I know just the person to ask. It takes some searching, but I eventually find him sitting on a bench and chewing on some candy.

"Hey, Gaius? Do you have a moment?" I ask the Thief.

Gaius looks up from his position and nods before he moves a bit to the side to let me sit.

"So, what's up, Buttercup?"

"You're good at sneaking around and gathering information, right?" I ask.

Gaius gives me confident smirk. "The best there is. I can get in just about anywhere, get anything from valuables to information, and get out before anyone notices me." Then he regards me quizzically. "Why'd you ask? Need dirt on someone?"

I shake my head. "No. I come with a proposition."

"Go on, I'm listening."

"As you may already know, I've acted as the scout for this army since before you joined us."

The Thief nods. "Yeah, I noticed. You've got a strange way of gathering info. Seriously, who uses squirrels for that?"

"You'd be surprised what they can find out." I answer with a deadpan expression. "Anyway, as good as I may be, I think I'm going to be needed elsewhere in the future. The coming battles may be the hardest we've ever fought. The others will need all the help they can get on the frontlines. I want to help them, but I can't do that while leaving my post empty."

Gaius nods in understanding. "And so, you came to me."

"Exactly. You're probably the one who would fit in the best as the new scout for the Shepherds. You said it yourself. You know how to get in, get what you need, and get out before anyone notices you."

Gaius looks up to the ceiling in thought while he idly pops another sweet in his mouth. I don't know what the guy uses to prevent himself from getting rotted teeth due to his sugar intake, but whatever it is he's using, I want some of it.

"I admit, I much prefer sneaking around and staying unseen over fighting in the open." he eventually replies. "Still, I can tell it's a dangerous job, since you're the one currently with it."

I nod at his observation. "You're right, it is. You're on your own while sneaking behind enemy lines to gather intel. If anything happens to you, we might not even notice until it's too late. What's more, the info you relay to Robin could be the difference between a brilliant strategy or a disastrous one."

Gauis nods with a pensive look. "Yeah, I figured as much."

…

"All right, I'll do it." he eventually says.

I look at him surprised. "You will?"

The Thief shrugs. "We both know I'm pretty much cut out for this kind of job, so there's no point in beating around the bush." Then he smiles at me. "Besides, I've gotta pull my weight in this army at some point, right? Might as well be when I'm good at it."

"Thanks, Gaius." I reply with a relieved sigh. "That's a huge weight off my chest."

Gaius shrugs again. "Happy to help. You owe me a favor for putting me in this spot, though."

"Don't you even start with me on those favors." I reply scowling. "I helped you find a place in the army where you fit in, and you help me get some space to help the others. I'd say it's a fair trade."

The ginger-head waves his arm dismissively. "Yeah, whatever. See you around, Buttercup."

 **Your relationship with Gaius has improved!**

Sigh. I suppose that conversation went as well as it could.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: The next day**_

"Are we there yet?" Vaike asks out loud.

"No!" is the collective response – for about the 20th time.

The sun blazes down on me from high above. There's sand as far as my sight reaches. If it wasn't for Mana soles, walking through this terrain would be a nightmare.

As things stand, it's merely _a freakin' pain in the neck_!

"Ugh… This desert is ridiculously hot…" I groan as I wipe some sweat off my brow.

"Oh, just bear with it, Jack." Robin replies exasperated from my right.

Maribelle passes me with her parasol raised. "And _this_ is why you never mock the parasol." she states with a haughty smirk. I try to come up with a retort, only to find that I have none.

Robin's final strategy is the very reason while we're marching with Flavia's troops straight through the Plegian desert in the first place. Because the area is so deserted (literally), the chance of Plegian soldiers patrolling this area is slim. We would've taken the high road further up north, near the Feroxi border, if we weren't so pressed for time. Instead, Basilio marches that path with his troops, since they know the terrain much better and can give any Plegian patrols the slip in the mountains. The plan is for our two armies to meet up north of the capital of Plegia, where we'll launch a surprise attack and rescue Emmeryn before Gangrel can get his entire army mobilized.

Robin's surprisingly adept in navigating this giant sandbox. Guess some of that Plegian geography managed to stay intact when she lost her memories. Good thing it remained, or else we'd run the risk of getting lost. I mean, I can't even differentiate this dune on my left from the dune we passed five minutes ago!

"Are we there yet?"

"No!"

"Vaike, ask that one more time, and I'll dunk your head in a water barrel!" Sully shouts from further back.

That makes the Fighter perk up. "Really?! Sully, you're a life saver!"

The rest of us roll our eyes. Good grief… I can't wait for nightfall. At least I can handle cold much better than this blasted heat.

It's close to sunset when we decide to stop for a respite. Everyone huddles behind the carriages for whatever shade they can get in the setting sun.

"I'd like to believe it's our cunning that got us this far without being spotted…" Chrom muses. "But we've seen far too little of the Plegian Guard. Where are they? Whatever trap Gangrel has planned, he is in no hurry to spring it."

I look at the prince curiously. "Wait, you mean to tell me Gangrel would send soldiers here, right in the middle of the desert?"

Chrom nods. "I wouldn't put it past him."

Frederick approaches us with Gaius in tow.

"Milord, Gaius has returned to report."

The Great Knight steps to the side and lets the Thief through.

"Looks like there's something going down further south of here, Blue." Gaius reports. "Not sure what it is, but it doesn't look pretty."

Chrom narrows his eyes. "All right. Get everyone ready to move."

"These desert sands are certain to bog down our units, milord." Frederick interjects. "Only mages and fliers will likely be able to proceed unhindered."

The prince nods. "Good point. I'll keep it in mind. Robin, let's discuss strategy."

* * *

It's eventually decided that only a few of us will go into battle. Obviously, our Mages and Pegasus Knights are picked first. Chrom needs to be there to lead us, as does Robin. Lissa and I tag along, since we can travel over the desert sand with no problem. Gaius joins in, since he knows the layout of the area the most. And I had Lon'qu included as well, mostly since I trust him to have my back. Curiously enough, Ricken managed to convince Robin to take Maribelle along. Ricken's apparently good enough at mana channeling that he can help L'Arachel traverse the sand with little difficulty. This, of course, means that the young Mage has to stay with Maribelle at all times.

We arrive at the place Gaius indicated and come upon a…hectic scene. Nowi's panting with her hands on her knees after she just cleared a sand dune. Then Gregor comes hot on her heels.

"Wait, I say! Why you no comprehending, wee one!"

"AUGH! GET AWAY! Everyone just leave me ALONE!" the young manakete screams.

That scream triggers something within me. I suddenly get this strong urge to just…run up to Nowi and protect her from any possible harm.

"Please, be keeping down with the voice!" the Mercenary begs. "You give away position! Very bad!"

"My throat is dry, my shoes are full of sand, and some big weirdo is trying to KILL ME!"

"Oy, you break Gregor's heart! Why you treat like villain?" the Mercenary protests.

That's when Chrom steps up on top of the dune we've been hiding behind.

"You there! Fiend! Keep your hands off that maiden!" the prince shouts at Gregor. Huh. Guess I'm not the only one getting the urge to protect Nowi.

The Mercenary takes note of us and turns in our direction. "Who is fiend?" Then he points at himself. "…You mean Gregor? No, friend! You have idea wrong!"

"Yeah, right!" Lissa fires back. "…Creep!"

Gregor sighs tiredly. "This day has been nothing but insults and punches to groin. And all for doing good deed! …Listen, friend. Gregor only want to-"

"Gotcha, you slippery scamp! Prepare for a dose of Grima's wrath." we hear someone shout further down south. Is that what I think it is?

* * *

 **Grimleal priest Lvl 26 Class: Dark Mage  
** _A high-ranking member of a cult that worships the fell dragon Grima. These members typically practice dark magic in accordance to the sinister nature of the cult. For the same reason, they rarely show even a shred of compassion to anyone, caring only to fulfill the designs of their master at any and all costs. Are not to be confused with staff wielding Priests. That would just be insulting._

 **AN: As far as I can remember, the Grimleal have no members of the Priest/Cleric or War monk/War cleric classes. Guess those people have too much of a moral code and compassion to side with the sinister bad guys. Case in point: Libra.**

* * *

Gregor's head whips towards the Dark Mage before he flinches.

"Oy, this is most terrible! Do you see now? They make with the catching of us!"

By "they" he means the two dozen or so figures who seemingly pop up out of nowhere among the dunes. A quick sweep with Observe tells me that, yes, they're all Grimleal. Great…

"Why are you all after the girl?" Chrom asks scowling.

"All? What is "all"? Gregor is not one of "all"!" the Mercenary replies while waving his hands placatingly. "Look close! Maybe you not see from so far? Gregor have innocent baby-face!"

Everyone present (Nowi included) regard him with the same expression:

-_- …

"Yeah… Not sure "innocent baby" is how I'd describe it…" Robin eventually states.

Gregor throws his hands in the air in exasperation. "Bah! Never be minding! Gregor is not enemy! You must believe!"

Chrom pinches the bridge of his nose. "…This is making my head hurt. We'll sort him out later. Right now, we need to protect the girl."

Nowi looks at us hopeful. "Y-you're going to help me?"

"We'll do everything in our power to keep you safe." Chrom replies. "Just hold on until we can reach you, and we'll drive them off!"

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: Sinister sands, sinister figures  
** _On your way to Plegia, you stumble upon a little girl who's being chased by a big lug and a group of evil looking figures. Protect that girl! Strike first, ask questions later.  
_ **Objectives:** _Defeat all Grimleal members  
_ **Rewards:** _8 000 EXP, 8 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _3 000 EXP, 3 000 gold  
_ **Failure:** _You die. Any questions? Thought so._

* * *

 **BGM: Divine beast Vah Naboris battle, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild music**

I dismiss the quest alert with barely a thought as I race across the desert with my Windcleaver drawn. Between Mana soles and Gale step, I have all the mobility I need to get just about anywhere smoothly. As I close in on Nowi, however, a pair of Barbarians block my path.

*Clang!*

"Out of my way!" I shout as we clash.

I break off from our clash and attempt to race around them, only to be forced to a stop by a Dark Mage flinging Thunder spells at me. Drat! I'm getting bogged down here!

"What a cupcake!" *Shing!*

Nice sneak attack, Gaius! That Dark Mage won't get in my way anymore.

"Chrom! I'm going on ahead!" I shout to the prince.

Chrom nods in affirmative before he proceeds to decimate a Cavalier.

I finally spot an opening for me to rush through enemy lines straight to Nowi and Gregor. Wait, I'm not the only one! Incoming Myrmidon!

"Watch out!"

Nowi looks in the direction I indicate to notice the Myrmidon running at her with his sword drawn. Her eyes widen in horror.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"

And right before our eyes, Nowi's enveloped in an ethereal flower of energy radiating from a stone around her neck. Huh. Dragonstones are smaller than I thought.

As the petals unravel, they reveal the manakete in her dragon form. The Myrmidon tries to stab her, only to bounce back in shock as the scales on Nowi's wings deflect the attack. Before the Myrmidon can retake his stance, Nowi takes a deep breath and launches an azure ball at him. The ball explodes in a violent blaze, burning the Myrmidon to a crisp in a matter of seconds.

"What in blazes?! The girl is a dragon!" Robin exclaims.

"By the gods, she's a manakete…" Chrom adds. "I never thought I'd see one."

I ignore whatever they say afterwards as I finally reach the transformed manakete and the Mercenary.

"Hey, you okay?" I ask Nowi.

The green dragon is enveloped in the same ethereal flower once more before it reveals that Nowi reverted to her child-like form.

"I- I think I'm fine for now." the manakete answers shakily. Whether from being chased by an evil cult or because she just fried a man alive, I don't know.

I sidle up to her and get in a stance. "Who are those people anyway?" I ask as I eye the approaching grimleal.

"Bad news." Gregor answers. "Gregor find wee girl in prison of theirs. They mumbling about strange ritual. Can only mean bad news for wee girl, no?"

Nowi grabs my clothes. "I'm scared."

I place my free arm around her protectively. "Stay close to me. I'll protect you, even if it costs me my life." I smile down at her reassuringly. "Besides, I have friends who will help me do just that."

At that moment, a Dark Mage crests a nearby dune with a manic grin and a Flux spell at the ready. He might've normally been a threat to either me or Nowi in this situation, due to his sudden appearance. There's a flaw in his approach, however.

*Shing!* "Guaah!"

You have to get past my man Lon'qu first.

I direct a thumbs-up to the Myrmidon. "Perfect timing, Lon'qu! I could use some extra help in protecting the girl."

The Myrmidon slides down the dune and regards the newcomers. He looks a bit uncomfortable around Nowi, but he seems to handle it well.

"Will you even be able to fight while protecting her?" Lon'qu eventually asks.

I scratch my head. He probably speaks from experience, and he honestly brings up a good point.

"I could probably handle myself against an enemy or two, and the girl here could pull her weight as well, what with the dragon transformation and everything. That being said, I doubt she'd prefer fighting at all – at least as things stand."

I look down to Nowi and see her nod in confirmation. Those frightened eyes…with tears threatening to spill out any second…

Must…protecc…

"And how do you suppose to protect her if you're too busy to fight?" Lon'qu asks, breaking me out of my stupor.

I indicate Gregor. "How about teaming up with the big guy over there? Something tells me you two could work well together." In-game support convos, that is.

"You hire Gregor?" the Mercenary asks.

"As good as Lon'qu is in a fight – and believe me, I know from personal experience how good he is – he's still only one man. It'll be a lot safer if he had a partner in battle. But, well, I think the little one-" Here I indicate Nowi. "-has my hands tied down at the moment. You're the only one available that seems even remotely trustworthy."

The Mercenary thumps his chest proudly. "Friend make good choice. Gregor _very_ reliable. In fact, this one count as freebie as acting of nice will. But next time, pay in full."

I grin at his answer. "It's a deal!"

"You seem awfully quick to trust a stranger." Lon'qu mutters.

"Do you have any better ideas at the moment? 'Cause if you do, I'd like to hear them." I reply.

Lon'qu takes a look around. The others are occupied with their own battles. Then he looks back at the four of us. He nods before approaching Gregor.

"Don't slow me down." he says before he keeps walking.

Gregor looks at the Myrmidon's back in surprise. "Oy! No need for the rudeness! Gregor is old, but not slow!"

"Let's go too." I hear Nowi say.

"Huh? Didn't you just say you're scared?" I ask surprised.

Nowi looks up at me determined. "I am, but I can't run from them forever. I don't like fighting, but I know when it's necessary."

Hates fighting, but knows it's necessary sometimes. It's times like these when I'm reminded about her real age.

I nod. "Alright. Let's go. Just make sure you stay close to me."

Nowi winks. "I can do one better."

The flower returns, transforming her into a dragon again.

" **I'll fly around and cover you from above."** the manakete suggests.

I hold my chin in contemplation. Nowi could provide some powerful cover fire. So long as I keep track of where the grimleal come from, we should be able to handle this safely.

"Alright. Sounds like a plan." I reply. I regard the sword wielding duo. "Ready when you are."

They both nod before we head south. The quickest way to end this threat is by removing their leader. That means that Grimleal priest has to go.

We crest another sand dune and find said leader with half a dozen underlings around him.

"Ha ha! You dare defy Grima, god of annihilation?" the Grimleal priest shouts arrogantly.

I point my Windcleaver at him. "You should check your facts next time you try to make a threat. Grima's a dragon, not a god."

The priest grits his teeth angrily. "You… You dare blaspheme our master?! Kill them! Kill them all!"

 **BGM ends**

Me and Lon'qu get ready for combat when Gregor steps up in front of us.

"What are you doing?" I ask the Mercenary.

 **BGM: Middle age attack, Naruto Shippuden: Road to ninja OST**

Gregor turns to us with a confident smirk. "Gregor show what made of. Good demonstration for future job, yes?"

A Myrmidon runs towards him with his Killing Edge drawn. Gregor draws his Steel Sword and crouches in a stance. As the Myrmidon gets in range and stabs, Gregor deflects the blow with surprising ease and elbows the Myrmidon in the face. Before the Grimleal swordsman can recover, Gregor slashes him across the chest, steps in to make up for the backwards stumble, and finishes his opponent off with a clean stab through the heart.

Two Dark Mages begin casting spells at him, only for the Mercenary to show a surprising amount of mobility as he jumps and flips around the sand like a pro.

"We should help him." Lon'qu tells us before he rushes into the fray.

I glance at Nowi. "Shall we?"

The dragon nods before she takes to the skies.

I rush in with Gale step and overtake Lon'qu about halfway to the Dark Mages. One of them tries to intercept me with a Flux spell. I respond by angling my feet to the left and make a hairpin turn out of the line of fire. Before he can react to my sudden change in direction, I'm already on him with my Windcleaver. Right, diagonal, rising slash, kick him in the chest aaand stab!

*Shink!* Dead.

His fellow mage prepares a spell to avenge his comrade, only to be forced to abandon it as Lon'qu reaches him and starts slashing. It's only thanks to his ability to travel over sand unhindered that the Dark Mage can barely stay out of Lon'qu's reach.

I'd like to help him – were it not for the two Barbarians double teaming me. These guys are surprisingly in sync. When one ends his swing, the other begins his. Alright, if I'm fighting two opponents, I might as well use two weapons!

I jump back from a clash and concentrate mana in my left hand.

"Trace…on!"

The mana disperses to reveal a copy of Minato's Hiraishin kunai. Just as the Barbarians close in on me, I throw the Traced kunai between their heads.

*Flash!*

I snatch the kunai out of the air as I reappear and send a windblade against the back of one of them. The attack hits full force, but he's still standing. They turn around in confusion as they try to puzzle out how I got behind them. Smirking, I use their moment of confusion to rush in and start my counteroffensive. Having an extra weapon in hand and one of the Barbarians injured makes it easier for me to keep up with them.

*Clang!*

Our weapons lock together in a three-way power struggle. I push a little before I break off and throw the Hiraishin kunai between the Barbarians' heads again. They react quickly and turn around in anticipation of my next teleportation.

Except, I _don't_ teleport this time.

"Psyche!" *Shing!*

That's one Barbarian down. Now for the other one. Since it's one-on-one now, I have no problems tearing him down.

" **Over here!"**

I throw a quick glance into the air and notice Nowi flying above, ready for action. Alright, time for some tag team.

A rising slash leaves the Barbarian's guard wide open. I throw my Windcleaver into the air and rush in to deliver a series of jabs in his face to stun him. Then I grab his right arm and shoulder, pivot and wind up for a throw.

"Coming your way!"

I throw the Barbarian straight towards Nowi. The dragon flips in mid-air and slams her tail on the Barbarian. He barely has time to reach the ground before he's hit by a ball of azure dragon fire. Yeah, he dead.

Nowi descends back to the ground and reverts to her human form. As the petals disperse, she raises her fists triumphantly into the air.

"Nowi wins!"

I catch my Windcleaver as it comes back down and throw her a thumbs-up. At the same time, Lon'qu dives into a roll and ducks beneath his opponent's Fire spell. The Myrmidon gets up from his roll in perfect range and finishes off the Dark Mage with a clean strike across the chest. That leaves one last threat: the leader.

Nah, Gregor's got him handled. The grimleal tries to catch him in a Nosferatu spell, but Gregor's too quick for him. Despite being 40-something years old, the guy dodges the dark magic with the grace of a panther. Duck, strike, roll, strike, side hop, strike again. A surprise backhand stuns the Dark Mage and puts a stop to his frantic casting. Gregor rushes in.

"Your jigging is up!"

The Mercenary delivers a devastating three-slash combo on the Dark mage, throws his sword into the air, jumps up after it, catches the sword on the way down and finishes the Grimleal priest with a vicious downward strike.

 **BGM ends**

Blood gushes out from the Dark Mage's wounds as he stumbles back. He's breathing heavily, but breathing nonetheless. He lifts his head with a defiant expression and pulls out what looks like a ceremonial dagger.

"This is _not_ over, heretics! Witness the terror of the Grimleal!"

The Grimleal priest raises the dagger into the air as a blood red rune circle appears underneath him.

"Glory to Master Grima!"

To our shock, he plunges the dagger into his own chest and drags it along his body. His blood spurts like a fountain as he collapses on top of the now glowing rune circle.

Cr-p! I've read enough stories to know the gist of blood rituals! Whatever spell he cast at the expense of his life has to be a powerful one.

"Be careful! That spell might be connected to a blood sacrifice!" I shout to my companions.

We tense in preparation for what comes next. A faint rumbling emanates from the rune circle.

A big muscular hand rises from the circle and slams down on the ground for purchase. It's soon joined by another one. With a heave, they lift and throw something big into the air.

I finally get a good look at what came out of the portal as it lands.

* * *

 **White-maned Lynel Lvl 46**

* * *

Oh…s-it… You have GOT to be kidding me! That last spell was a summoning spell! And of all the places for it to connect, it connects to Hyrule?! How did the Grimleal even pull that spell off?!

The mighty beast glares at us as it draws its weapon – a Savage Lynel Crusher. This is bad! If any of them get hit by that, they might die! I have to stop any clash between them and this beast!

I rush in with Gale step and deliver a strike to the Lynel's flank before I jump off its back. The beast turns to me and growls menacingly. Seeing as I'm quite far away, it replaces the giant club on its back and reaches for its bow – only to grab air. The Lynel turns and looks at its back in confusion as it searches for its bow.

 **You got a Savage Lynel Bow!**

"Hey, big guy! Looking for _this_?" I shout at the Lynel. I lift my hand and show the missing bow. Yeah, I snatched it before I jumped off its back earlier.

The Lynel growls before it unleashes a full-blown roar.

"You want it back?" I ask tauntingly as I wave the Savage Lynel Bow. "Then try to catch me!"

I turn around and activate Gale step to run away from the Lynel. Predictably, the beast follows me.

"You'll never catch me alive!" I shout behind me as I try to get as far away from the other Shepherds as possible. I have to, or else they'll risk drawing the Lynel's ire. They may be good, but I doubt they're capable of fighting a White-maned Lynel without suffering major casualties. Unlike me, that is.

A wise person on the internet once commented that there are four kinds of BotW players:  
1\. Those who can't kill Lynels.  
2\. Those who can kill Lynels.  
3\. Those who major in killing Lynels.  
4\. Those who do crazy s-it while killing Lynels.

Before my death, I belonged in the third category. In fact, Lynel hunting was my favorite pastime.

* * *

We've been on this merry chase for a few minutes now. This should be far enough. I turn around and stop, as does the Lynel. The beast looks positively _pissed_ after I stole its bow.

"Come on. Draw your weapon." I tell the mighty beast while I put the bow on my back.

The Lynel does so and rears back on its hindlegs to bring down the crusher in a devastating blow. In response, I concentrate mana along my left arm.

"Trace on!"

The mana disperses to reveal Captain America's vibranium shield. Sure, I could've Traced the Hylian shield to make this look a little more appropriate, but, come on! You can't go wrong with vibranium!

I brace myself as the Savage Lynel Crusher comes down. Focus… Gotta time this perfectly…

Now!

*Ping!*

Ha! Now _that's_ how you parry a Lynel attack! Lynels may be big. They may hit like a truck. They may have resilience for days and super-armor on some of their attacks. They may have a versatile and down-right deadly arsenal of weapons. But they all share a fatal weakness; their attacks are so telegraphed, you can pretty much always tell what they're about to do. And because of that, you can time your parries and dodges with ease once you learn the timing.

The Lynel backs off in shock after I managed to parry its attack with my shield. The brief opening is big enough for me to pull the bow from my back, nock one of the shock arrows that I stole along with the bow and line up for an easy headshot.

*Brzt!*

The beast goes down on a knee from the single shot turned triple headshot (Did I mention I _love_ the Savage Lynel Bow?). With it down, I swap the bow for my Windcleaver and lay it on thick while the beast is dazed.

*Shing! Shing, shing shing shing!*

I manage quite a few slashes before the Lynel gets up again.

"RAAAHR!"

Uh, this is bad. Out of all attacks a Lynel can throw my way, there's one that I never learned how to parry; the one where it roars and slams its weapon into the ground to create a giant explosion – meaning, the attack it's about to do now. I usually counter that one with an enhanced Stasis rune or simply hide behind Daruk's protection. The problem? I neither have a Shiekah slate, nor have I freed Daruk's soul from his imprisonment (assuming Link hasn't done it himself already). I basically have no defense against what's coming at me!

Alright. If I don't have any such defense, I guess I simply have to make one. I jump a few paces back and clap my hands together. Please work…

Step 1: Understand the material composition. I slap my hands on the sand below and Trace it.

Step 2: Deconstruct the matter. The Lynel rears back on its hindlegs and raises its massive Crusher into the air. Come on! Come on! Wait, I can feel the sand break apart under my hands!

Step 3: Reconstruct the matter in the shape you want. The club comes down!

*Brrzt* *BOOM!*

A wave of heat washes over me. Though it's only hot enough to make me sweat a little. I open my eyes to see a wall of densely packed sand right in front of me. Mind's eye shows the Lynel on the other side, confused over the sudden appearance of the sand wall that's partially turned into glass from the immense heat of the blast wave.

* * *

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action! You gained "Alchemic transmutation"!**

* * *

Yes! Yes! I did it! I pulled off a transmutation! Eat your hearts out, Elrick brothers! Or, well, at least Edward. Alphonse might not have a heart if his soul's still stuck in the armor.

The Lynel regains its bearings quickly and gallops around my sand wall before it rushes me with the Crusher at its side. Trying a direct approach again, eh? You never learn.

*Ping!*

Another perfectly timed parry stops the Lynel's charge in its tracks. Hey, big guy! Rasengan fastball in your face!

*Boom!*

That's another clean headshot on the massive beast, making it go down on a knee again. While I _could_ tear into the Lynel with my Windcleaver again, I want to try something more exploitable. While it's still down, I grab on and swing myself onto its back.

The Lynel immediately starts bucking around in an attempt to throw me off. It's now that I realize that I mounted this beast without any suitable weapon to attack its back. My Windcleaver's too long to be used effectively at this range. And the Lynel's thrashing is too wild for me to Trace a weapon while still staying on its back. I need a more direct approach. Such as literally grabbing the beast by the horns. Soul drain, it's time for your debut!

As the Lynel feels its lifeforce being sucked out from its horns, it's bucking intensifies.

Heeeelp! Somebody sto-o-op this thi-i-i-i-iiing!

I'm hanging on to the Lynel's horns for dear life while draining it of as much HP as I can. For a creature having it's lifeforce sucked out, it sure has plenty of stamina!

Wait, why am I suddenly suspended in the air? Uh, looks like the Lynel managed to reach behind itself and grab hold of the back of my clothes. The beast rears up on its hindlegs again while it pryies me off its horns. Wait! Nononono-

*Wham!* "Gueh!"

Oow! Right after prying me off its horns, the big guy slammed me into the ground full force, knocking the breath out of my lungs. I manage to regain some of my bearings to see the Lynel stare down at me menacingly and CLUUUB!

*THOOM!*

The Lynel lifts its Crusher back up, only to tilt its head in confusion at the lack of blood and intestines that usually accompany squashing someone under a massive overhead swing.

Man, of all the things I could shapeshift into using Mimicry, a fly was nowhere near the top of the list. Seems I stand (or rather, hover) corrected. Having the small size and crazy reflexes of a fly helped a ton in dodging that swing. And, whoa… Seeing the world from these many eyes simultaneously is a weird experience.

While the Lynel is still busy trying to puzzle out where I went, I fly above the beast in preparation of my next attack. While I could repeat my previous approaches of headshot into a frontal combo or attacking from a mounted position, I don't do enough damage to finish this fight quickly. Worst case scenario: the Lynel figures out how I fight and mixes up its attack patterns.

I have to end it with this attack. And I know exactly how. I ascend as high as I can in my tiny fly form before I revert back to a human.

"Trace on!"

Mana coalesces into a massive shape under my hands. The weapon I'm going to use for my final attack is…unconventional. In fact, it's so unconventional that I need to Mimic the mannerisms of a specific character in order to use this weapon to its fullest effect.

"RODOH ROLLAH DAAA!"

*KA-BRAM!*

That's right! My weapon of choice is a massive steamroller! Using a combination of gravity and Telekinesis, I pushed the massive construct right on top of the unsuspecting Lynel. My fists rain down the Traced machine with increasing intensity as I sound my battle cry.

"Muda! Muda muda muda muda muda mudamudamudamudamudamudamudamudaMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDA (Why have I not run out of breath yet?!) MUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAAAA!"

A manic grin spreads across my face as I rear back my fist for one final punch.

"Be crushed!" *Krang!*

Right after I land the final punch, I use Gale step to get away from my Traced steamroller quickly. Some 300 or so paces should do nicely. See, I didn't Trace any ordinary steamroller. First, the fact that we're fighting on sand means the blow softens significantly if I just tried to crush the Lynel. Second, I don't even know how what a steamroller looks like on the inside.

Instead, I merely Traced a hollow steel shell in the shape of a steamroller. The insides are packed with TNT. And my last punch triggered the detonation mechanism. Please notice me, Deidara-senpai.

*KA-BOOM!*

I smirk and give a mock applause as I channel Dio for one final line.

"I applaud your efforts – a little bit."

* * *

 **64 hits! ULTRAAA COMBOOO!**

 **White-maned Lynel has been obliterated! You gain 6 900 EXP! You gain 4 600 gold!**

 **You got a Savage Lynel Crusher!  
You got Lynel horn x 2!  
You got Lynel hoof x 1!  
You got Lynel guts x 1!**

 **Due to continuous strenuous activity, STR increases by 2!  
Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT increases by 2!  
Due to plenty of quick maneuvering, DEX increases by 1!**

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action! You gained "Rodoh rollah da!"!**

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: Sinister sands, sinister figures  
** _A hectic run across the sands allowed you to reach Nowi and Gregor in their hour of need. The Grimleal may seem like bunch of crazy cultists at first, but they're clearly not messing around. The rituals they can conduct may spell major trouble in the future. Before you can concern yourself with that, however, you have other pressing matters to attend to first. The exalt is waiting in the Plegian capital.  
_ **Objectives:** _Defeat all Grimleal members  
_ **Rewards:** _You gain 8 000 EXP! You gain 8 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Don't let the White-maned Lynel attack the Shepherds.  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _You gain 3 000 EXP! You gain 3 000 gold!_

 **You have leveled up!**

* * *

Oh, wow, that's a lot of alerts! Let's see here. I rush back to the epicenter of where the explosion went off. The intense heat of having that much TNT detonate at the same time created a crater made of glass. I find my prizes lying at the bottom. I'm honestly surprised _anything_ left from the Lynel made it out of the explosion intact, much less the body parts I find here. Well, I honestly have no clue about what to do with this stuff just yet, but who knows? Those horns might be good material for crafting a weapon in the future, provided I can find someone who can work them as materials. Well, they go into my bag regardless. There's no way I'm leaving precious stuff like Lynel parts lying out in the open.

As for the Savage Lynel Crusher… Hrmf! Man, this thing's heavy! Way too heavy for me to use effectively. Well, I might as well keep it too. Someone might be able to use it in the future. Same goes for the Savage Lynel Bow. It was fun to use, but archery's not really my style.

Phew. That should be everything. Now to get back to the others. They might be worried about me running off to fight a giant, to them unknown, beast all on my own.

Looks like everyone's gathered by the time I return.

"This is just the worst. Day. EVER!" Nowi shouts while sobbing.

Gregor tries to comfort the little manakete. "Ho, now, wee one! Do not make with the crying of tears. The evil people are now dead people. This is good, no?"

Looks like his attempt had the desired effect, judging by Nowi's bright smile.

"You're… You're right. Th-thank you. And…I'm sorry I was so mean to you earlier."

Oh man… There's a strong urge rising within me and I can't hold it back any longer!

*Glomp!* "Kyaaah! I can't take it anymore! You're so _adorable_!" I shout as I embrace Nowi and rub my cheek against her head affectionally.

Did I mention I love children? 'Cause I do. A lot. No, not in that way, you freaks! I was referring to a sort-of parental/elder sibling way! Sheesh…

"Jack?!" Robin exclaims in surprise at my sudden entrance.

I pause in my affectionate cheek rubbing to look up from my kneeling position at the Tactician.

"Oh, hi, Robin. Looks like you guys took care of the rest of those guys while I was away. Nice work."

"Ugh… Get OFF me!" Nowi shouts while pushing my face away from her.

"But I wanna hug you!" I cry back in protest.

"Well, I'm not in the mood! Let me go, you creep!"

I lie down in a fetal position a bit away from Nowi with a depression cloud over my head.

"Creep… She called me a creep…" I repeat over and over in a hollow voice while drawing circles in the sand.

"Friend is always like this?" Gregor asks.

"Beats me." Sully answers. "H-ll, this is the first time any of us see him like this."

"Um, are you okay, Jack?" I hear Sumia ask.

I turn around in my fetal position with mock tears threatening to leave my eyes.

"No, I am NOT okay!" I point at Nowi. "How can you _possibly_ be okay, when all you want to do is show some affection to an adorable child, only for her to reject you and call you a creep?!"

Sumia crouches down and pats my head gently. "Um… There, there?"

"Sumia! Hug me!" I shout as I lunge for the Pegasus Knight with tears streaming down my face in waterfalls.

*Whack!*

Ow! Not you too, Lissa!

"Get your head out of whatever ditch it fell into, Jack! We still need to save Emm!" the princess reprimands me.

I cross my arms and turn away from the others with a huff.

"Sure! Whatever! Everyone just shoot down every attempt I make at showing that I actually have a soft side! See if I care!"

"It's not that we don't want you to, Jack. It's just… Well, none of us have seen you act like this before, let alone with so much emotion. So please forgive us for acting a bit…rashly." Robin tries to console me. "And, to be fair, we don't have much time before Gangrel plans to execute Emmeryn."

I wave off the Tactician. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. We're on a tight schedule and all that. We're done here, right? Let's go, then."

Chrom approaches Gregor. "Say, um…Gregor, was it? Gregor, do you mind looking after her? We need to press on."

Gregor rubs his chin in thought. "Mmm… Gregor is mercenary, yes? Maybe you hire Gregor instead. True, Gregor just finish killing former employers, but still very reliable! So long as you not try to hurt little girl, Gregor will not hurt you. Also, Gregor need steady income… Many angry former employers."

"You're a sellsword?" Chrom asks.

The Mercenary grins. "Yes! Very swell sword! Cost performance very high. You have Gregor's word."

Chrom shrugs. "Sure, why not? You're hired."

"But! But what about me?!" Nowi shouts. "I WON'T go back on the auction block!"

"Wait. You've been sold?" Lissa asks baffled. "Like a…like a slave?!"

"To men more despicable than you can possibly imagine." Nowi replies with tears almost spilling from her eyes. "They made me transform for them… They drank and laughed and called out tricks…"

Lissa recoils in shock. "What kind of scumbags buy and sell a little girl?! Even if she CAN turn into a dragon…"

"She may be little, milady, but not nearly so young as you might think." Frederick interjects. "Manaketes live a very long time."

"Really?" Lissa asks curiously. "…How old are you?"

Nowi frowns and puts a finger on her lip. "Oh, I dunno. …A thousand…something?" Her frown turns into a bright smile. "But look! No wrinkles!"

"The dragonkin are said to be more resilient than men." Frederick explains after we resume our march. "Nowi would make a strong ally. Besides, we cannot risk her falling back into the hands of the Grimleal."

"Beg pardon, but who are the Grimleal?" Robin asks.

"Followers of the fell dragon, Grima." Frederick replies ominously. "The selfsame dragon the first exalt defeated a thousand years ago. Even today there are some who yearn for the fiend's return."

"I…see." is all Robin has to say.

"Well, shall we get some rest?" Flavia asks. "We're almost to the Plegian capital. We'll need all our strength, soon enough…"

…

"Are we there yet?"

"NO!"

* * *

Night has fallen by the time we make camp. The giant skeleton of Grima that surrounds castle Plegia can be seen in the distance. In choosing this place, we're close to where the execution is set to take place, while still staying out of sight from any sentry patrolling the capital walls.

Right now, I'm on guard together with Frederick. I volunteered to this for a specific purpose.

"Say, Frederick?"

"Yes, Jack?"

"There's something I want to show you."

I walk behind a tent, pull out the Savage Lynel Crusher from my bag and drag it back into view of the Great Knight.

"Hrg! I found this after I defeated a dangerous beast earlier today." I grunt while moving the massive club. "Hng! It might be a powerful weapon – if I could even swing it. Rgh! But it's too heavy for me."

I take moment to catch my breath after I finally reach Frederick.

"But you might be strong enough to swing this thing. Want to give it a try?"

Frederick picks up the Savage Lynel Crusher and inspects it carefully.

"Hm… What a curious design. This is unlike any weapon I have ever seen." the Great Knight muses. Then he gives it a few test swings – with only one hand! The heck?! I know Frederick's strong, but he's swinging that thing like it's a practice weapon!

He nods in approval. "A bit unbalanced, but the swings certainly have weight behind them."

I gape at the Great Knight for a bit longer before I nod dumbly.

"Um, glad to hear it. Feel free to keep it if you want to."

Frederick raises an eyebrow. "You would give me this weapon willingly?"

"Like I said; it's way too heavy for me. I figured it would take someone ridiculously strong to wield that weapon, and you were the first one to come to mind. Looks like I made the right call."

Frederick smiles at me. "I am honored that you think of me that way. Very well, I accept this weapon. My thanks."

Then the Great Knight turns serious. "I heard from Lon'qu that you lured away a massive creature after you had defeated the Grimleal. This weapon would not happen to come from that very beast, would it?"

I nod. "I does."

Frederick frowns. "I know for a fact that such a beast is not native to these lands, yet from what I heard, you seemed to know exactly what you were doing when luring it away. Jack, what was that beast?"

"A beast that I pray none of you have to face alone until you've become legendary warriors in your own right." I answer in a no-nonsense tone. "That beast…came straight out of one of the stories I read as a child."

"Do explain."

"It's known as a Lynel. A horse-like creature with immense strength and resilience. And, from what I saw of it earlier today, capable of wielding deadly weapons. According to the books I read, few ever see these creatures and live to tell the tale."

"Yet you managed to defeat it." Frederick points out.

"That's because the Lynels are revealed to possess a fatal weakness; they are so confident in their fighting that reading their attacks is very easy. So long as you learn how to counter their attacks, fighting them becomes manageable. Until you do, your life constantly hangs in the balance." I grin at the Great Knight. "I've read those story books so many times that I've practically memorized how they fight."

Frederick raises an eyebrow at my answer. "I find it hard to believe those Grimleal summoned a creature from a fairytale, vicious as it may have been."

I shake my head. "Believe me, Frederick. I was in disbelief too when I recognized the Lynel. But I quickly realized that I was the only one among us familiar with those beasts. That's why I lured it away; so I could fight it without risking the rest of you getting dragged in."

"That was very reckless of you, Jack." the Great Knight reprimands me. "And yet, you prevailed in the end. I do hope you would let us fight alongside you in the future, should more of them appear. No one should fight alone. That is why milord and I formed the Shepherds; to band together with others in protecting the people of Ylisse."

I bite my lip. Frederick has a point, but fighting a Lynel? "I'll consider it, but if it happens, you have to follow my lead, no matter what happens. The slightest mistake could end your life when fighting a Lynel. Remember that."

Frederick nods. "I will. As do I hope you do."

* * *

I return to the camp right as my shift ends. I throw Ricken and Gregor a quick greeting as they move to take the next shift. I notice Nowi sitting by the fire at the center of camp. I move to sit on the other side of the log she's on. The young manakete spares me a glance before she returns her attention to the camp fire.

…

Um, this feels a bit awkward. I'm still a bit sore about the whole "creep" episode.

I clear my throat, hoping to find something, anything, to start a conversation with her.

"So… How are you holding up, Nowi?" I eventually ask.

Nowi keeps her eyes trained on the flame and shrugs.

"Good, all things considered." she answers. "You were kind enough to take me in when I had nowhere else to go. It's much better than when I-" The manakete shudders. "-when they kept selling me around as a slave."

Yeah, can't argue with that.

"Is that why you reacted the way you did earlier today when I hugged you?"

"A little bit." Nowi admits. "Some of the less savory men actually tried things with me before they would sell me off. You hugging me like that…reminds me of what could have almost happened."

I wince at hearing her answer. Drat. I f-cked up big time there. Still, there's something odd in how she worded it.

"Wait, _almost_ happened?"

"It fortunately never got that far. Anytime anyone of them would try, someone else entered the room, forcing them to stop before things got out of hand."

"I…I see…"

Nowi finally looks up from the camp fire and really looks at me.

"So, why _did_ you hug me like that anyway?"

I scratch the back of my head. "Well, I love children. Whenever I see a child, I get this urge to try and help the little one in any way I can, be it protecting them from harm, provide comfort when they feel lonely or simply be there for them. You may be the oldest person I've ever met, but you're still a child by manakete standards, right?"

Nowi nods. "Yeah. In fact, I just came of age a few decades ago." The manakete looks a bit remorseful. "And…I'm sorry for calling you a creep, Jack. Had I known how much you love children, I might have accepted your hug."

I smile at the young manakete. "Well, the important part is that you understand." I stretch out my hand to her. "So, wanna start over?"

Nowi looks at my hand before she smiles back at me. "I'd love to."

As we shake hands, I reintroduce myself. "My name is Jack. I like milk, children and my comrades among the Shepherds. I dislike traitors and when innocents get hurt. My dream is to settle down one day and help nurture the future generation."

Nowi picks up when I'm done. "My name is Nowi. I like playing with others and sleeping in. I dislike fighting, waking up early in the morning and when people treat others like their playthings. My dream for the future…" the manakete's face scrunches up in thought. "Actually, I haven't thought of that. I guess I want to see the world before I decide on what I want to do."

I shrug. "I'd say that's a reasonable plan. You manaketes live for a long time. Chances are you have plenty of time to figure that out."

Nowi nods before she turns somber. "You know, Jack, you might be the first one in this army to approach me like this. Everyone else just treats me like they're too busy with something else. You just took some time to sit down and _stay_ with me."

I rub Nowi on the head affectionally, making her pout as I mess up her hair.

"Like I said; I love children. There are few times I feel I do something more meaningful than when I spend time with a child. I guess you could add raising a child of my own on the list of my dreams."

Nowi gets her hair back in place and smiles. "You're going to be a great parent someday. I can tell."

Then she sidles closer to me. At my raised eyebrow, she elaborates.

"Well, I won't mind as much anymore if you hug me. Not when I know that you genuinely love children. Also, I _have_ felt a bit lonely lately."

I smile down at her affectionally and wrap an arm around her to pull her closer.

"You know…" I begin. "Whenever I'm with you, it feels like I'm with the little sister I never had. Even if you _are_ somewhere around 50 times my age."

Nowi giggles. "And with the way you're acting around me, I feel like you're the big brother I never had. Even if you're a lot younger than I am."

"Thank you." I reply. "Family means a lot to me, you know. Hearing you say that makes me happy."

"When doesn't it mean a lot?" Nowi retorts. "And, well, I'm just happy there's someone taking their time to just stay with me."

Nowi then slips out of my one-armed hug, much to my confusion.

"Well, wonderful as this was, I won't keep you any longer. You still want to spend time with your mate before going to sleep, right?"

I raise an eyebrow at the manakete. "Mate?"

"You know, the silver-haired woman with the big black coat."

"Oh, you mean Robin?" I wave off the thought. "Nah, she's just my friend. And a student of sorts since a while back."

Nowi tilts her head to the side in confusion. "Really? Because any time I see you look at each other, it almost looks like two mates interacting. I'm usually good at picking up on this kind of stuff, you know? Comes with living for over a thousand years."

I shake my head with a smile as I get up and look to find Robin. Me and Robin, a couple? Sure, we're kinda close, but not _that_ close. Right?

 **Your relationship with Nowi has advanced! Your relationship with Nowi is now "Trusted"!**

* * *

As I walk among the tents, I spy Chrom and Cordelia chat outside the prince's tent. Cordelia smiles brightly as she turns and leaves, probably to head to her own tent. Chrom smiles as he stares at the Pegasus Knight for a while longer before going into his tent. Well, those two seem to progress faster than I thought. And all it took was to set up the redhead for a single conversation.

"Jack, there you are."

I turn in the direction of the voice to find Maribelle approaching me.

"Hello, Maribelle. Did you need something?" I ask the Troubadour.

"Jack, you have a good rapport with Ricken, do you not?" Maribelle asks.

I scratch my head at her question. "Well, depends on how you define "good". We're on friendly terms, at the very least. Why do you ask? Is something the matter with him?"

Maribelle bites her lip before she looks me in the eyes. "Well, I do not find anything alarming about him per se. In fact, he has shown an admirable amount of dedication and drive these last few days, both in his studies and in his training."

I nod. "Sounds like he's doing well. So, what's the issue?"

"While I find no fault in his new work ethic, I am concerned about his reasons for adopting it. Ever since our first battle against Plegian soldiers in this war, Ricken has hardly ever left my side whenever a battle breaks out."

Come to think of it, the little Mage _has_ seemed oddly insistent on being close to Maribelle whenever we fight.

"Wait, when you say "hardly ever left your side", does that mean…"

"If he isn't standing next to me, it is either because he received strict orders to be elsewhere – which he only obeys with great reluctance – or because he… How do you common folk word it? Ah, yes. He hitches a ride on my dear L'Arachel and refuses to dismount until the battle is over. Surprisingly, L'Arachel does not seem to mind."

"Huh… Sounds to me like he's gotten awfully protective of you ever since we rescued you from those plegians." I comment.

Maribelle shakes her head. "You don't even know half of it. During our last battle earlier today, Ricken not only jumped up on L'Arachel immediately, he blasted any enemy within twenty paces from me with his magic. And he did it to the point that it became excessive. Casting magic in the way he did it will exhaust his mana quickly. If this keeps up, he could end up hurting himself in the long run."

I think I see where this is going. Still, I need to check something first.

"Did you try talking with him about this?" I ask.

"I did." the Troubadour sighs. "But whenever I bring up the issue, he just dodges it. I'm flattered that he goes through such lengths to keep me safe – I really am. But I do not want him to hurt himself for my sake. That is why I came to ask for your counsel, Jack. I believe you are among those who have the best rapport with Ricken. If anyone could help him understand the folly of his actions, it may be you."

I rub my chin as I try to figure out how to word my next response.

"Hmm… Well, maybe we should try to look at this from Ricken's point of view. The fact that he's protective of you is obvious at this point. Maribelle, have you considered where this protectiveness stems from?"

The Troubadour rubs her temples. "I've tried, but I fail to see any reasonable cause…"

"Well, consider this. Before I joined Ricken in rescuing you from the plegians, he acted all on his own. Not only did he set out for the western border after the rest of us had already left the capital, he managed to overtake us on the way there and climbed the mountains, behind enemy lines, with the sole mission of rescuing you. It was only when he decided to finally take a break that I found him. By then, he had already figured out where to find you. Again, he did it all on his own, with no expectations of getting any help from the rest of us."

Maribelle looks at me in shock. "What?! He never told me any of that!"

I nod. "Guess he thought letting you know would only burden you. From what you've told me, it's obvious Ricken cares for you. Now put that into the context of his recent actions."

Maribelle's eyes slowly widen as the implications sink in.

"I'm only speculating at this point…" I explain. "…but I think Ricken cares for you far more than you're aware of. Heck, he might not be fully aware of it himself. Simply put, I think you mean the world to him, Maribelle. It only makes sense that he would go through such lengths to protect you if you mean that much to him."

Maribelle's face turns red at my conjecture. "He- Ricken feels like that…for me…?"

I shrug. "Like I said, it's only conjecture and guesswork. I may be wrong, but the only way to find out is if you personally breach the subject with him."

The Troubadour tightens the hold on her parasol. "Jack, do you even realize the implications of your own words? If what you said is true, then it can only mean that Ricken- He…"

"Loves you?" I answer in her place. "I'd say there's a distinct possibility. Which is why it's important that you bring it up with him. Of course, that's a choice I leave up to you. I know better than trying to pry in your private affairs."

Maribelle bites her lip with a pensive look before she looks me in the eyes with a determined expression. "I will do just that when the opportunity presents itself." The blonde curtsies. "Thank you, Jack. This conversation has been most enlightening. I bid you good night."

"You're welcome Maribelle. Here's to hope that conversation with Ricken goes well."

With that, Maribelle leaves.

 **Your relationship with Maribelle has advanced! Your relationship with Maribelle is now "Trusted"!**

* * *

I eventually find our Tactician in another part of the camp with a familiar looking bucket in hand.

"Hi, Robin." I greet the Tactician.

Robin looks up from the bucket and smiles upon seeing me.

"Hello, Jack. I was just about to go look for you."

I raise my eyebrow at that. "Oh? What for?"

Robin shows me the bucket. "Watch this."

Robin furrows her eyebrows in concentration. The water in the bucket starts to move. It starts as a small whirlpool. Then it rotates in another direction. Then two more. Robin soon has all the water in the bucket swirl in a vaguely spherical shape, just like how I demonstrated for her a few days ago.

I grin at seeing her progress. "Congratulations, Robin! You've mastered the first step of the Rasengan!"

Robin drops her concentration and releases the breath she's been holding. I notice a little sweat on her brow, most likely from the intense amount of focus that went into rotating the water in multiple direction.

"Thank you, Jack. It took a lot of work, but I finally did it."

"I'll say. I believed in you, and you not only met my expectations – you surpassed them. I honestly didn't expect you to learn it this quickly."

Robin's smile grows upon hearing my praise. "Well, part of how I learned it so quickly was by using some of the tricks I've picked up while practicing other forms of magic. After a few days of training, I realized that the motions you showed me are very similar to how the air moves in a basic wind spell. I just had to channel my mana in a similar fashion."

"I'm impressed. That's some clever problem solving you displayed there." I admit. "Well, seeing as you've cleared step one, I'd say you're ready for step two. The bucket, please."

Robin hands me the bucket. I place it on top of my right hand.

"The second step of the Rasengan is power." I explain. "While the rotation allows the Rasengan to penetrate just about any defense, there's no point in such a motion unless there's sufficient power behind it. The second step is learning how to concentrate your power within the sphere and release all of it at once. That's the secret behind the Rasengan's explosive force."

Robin nods in understanding. "All right. How do I do that, then?"

I concentrate mana right where the water is. "Like this." As more mana is concentrated into the water, I start to compress it to make it fit in the bucket. As I compress the mana, the water gets compressed as well, which visibly lowers the water level in the bucket. Robin looks at the compressed water curiously.

"It may not look like it, but I've concentrated a lot of mana into the water in the bucket right now. I'm not sure on the exact amount, but it's at least a hundred times the amount of mana I used to perform the first step."

Robin looks up at me in shock. "A- a hundred?!"

"Yep. Now, what do you suppose happens if I release all of this compressed mana at once?"

Robin looks back into the water as if the liquid will give her the answer. I smirk and take a few steps back.

" _This_ happens."

*Splash!*

All the water flies up from the bucket as the mana within bursts free. It reaches the apex of its ascent after a few seconds before it falls back down. The water splashes everywhere.

Robin gives a surprised yelp as some of the water hits at her. She glares at me with water dripping from her hair.

"Very funny, mister." the Tactician mutters irritably.

I grin in response. "It sure was. And, hey, it would've gotten worse if I just let it loose while you were still staring into the bucket. You could've gotten all the water in your face if that happened."

Robin holds her glare for a few more seconds before she sighs. "I suppose you're right. So, that's my next lesson, huh? Learning how to shoot water out of a bucket while holding it still?"

"Essentially. The point of this exercise is to concentrate a large amount of mana into a tiny space before you let all of it out in a single direction. You've already seen what that can result in." I, of course, refer to the time I imbedded Validar into a wall.

Robin nods with a contemplative look. "So it looks small, but it's packed with a lot of power."

"Exactly. The more mana you channel into the water, the more you have to concentrate it to stop it from escaping. When you've built up enough mana, you release it all at once. How high the water flies shows how much mana you put into it."

Robin accepts the now empty bucket. "Hm… I might need a new source of water before I try this exercise. I can't use the water that we brought here. I'd risk using it all up in trying to master this new exercise."

"Wasn't there an oasis nearby the road before we stopped to make camp?"

The Tactician nods. "Yeah, I believe there was one. Though that was at least an hour before we made camp."

I smile at her concern. "Oh, that won't be a problem."

*Poof!*

A Shadow clone appears by my side.

"You know what to do." I tell the clone. He nods before he takes an empty water barrel from our supply and rushes off into the desert with Gale step.

Robin looks at me quizzically. "What was that?"

"I can channel my mana to essentially make a copy of myself. My copy will get you some water to practice with from that oasis."

Robin smiles upon hearing this. "Whoa. I had no idea you could even use mana like that. And you're doing it for my sake."

I smile back. "Well, what kind of teacher would I be if I didn't even help my student practice under somewhat reasonable conditions?" My face turns serious after that. "On a more serious note, I've decided to join you on the frontlines."

"Really?" Robin asks surprised.

"Yeah. I've already spoken with Gaius. He's agreed to take my place as the new scout. If there's anyone who can get that job done, I have faith that it's him."

Robin nods in understanding. "Well, that's good and all, but why? Why do you want to fight on the frontlines now?"

"Well, first off, there wasn't anyone else who could pick up the role of scout among the Shepherds before Gaius. Seeing as I probably fit the role best, I took that role. But I'm also aware that the battles ahead will be much harder than any we've fought before. If we want to save Emmeryn and win this war, you'll need all the aid you can get."

"I hope you understand what this means, Jack." Robin answers after processing my words. "The frontline is a hectic place. You could die in an instant if you let your guard down even the slightest."

"Which is why I want to be there. So I can keep an eye on you."

"Huh? Me?"

I nod. "I've noticed something ever since we started marching. Leading an army of this size is tiring, isn't it?"

Robin bites her lip while she averts her eyes. "Is it that obvious?"

I shake my head. "I doubt it. No one else among the Shepherds have commented on it, so I think they've yet to notice the signs. But I've noticed that you seem to lack some of the energy you had before we joined the Shepherds."

Robin grabs her left sleeve with her right hand. "It's just… I knew leading an entire army was a heavy responsibility, but I had no idea just how heavy it is. It's not just leading everyone when a battle breaks out. A lot of a tactician's work is preparing for an upcoming battle. For me, most battles are decided before they even start. A poorly prepared army almost always loses. That's why I have to keep track of so much. Troop movements, battle terrain, the size of the opposing army in comparison to our own, army morale, keeping stock of the convoy… The list just goes on."

I nod in understanding. "And that's why I want to stay close to you. I can tell being the tactician of such a big army weighs heavily on you. I want to support you in any way I can, even if it's just watching your back in battle. It's not just because you have such an important role here, it's also because I worry for you personally, Robin."

The Tactician smiles at me. "Thank you, Jack. Knowing that you want to support me this much is a huge relief for me. Just make sure to watch yourself as well. There's no point in helping me unless you do that."

I smile back. "You know I will. Honestly, I think I've reached a level where I can mostly handle myself without any big issue. Besides, that's what friends do, right? Help each other, that is."

"You consider me a friend?"

I scratch the back of my head. "Yeah. I think I have ever since the day we met. I told you before that you give me this strange feeling that I can trust you with my life. The only way it has changed since that day is that it's grown stronger. That's why I consider you a friend, Robin, probably one of my dearest."

"I'm honored that you think of me that way, Jack. And truthfully, I feel something along those lines myself. You always seem to be there for me, no matter what happens. Even if we're not busy fighting a battle, having you nearby feels like I always have someone I can share my troubles with. I feel…safer with you around."

"And I'd be honored to keep it that way." I stretch my fist towards Robin. "I'll support you every step of the way, Robin. Not just as a fellow Shepherd, but also as your friend."

Robin accepts the fist bump. "And I'll do the same for you, Jack." Dang, I could spend all day looking at that smile.

…Where the heck did that thought come from?...

 **Your relationship with Robin has advanced! Your relationship with Robin is now "Friends"!**

 **The bond you've nurtured has given birth to a new ability! You can now perform the Union strike "Final gambit" with Robin!**

" **Union strikes" have been unlocked in the menu!**

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: Expanding possibilities**  
 _It took some time, but you've finally unlocked every feature in the menu. You have all the basic tools for playing the game at your disposal now. Make the most of them and enjoy!_  
 **Objective:** _Unlock all functions in the menu  
_ **Objective cleared!**  
 **Rewards:** _You gain 2 000 EXP! You gain 1 000 gold!_

* * *

I'm currently inside the UBW Meditating while processing everything that's happened during this march. We've pretty much crossed the Plegian desert in record time and managed to pick up Nowi and Gregor in the process. What's concerning, however, was what that grimleal did in his dying moments. He used his own blood to summon a monster from the land of Hyrule. He wasn't even the head honcho of the sinister cult, and he could perform a ritual like that. It would've been one thing if he summoned, say, a few Bokoblins or even Moblins. But a Lynel? And a white-maned one at that? If the Grimleal can summon creatures that powerful, fighting them in the future will be a lot more dangerous than I originally anticipated. I have to step up my training until then. I hope I can inspire the other Shepherds to do the same, even if I can't exactly explain that the Grimleal can summon creatures from a different world.

On a different note, it's high time I had a look at my newest menu screen.

* * *

 **Union strikes, Menu screen  
** _Bonds are built on trust, and that allows you to fight alongside your allies in ways that strangers wouldn't even consider. As animé as it sounds, you pretty much attack using the power of friendship. Team up with one of your buddies and unleash hell on your enemies while looking awesome.  
To perform a Union strike with an ally, your relationship must at least be "Friends". Each Union strike has a cost of 1 000 MP and can only be performed once per battle.  
_ **Available Union strikes:  
Robin: **_Final gambit_

* * *

A team-attack, huh? Interesting… Most interesting.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: Sunrise at the next day**_

 **Due to constant strenuous activity, STR goes up by 2!**  
 **Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT goes up by 2!**  
 **Due to training several complex maneuvers, DEX goes up by 2!**

I exit my tent at dawn to see most of the other Shepherds already up and about. Knowing that Emmeryn's execution is scheduled only a few hours ahead of now, tension in camp is high. Everyone's either checking their equipment or helping someone else with it. Except for Stahl. He's already in full battle gear…while sharing breakfast with Panne? The taguel looks about as wary as always, but she's not rejecting him. How curious…

The sound of a loud yawn draws my attention to Lissa's tent. The princess yawns while dragging a sleepy Nowi with her. Nowi and Gregor joining up mid-march was unexpected, so we had to adjust sleeping arrangements on the fly. It was decided that Lissa shares her tent with the manakete while Lon'qu shares his tent with the Mercenary.

By the way, Nowi looks freakin' ADORABLE with her hair in a messy bedhead! Must…resist…urge to hug her…

"Has anyone seen Robin?" we hear Chrom ask.

Everyone looks among themselves while shaking their heads.

"I believe she is still in her tent, Captain." Miriel eventually answers. "Seeing as she is the tactician of this army, it is reasonable to assume she turned in late and is still asleep."

"I'll go get her." I volunteer and head for the Tactician's tent.

I reach it soon enough.

"Robin? Are you in there?"

No answer. I lift the flap of her tent.

"I'm coming in."

I enter the tent to find the Tactician asleep. But something's wrong. Instead of the peaceful expression she usually has when sleeping, she looks uneasy. A nightmare? Wait, this is one of those instances when her connection with Grima gets through to her!

Robin suddenly wakes with a start. She's panting with a sheen of sweat on her brow. I'm at her side in a moment.

"Robin! Are you okay?"

The Tactician looks around bewildered before she calms down upon seeing me.

"Wha- Jack? Where- How-"

I place a hand on her shoulder. "Easy there. You're still in your tent, in case you're wondering."

Robin places a hand on her forehead. "Was that…a dream?"

"You might want to put those thoughts aside for now. Everyone's ready to march, but we can't start without our master tactician."

Robin takes a deep breath and calms down.

"I- You're right. Give me a few minutes, and I'll be ready."

I nod and turn to leave.

"I'll wait outside your tent."

While waiting for Robin to get ready, I run a last check on myself as well.

Gear? Check.

Windcleaver? Check.

HP and MP? Both at maximum.

Supplies? One of the villagers back in Ferox were kind enough to give me a Concoction before we returned to Flavia's residence. That will do.

All right. I'm all set for the rescue mission. Let's do this!

 **To be continued**

* * *

Preview of the next chapter:

*Tharja approaches with a sway on her hips*

 **Nowi:** Hey, it's the lady with the boingy bits!

 **Jack:** Nowi! Not in front of the children!

 **Nowi:** But I'm a child.

 **Jack:** That only makes it worse!

 **Sully:** Knock it off, you two! It's go time!

*Libra rushes to the courtyard while cutting down plegains*

 **Libra:** Your Grace! I am coming for you!

 **Chrom:** Somebody help her out before she gets hurt!

 **Libra:** I am a man!

 **Shepherds:** SAY WHAT?!

Next time on Gamer Emblem awakening:

 **Naga save the exalt! Stop that execution!**

 **Jack:** It's time to wreck plegians and chew bubblegum. And I'm all out of gum.

* * *

 **Omake: Hands off the little girl!**

The Grimleal priest raises his dagger into the air.

"Glory to Master Grima!"

To everyone's shock, he plunges the dagger into his own chest and drags it along his body. His blood spurts like a fountain as he collapses on top of the now glowing rune circle.

The roaring noise of an engine emanates from the rune circle before something big and black flies out of it. As it comes to a stop, it reveals a mini-van with the letters F, B and I on its side.

Jack looks at the vehicle. Then he looks at Nowi. Vehicle. Nowi.

"Ah, cr-p. We're screwed."

The doors on the back burst open as several heavily armed officers rush out and point their firearms everywhere.

"FBI! Drop your weapons and put your hands in the air!"

Jack immediately complies, much to the confusion of his companions.

"Why friend drop weapon?" Gregor asks. "Strange people, but look harmless."

"Gregor, put down your sword _now_!" Jack warns the Mercenary. "Same goes for you, Lon'qu. Do _not_ test their patience!"

One officer runs up to Gregor and points his gun at the Mercenary.

"I said: drop your weapon and hands in the air!"

"Gregor not understand why friend do this. Also, friend holds strange object."

The officer points his gun at a nearby palm tree and fires a warning shot. "This is your last warning."

Gregor gulps and drops his sword immediately. "Gregor is good!"

A female officer places a coat on Nowi's shoulder and leads her away gently.

"Sh… It's going to be alright. They won't hurt you anymore."

The manakete protests. "Hey, let go of me! Jack, what's going on here?!"

Another officer turns to Jack.

"Seems like you're the leader. Explain yourself, now!"

"She's of legal age, Officer! I swear!" Jack shouts.

The officer turns to his colleague. "How old is she?"

Nowi puts a finger on her lip. "Um… A thousand…something."

Jack facepalms. "Naga d-mn it, Nowi."

The officers point their weapons at Jack. "You are hereby under arrest." Cue citing of Miranda rights.

Thus began the first ever cross-dimensional case the FBI has ever handled.

* * *

 **New skills**

 **Iron body, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _There's being tough, and then there's being so resilient that you can just pat some dust off your shoulder after taking a hit. The amount of resilience that you've built up has reached a point where you don't even get hurt from minor attacks. So long as the enemy can't surpass this wall, you stand untouchable.  
Reduces all damage taken from physical attacks by a certain value. This value is equal to the sum of your STR and VIT stats. If the value is higher than the damage inflicted, you take no damage at all. Note: This value increases in the same manner as your other stats when using Reinforcement._

 **Wind mastery, Lvl 17 [23.6 %], Passive  
** _Air bending, wind-style jutsus, aeromancy, call it whatever the heck you want. Air is the element of freedom. It surrounds all living beings (above sea level) and travels where nothing else reaches. Many take it for granted because of its constant presence, never realizing the implications. Those who master the element of wind become legends in their own right, performing feats with just skill and the very air they breathe. A wind master is never out of their element, making them dangerous to fight just about anywhere.  
Passively increases damage dealt with wind-element magic by 85 %. The cost of all wind-element skills is reduced by 7 %.  
Mastered spells:  
Wind  
Gale step_

 **Soul drain, Lvl 2 [11.0 %], Active, Cost: 20 MP per second  
** _A skill that lets the caster drain the life force of their target through direct contact. There is no defense against this technique, other than keeping your distance. There are few things as agonizing as the feeling of having you soul drained out of your body, so expect anyone afflicted with this skill to fight back.  
Base damage: 105 % of the caster's INT. Restores HP equal to half the damage dealt. Element: none. This skill ignores all defenses. Can only be used through direct contact. If the target is killed by use of this skill, the caster can rip their soul out of the body, allowing the caster to view that target's memories._

 **Gale step, Lvl 13 [21.8 %], Active, Cost: 14 MP per step  
** _A skill created by combining two separate skills with the element of wind. By creating a platform of mana to place the feet on, the caster can kick off these solid footholds with wind-elemental mana to quickly accelerate in that direction. The higher the skill level, the longer the maximum distance the caster can travel in a single step. Can also be used in mid-air.  
Element: Wind. Maximum distance per step: 11 meters._

 **Bro, do U lift?, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _Muscle head or not, there's no denying that your strength is the real deal. The raw power behind your muscles allows you to hit harder than before and even lift heavy objects with significantly increased ease. Time to show off at the gym!  
Increases all melee attack damage by 15 %._

 **Monkey moves, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _Monkeys are known to be agile little critters, and occasionally real jerks. You may not be a monkey, but you too are now agile (and possess the potential to be a real jerk). Your ability to move your body has gained grace and efficiency most acrobats would kill for. It not only looks awesome, you can actually apply it in combat as well.  
Increases maximum movement speed by 15 %. Decreases the hit-rate of all incoming attacks by 5 %._

 **Rodoh rollah da!, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 400 MP  
** _One of the signature moves of the undead Stand user, Dio Brando. A massive steamroller is pulled out of…nowhere… and slammed on top of the user's victim. The victim is then further crushed by repeatedly punching the steamroller in typical JoJo's fashion. The ultimate technique for literally steamrolling the competition and reminding them of the futility of their resistance. This particular variant comes with a massive explosion at the end. Clear the area before detonation or suffer the consequences.  
Base damage: Steamroller: 4 000 + 100 % of the user's STR. Punches: 100 % of the user's STR per hit (62 hit combo). Explosion: 6 000. Note: the explosion deals fire-elemental damage._

 **Alchemic transmutation, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: Varies**  
 _Nothing can be gained without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. This is the law of equivalent exchange, the fundamental principle of all alchemy. Your understanding of how matter is built and how it works is now at your fingertips. Thus, you can also reconstruct matter as you see fit, so long as the amount remains constant. Just make sure no one tries to entice you with a red stone. That only leads to trouble.  
Allows the caster to freely manipulate any matter they touch. The cost of this skill is proportional to the mass of the matter manipulated._

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **Banana, Consumable, Uncommon  
** _A yellow fruit that normally grows in warm climates. Its sweet taste and soft texture makes it popular both as a snack and an ingredient in desserts. It's packed with calories, so eating one is a great way to recover stamina after some hard exercise. Just make sure it doesn't come from a giant pile belonging to a gorilla wearing a red necktie. For real. He'll punch the freakin' moon at you.  
Restores 120 HP._

 **Hiraishin kunai, Dagger, Base damage: 32, Very rare  
** _The signature weapon of the fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. This variant of kunai has three prongs instead of the standard one. While sharp, its main purpose is not cutting or stabbing; it's to make sure it sticks to a surface as easily as possible. The handle has a jutsu formula that is keyed to Minato's signature jutsu, the Flying Raijin. By using the kunai as beacons, Minato could lock on to one and teleport to its location in an instant. This single jutsu allowed Minato to singlehandedly defeat an entire platoon of enemy ninjas (with some liberal help in spreading the kunai first) and earned him the title of the fastest man alive.  
Available skills when wielded: Flying Raijin_

 **Dragonstone, Stone, Base damage: 68, Rare** _  
A stone with the power of a manakete sealed within. By tapping into the stone's power, a manakete can transform into a powerful dragon with the ability to incinerate even the strongest foes. Using the stone's power too much can have fatal consequences, however, as staying in dragon form is very draining. If overused, the manakete ends up using their own life force to further power the transformation, thus shortening their own life span.  
Passively increases STR, VIT, INT and WIS by 20 %._

 **Trickster, Class  
** _Despite their seemingly impractical choice of garb, these agile units are more dangerous in battle than they look. Not only are they skilled at sword wielding, they are masters of acrobatics, capable of moving around the battlefield in ways others would find inconceivable. To top it all off, they are surprisingly adept in magic as well. In fact, that's their main gimmick; the element of surprise. And lock picking. Can't forget about the lock picking.  
Passively increases movement speed by 10 %. Attack damage and attack speed increases by 5 % when wielding a sword. Magic of any element except light and darkness deals 5 % more damage. Maximum HP decreases by 5 %. Damage taken from any physical attack increases by 10 %._

* * *

 **You thought it was Jack who defeated the Lynel.**

*Rips off face to reveal that it's a mask*

 **Dio:** But it was me: Dio!

*Bang!*

*The real CrossVipeR316 lowers a still-smoking silver magnum*

 **Yare yare, daze. This guy just doesn't know how to stay down! I'd better drag him back to his coffin and seal it real tight. Wonder if Minato can help me with an eight-trigrams seal…**

 **That's right, people. I'm pairing Chrom with Cordelia in this fic! Of all the Awakening fanfics I've read (to be fair, it's not** _ **that**_ **many), only one of them has the prince marry our favorite red-headed Pegasus Knight.  
IMO, for all the potential the Chrom-delia ship has, it doesn't get nearly as much attention as it deserves. As a fan of the series, I think it's high time there's a new instance in which this long-awaited ship sets sail. You may disagree. You may hate me. You may flame me. But you will NEVER make me change my stance on this matter. Cordelia will get her beloved Prince Badass-and-Charming in this fic. And I won't make it just because I think it's cool. I honestly think Chrom and Cordelia would make a great couple, as well as great parents for their respective canon children. Cordelia would make a great mother for Lucina, due to both of them being hard-working and caring towards others. Heck, look up their support conversation in Warriors! And if there's one man who can teach Severa about growing through hardship, as part of her father supports, it's Chrom. He'd better act fast though, lest Severa empty the royal coffers in her constant shopping sprees.**

 **With the addition of the wind element, the foundation for Jack's full skillset is finally in place. And if you think I chose wind for the sole purpose of the Rasenshuriken, think again. Fiction has weaponized wind in a wide variety of ways, from offensive and defensive to supportive and, of course, movement based. There's a LOT of stuff you can do with wind mastery, more than I could cover in this fic.**

 **As for the Union strikes, these are a mechanic that I decided to add as another way for Jack to team up with various characters in Awakening. They will act similarly to Sora's limit breaks in KH2 or the team ultimate jutsus from the Naruto Shippuden UNS games. Jack won't perform a Union strike with every character, since he won't grow close to everyone. He will, however, perform a Union strike with every 2** **nd** **-gen Shepherd as part of his interaction with them.**

 **Now if you'll excuse me, I have to relocate to one of my secret hideouts. One reader called the authorities after reading Jack's scenes with Nowi and misunderstanding the whole situation. If it hasn't been stated clearly enough, I imagine Jack to act as sort of a brother figure for the young manakete, since she's still a child for all intents and purposes. SOMEBODY has to give her a childhood until Cherche comes around!**

 **I can already hear the sirens in the distance. Gotta go! Don't forget to rate and review!  
**

 **VipeR out.**


	9. Chapter 9

**THIS FIC HAS OVER 300 FAVORITES AND 400 FOLLOWERS! THIS IS AWESOME!** _ **YOU GUYS**_ **ARE AWESOME!**

 ***Ahem!* Sorry, had to get that out of my system.**

 **Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening. And, wow. While I have seen indications of fans supporting the Chrom-delia ship before, your reviews hit it home how many have longed for this to happen, even if it's unofficial. And that's before considering all the supporters who have yet to speak up. I'm SO taking that ship to the other end of the fandom ocean.**

 **While writing this chapter, a thought occurred to me. The chapter when the Shepherds storm Emmeryn's execution opens up for a challenge to every fanfic author who tries their hand on it. It boils down to this decision: save Emmeryn, or "kill" Emmeryn. Obviously, either option has effects that last until pretty much the end. The main part of the challenge, however, is how to integrate the decision into a cohesive narrative and make it a natural part of the story. Naturally, I'm taking this challenge myself. And boy, did I open the gates for something big (I think).**

 **Also, some update info: I noticed I had forgotten to add "Alchemic transmutation" to the list of new skills. That has been updated as of now.**

 **Onto some reviews.**

 **TheOrangeLord:** I beg to differ. Canonically, Lucina has five potential mothers – one of who is a simple village maiden – and she turns out the exact same way for every one of them, save for her possible skillset. I dare say adding Cordelia on the list can work just fine.

 **kyle77776:** Not planning on taking any weapon ideas, since I already have a rough draft in my head on how the story will go all the way to the end. Though feel free to suggest weapons if you'd like to. In fact, one of the weapons Jack uses in this chapter was inspired by a review of an earlier chapter.

 **Rudeus:** Is the new summary better?

 **Dragon of the Blazeing Stars:** You do bring up a good point regarding Nowi. I've taken some time considering this, and I have some ideas on how to give her some more screen time. This'll be fun.

 **ShadowPhoenix34:** Yes, the squirrels are basically a giant Naruto parody. I have way too much fun with this concept, and Jack has way too many headaches with these furry little nutcases. XD

 **Firem 78910:** I certainly see your point regarding the two. In fact, it's only after I read your review that I even considered the pair. **Spoiler alert** , they both marry someone else.  
As for Tharja, I highly doubt she'll try to get to Robin through Jack. Our favorite goth/yandere Dark Mage would gun for the Tactician with far more direct methods than that.

 **warrior of six blades & Obsessive Reader: **The whole "You get in a relationship with Nowi, you go to jail" schtick is probably one of the oldest running gags in the Awakening fandom. From there, adding the FBI gag into the mix was just too perfect to ignore. Really, this kind of stuff practically writes itself.

 **Anonymus reviewer, October 18** **th** **:** No Za Warudo, you say? *Rubs the back of my head* Funny you should mention that…  
Also, love the description at the end. Pure. Genius.

 **Guest reviewer, October 22** **nd** **:** While I can't speak for the other Gamer fanfic authors, my reason is basically because the secret weapons have the coolest effects. And in most cases, the rule of cool takes priority over some realistic stuff. I mean, that's why we have animé physics, right?

 **Yexius:** Haven't planned on including Kakashi's unofficial ultimate technique yet. While hilarious, it would probably be a one-time thing at the most.

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _Killing, on the other hand? Now_ _that's_ _up my alley –_ Tharja

* * *

 **Chapter 9:**

 **Naga save the exalt!  
Stop that execution!**

We're all gathered just outside camp, ready for action. All that's left is to wait for Gaius to return from his scouting and report his findings.

Chrom fidgets nervously in place. "Come on, Gaius! It's not supposed to take this long."

Frederick places a calming hand on the prince's shoulder. "Please, calm yourself, milord. While time is indeed of the essence, making hasty decisions will only lead to failure."

Chrom takes a few deep breaths before he calms down. "I… No, you're right, Frederick. Thank you. I needed that."

At that moment, Gaius crests the nearest hill and slides to a stop in front of us.

"You were right on the gold, Bubbles." the Thief reports. "They're planning on executing the exalt in just a few hours. The soldiers in the castle won't stop talking about it and there's already a crowd forming near the courtyard."

"This is it, then." Basilio declares.

"Exactly as you predicted, Robin." Chrom adds.

The Tactician nods. "So far, yes. But now will be the true test…"

Flavia delivers a hard pat on Robin's back. "Chin up, there! Show some confidence! It's your thinking that's got us this far. The plan is risky, but only as much is called for."

"She's right, Robin." I add from the side. "You've maneuvered us through the desert in ways I didn't even think possible and got us here just in time to blindside Gangrel and pull off this rescue mission. You've spent hours preparing for this one battle." I give her a confident smirk. "Now is the time for those preparations to pay off. After all, fortune smiles for those who come prepared, does it not?"

Robin smiles and nods. "That it does, Jack. Thank you."

"We'll find a way to see it through, Robin. Don't worry." Chrom assures. "When this is over, we'll be swapping stories with Emm on the road home."

Robin's nods determined. "I hope you're right."

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: Execution crashers  
** _There are those who crash parties. There are those who crash weddings. Heck, you've heard stories about some dude crashing funerals! In your case, you're crashing an execution. All your preparation in Ferox has led up to this moment. You're in position to storm the courtyard in front of castle Plegia and ready to foil Gangrel's little public show at all costs. At the end of today, this clash will leave a permanent mark on history. The question remains; will Emmeryn be saved, or die?  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat all Plegian soldiers  
_ **Rewards:** _9 000 EXP, 9 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold, ?, ?, ?  
_ **Failure:** _The public execution gets extended with Gangrel having you all publicly killed one by one while Emmeryn is forced to watch. THEN he snatches the Fire Emblem from Chrom's lifeless fingers._

* * *

We've positioned ourselves behind some rock outcroppings and sand dunes northwest of the castle courtyard. Cordelia has to visibly restrain Chrom as we all see Emmeryn march towards the tip of a high cliff with her hands bound behind her back and with a Barbarian pushing her forward. At their current altitude, Emmeryn would die, even if she simply got pushed off the rock (confirmed by canon – sort of).

The courtyard is packed with plegians. Soldiers stand at attention both on the courtyard walls and outside around it. Yikes! Gangrel's _not_ holding back with this event. He's hellbent on having Emmeryn die, and he wants it public.

The Mad King himself walks out on a balcony overlooking the courtyard.

He begins his opening speech. "Good people! Warriors of Plegia! Welcome! Welcome, one and all! Your anticipation electrifies the air!" Even so far away, we can hear his voice clearly.

The crowd cheers in response. Mad King he may be, but Gangrel's obviously popular in his home country.

"We ALL remember the crimes of Ylisse… Would you have their witch-queen answer for them? Here? Today? NOW?"

The crowd is positively zealous, alternating between screaming for Emmeryn's blood and shouting for a war to raze Ylisse to the ground.

Gangrel grins manically. "YEEEEEEEES! Finally, we will have JUSTICE!" The Mad King turns towards the Barbarian standing behind Emmeryn. "EXECUTIONER! If you would be so kind…"

Robin turns to Flavia. "Flavia!"

"I've got him!" the reigning khan replies.

*Thunk!*

Flavia just sniped a headshot on that guy with an Iron Axe – from, like, 200 paces away and with her having the lower ground! That axe throwing feat was insane! Miriel, you need to step up your game!

Robin raises her hand with lightning magic sparking in her palm and takes a deep breath. "EVERYONE: NOW!"

 **BGM: Dr. Wily stage 1 & 2, Super Smash Bros (Wii U) music (Originally from the Megaman series)**

Cordelia and Sumia take the lead as they clash straight into the first enemy line. I'm right behind them with Gale step pumping out at max.

*Screech!*

Incoming Wyvern Rider? I don't fear your kind anymore! Just as the plegian dives for a horizontal swing, I jump over the axe and draw my Windcleaver.

*Shing!* "Next." I say impassively as the Wyvern Rider's head slides off his shoulders.

Stahl rides past me with Panne by his side. A pair of Myrmidons try to intercept them. Just as they reach striking range, Panne makes a hairpin turn, sending dust and sand into the eyes of the plegians. They hardly have time to react to the unexpected maneuver before Stahl's horse runs over one of them. The other gets mauled down by a taguel spinning all over his back like a possessed furry wheel.

Miriel casts a massive Elfire spell to clear a path for Frederick and Chrom to rush into the opening and smash the enemy ranks. A Barbarian tries to flank her, only to stop in mid-air.

"Won't get past me!"

Miriel smiles in the general direction of the stopped Barbarian. "Why, thank you, Kellam." Then she roasts the plegian alive.

*Thwip!*

An arrow lands right at my feet. Wait, that didn't come from Virion.

"They have archers on the wall! Take them out, or Sumia and Cordelia won't take flight!" I hear Robin shout behind me.

A quick glance confirms the Tactician's observation. Our Pegasus Knights are forced to fly low to avoid the many arrows coming from the wall. Now, how do we get rid of enemies stationed beyond most of our range and behind cover?

As I scan the wall for options, I notice Nowi triple-team a few Soldiers and a Fighter with Vaike and…Lissa? She doesn't just heal up the others, she even gets up close to the Plegian Fighter and swings her staff at the guy with gusto. The Fighter tries to retaliate, only for Lissa to step out of range and hook her staff behind the axeblade.

"I might surprise you!" the Cleric shouts before she yanks the axe out of his grip, catches it by the handle and swings it down on him. He manages to survive, but the shock of him getting played by a Cleric is unmistakable. Before he can even recover, Sully enters the fray and stabs her Steel Lance clean through his chest.

"Nice save!" Lissa tells the red Cavalier.

An idea pops in my head. That's it! Nowi!

I sheathe my Windcleaver and dash towards the gathered quartet with the manakete in my sights.

"Nowi! Give me a lift!" I shout to her.

The transformed manakete looks in my direction and nods as she picks up on my plan. As I close in, Nowi flips in the air and stretches out her tail. I jump onto the tail, then sync Nowi's upward swing with a Reinforced jump. The maneuver catapults me straight up into the air and over the edge of the wall within seconds, much to the shock of the Plegian Archers.

As I approach the apex of my boosted jump, sparks fly from my left hand.

"Trace on!"

Palutena's Bow appears in my hand. I quickly channel mana through the divine weapon, making a bowstring of light appear between the ends. As I grab hold and draw back, an arrow of light forms at my fingertips.

"Peekaboo!" The arrow flies and nails an Archer right in the forehead. From there, I alternate between firing more light arrows and repositioning myself in the air using Gale step. The Archers might be good, but I'm moving too fast for them to aim properly. Oh, and I have Mind's eye. Can't forget about that.

As effective as distracting these guys is, however, there are still more Archers on the wall firing at my allies down below. I need a faster method!

So I direct a Gale step to bring me to the wall itself. As I land, I split Palutena's Bow into a pair of short swords and run straight towards the Archers.

Duck, slice, pivot, slice, block, redirect arrow with Telekinesis, jump, change direction in mid-air, stab straight down.

I have my hands full handling these guys. It's either constant movement or get turned into a pincushion. The worst part is that I'm still only occupying part of the archery lineup, while the rest fire arrows at the others. I need to take them down fast!

Hm… The section of the wall where most of the Plegian Archers are stationed is pretty much a straight line. A smirk grows on my face as an idea of how I can exploit that blooms in my mind.

I dash with Gale step towards one end of said straight section while keeping as low to the ground as possible. Thanks to Mind's eye and quick reflexes (further augmented by Monkey moves), I duck, weave and slip between the Archers while occasionally bouncing between the walls for extra tight turns. I close in on the far end of the section of the wall, where I want to be. A Knight takes note of my approach and attempts to intercept me. Just as he stabs his Steel Lance forward, I jump above him, push with Gale step to get behind him faster and deliver a kick to his back. The sudden move leaves him temporarily unbalanced and stumbling. More importantly, he's now between me and the Archers, acting as a temporary shield against their arrows. That grants me the precious time to Trace another weapon.

The mana disperses to reveal Don Krieg's Super War Spear. Instead of using it the intended way, however, I nock the polearm on Palutena's Bow. As I pull the string back, the spear shrinks and transforms until it resembles an arrow with a particularly big head with a skull motif painted on it.

The Knight finally manages to right himself and turns around to attack me again. By that time, I've already pulled back the bowstring and taken aim.

"Game over, n00bs."

I let the transformed weapon fly.

*Thwip! BOOM!*

I knew shooting a Traced weapon from a bow would yield powerful results, but this might be more than I expected. The Traced weapon-turned-arrow exploded upon impact, destroying the top of a tower in the process. As in, the whole top was blown to smithereens! Everything between me and the destroyed tower was pretty much blown through like it wasn't even there. Some of the Archers are missing an arm. Some miss their heads. The Knight who stood in front of me is hardly there anymore. The arms, legs and head, along with what they were equipped with, are all that's left. The torso is just…gone.

Daaa-n! Now I understand why archer-Emiya loves using his Traced weapons this way. The Super War Spear normally explodes with every impact, making it a dangerous weapon to use unless you're heavily protected. Firing it from my bow basically turned it into a supercharged bomb arrow. I…will only use this when no allies are within the blast radius. The friendly fire could be disastrous.

The Archers that survived my shot are absolutely terrified of me now. The few who can move try to put as much distance from me as possible, not that they can get very far on a partially destroyed wall and with crippling injuries. As heartless as it may be, they have to go. I split Palutena's Bow into the dual blades again and charge in. The least I can do is make their deaths quick and painless.

I finish up the rest of the Archers within two minutes, tops. Mind's eye tells me that there are no more Plegian Archers on the wall, which is nice in the case that one was hiding. I nod in satisfaction before I walk to the railing and take a deep breath.

"Robin! The Archers are down!"

The Tactician looks in my direction and nods. Then she faces our Pegasus Knights.

"Sumia! Cordelia!"

Seeing as the skies are cleared off enemy arrows, the Pegasus Knights take flight immediately, meeting Wyvern riders on an even playing field or diving in from above to provide support.

Alright, where do they need me next? Wait… There's some fighting going on to the south. A lone figure fighting several plegains. Well, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? Might as well help them.

I Reinforce my legs and take a running start before I hurl myself off the wall and kick the air the best I can with Gale step to reach the lone figure as fast as possible. They have the situation handled pretty well with the two Soldiers at melee range, but the Archers and Dark Mages are a different story. Some cover fire is in order.

My pseudo flight quickly takes me above the fighting. I reform the bow and Trace another Super War Spear. I aim straight down at the plegians attacking from afar.

*BOOM!*

I doubt any of them made it out in one piece. Fortunately, that massive explosion drew the attention of the other plegians as well as the unidentified figure. I redirect myself to land right behind the Soldiers and take them down with a few quick slashes before I finally dismiss Palutena's Bow.

 **BGM ends**

"Bless you." the figure says gratefully.

I rise from my crouch and smile at the now identified feminine person.

"You're welcome, miss-"

"I am a man." the person interrupts me abruptly.

Huh? What does she mean by-

* * *

 **Libra Lvl 30 Class: War Monk**

* * *

No way… THAT'S Libra?! Dude, this guy could pose as a model by looks alone! I know Libra's basically an animé trap, but…sheesh. There has to be a limit for how feminine a guy can appear. Libra just looks like a woman, period. Doesn't help that his voice sounds feminine as well.

Okay, deep breaths. Reboot brain slowly. Libra simply breaks the mold with his mere existence. It's not the end of the world or anything.

"Wha- How-"

The War Monk sighs. "Yes, this happens quite often. Rest assured, I am used to it by now. The good news is that you found out before things got awkward. _Very_ awkward."

I nod dumbly. "Uh, okay, then. So, what brings a Priest here, of all places?"

Libra blinks before an urgent look forms on his (very attractive) face. "No! I have to hurry and save Her Grace!"

"Let me help you, then." I offer. "I'm with the Shepherds, and we came here to rescue the exalt too."

Libra nods gratefully. "So Prince Chrom is here as well? Truly, the gods smile upon us today. Oh, Great ones, we give you our most humble-"

"Uh, can we save the prayers for _after_ we've saved the exalt?" I interrupt.

Libra clears his throat with a slight blush. "*Ahem!* Yes, that would be the most appropriate course of action."

As we set off towards the courtyard, I glance at Libra.

"By the way, my name's Jack."

"Libra." the War Monk replies. "And to clarify, I am a War Monk."

I nod. "Sounds good to me."

Our run soon gets interrupted by more plegians.

"I cannot afford to lose more time fighting these soldiers! Move aside!" Libra shouts as we get closer. Some of the soldiers in front sneer at him.

"We ain't movin' aside for anybody, even if it's a hot gal!" the Myrmidon in the lead declares.

Libra growls angrily and crouches in a low stance. His Killer Axe starts glowing as I notice him channel mana through the weapon. I didn't even know you could do that unless the weapon itself is made of mana-conducting materials.

"Gods, forgive me!"

That's the only warning the plegians get before Libra attacks them head-on with a brutal downward swing.

*THOOM!*

The poor soldiers scatter from the violent blow like leaves in the wind. Some of them survive with heavy injuries, some flat-out die. Yikes! Do _not_ piss off the feminine War Monk!

Libra's massive blow opens a hole in the Plegain ranks for us to slip through. We continue running towards the courtyard when we notice a lone Dark Mage approach us with her hand glowing purple.

Wait. _Her_?

* * *

 **Tharja Lvl 24 Class: Dark Mage**

* * *

Libra is just about to clash with the Dark Mage when I dash in-between them.

"Wait!" I shout at the War Monk.

Libra stops confused. "Jack, move aside! We have to get past her."

I shake my head. "We don't need to fight her. Look closer. She's not regarding us with any real hatred, unlike the other plegains." Thank goodness I have Detect bloodlust for this. I can tell where all the bloodlust directed at me is coming from, and none of those directions originate from Tharja.

Libra regards the Dark Mage carefully. "How can you tell?"

I smile in response. "Why don't we just ask her?"

By this point, Tharja has already reached us. The dark spell still remains in her hand, but she's yet to cast it.

"Well, this is unusual." the Dark Mage drawls. "Normally, my enemy would just attack me head-on or ogle me like a piece of meat. You do neither."

"And you're not particularly interested in fighting us, are you?" I counter.

Tharja shrugs. "I don't particularly care about fighting for my home country or some other ridiculous things like that. Why bother? We'll die sooner or later anyway. Might as well be for my own cause instead of for some king that I don't even care about. Sure, long live him and all that, but it doesn't even concern me."

Ah, Tharja… The textbook definition of happy-go-lucky…not!

I raise an eyebrow. "You don't seem motivated at fighting at all."

"Not really." Then Tharja smirks and giggles with a sinister tone. "Killing, on the other hand? Now _that's_ up my alley."

"Why not join us, then?" I ask, to Libra's shock.

Tharja raises an eyebrow. "You want me to switch sides? Granted, I've no love for this country – or anything in particular, for that matter. Why would I even want to side with you?"

"Honestly, it's mostly because I'd rather stay on your good side than on your bad. That, and I'm convinced my prince would offer you the same thing upon hearing your reasons for fighting. Or lack thereof."

Tharja scoffs. "Your prince must be hopelessly naïve, then. I mean, really. Who would offer a member of the enemy army a place in their own out of the blue? For all you know, I could just be a spy sent to worm my way into your circles to kill your precious royalty. Or, I'd just stab you in the back the first chance I get because I feel like it."

I nod sagely. "True, but do you know what Prince Chrom would say to that?" Tharja regards me with a bored expression. I'll take that as a "no". "He'd accept you anyway. Something about him already having to watch his back."

"Huh…" Tharja replies. "First time I hear an answer like that to the backstabbing part." The Dark Mage shrugs. "Sure, why not? I'll join you – for now."

Then she smirks at me. "Besides, I think this side is a little more fun. Now that I look closer, I can tell there's something…strange about you. You intrigue me. And if something intrigues me, I take _very_ good care of it."

I can hear alarm bells going off like crazy in my head upon seeing that smirk. What's worse; becoming Miriel's latest test subject, or Tharja's?

Wait, who am I even kidding? It's becoming Tharja's subject, any day of the week.

A nearby Soldier managed to overhear our conversation and rushes towards Tharja with his lance at the ready.

"You dare betray your country? Die, you witch!"

Tharja simply sidesteps the lunge and grabs the Soldier by the face with her right hand – which still has its dark spell at the ready. That's when Tharja finally lets her spell loose. The Soldiers agonized screams indicate that's a Nosferatu spell. And judging by Tharja's sadistic smirk, she loves using it point-blank.

She lets go off the Soldier's face some time after the screams cease. All that's left of him is a shriveled body with his face set in horror and pain.

Libra looks at the fallen Soldier appalled. "By the gods, what cruelty…"

Tharja just scoffs at her former ally. "He deserved worse."

I draw my Windcleaver again and walk in front of our two newest allies. "We can discuss battle ethics after we're done here. We have to get to the courtyard and rescue the exalt, pronto." I turn to look at Tharja. "How about it? Are you in?"

Tharja shrugs. "I joined your cause, didn't I? I guess I'll just go with you."

Good enough, I suppose.

We set off without another word. We have about a dozen plegians approaching us from the front. Better step up my game.

Sparks fly from my left hand once more before they reveal Wado Ichimonji. I dash straight into enemy lines with Gale step. My sudden increase in speed takes the plegians by surprise, allowing me to zip between them while I slash every which way. The confusion-turned-panic distracts the soldiers long enough for Tharja to cast spells with murderous enthusiasm. It's a good thing I can see where she's aiming with Mind's eye, or I'd risk getting in the line of fire. Meanwhile, Libra circles the gathered soldiers and flanks them with deadly axe swings.

Things are going well, considering they outnumber us four-to-one. That is, until I notice something from outside our battle. Drat! They've already called in their extra Wyvern Riders!

"Tharja! Behind you!"

The Dark Mage turns around to see a Wyvern Rider dive at her at full speed with his axe raised high. She won't dodge in time! Gotta pull her out!

"Elthunder!"

 **BGM: Dialga's fight to the finish!, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness music**

A lightning spell slams into the Wyvern Rider from the side, fries him and sends him veering off into the sand instead of on Tharja.

Robin's caught up to us! And in the nick of time too!

Alright, better finish up on my part as well.

"Libra, get ready!"

I dash right back into the fray, jumping and dashing between plegians as I go while I slash at them. While they mostly suffer grave injuries, the main point is driving them towards the War Monk. Right as they line up perfectly, I jump back.

"Now!"

Libra swings his axe with a war cry and beheads the six remaining plegians with a single strike. He flicks some blood off the Killer Axe and takes a calming breath.

"In Naga's name…"

With no enemies approaching us for now, I turn to our female allies. Robin seems a bit uncomfortable around Tharja, while the Dark Mage looks at the Tactician with…is that lust? What the heck happened while I looked away?

"Oh, looks like you've already introduced each other." I comment as I approach them. Robin visibly relaxes upon seeing me, while Tharja glances in my direction and smiles slightly.

"Oh, yes." the Dark Mage purrs. "You know, Jack, had you told me you had a woman like Robin on your side, I would've joined you on the spot. E hee hee hee hee…"

Robin backs away from Tharja slowly. "Jack, I don't know what made you convince Tharja to join, but I'm not really comfortable with the idea."

I shrug. "Hey, anyone who doesn't oppose us is a potential ally, right?"

The Tactician eyes me skeptically while still making sure the Dark Mage is at a comfortable distance away from her.

"I can't argue with that logic in and of itself, but… Really?"

I nod. "Really. Trust me, I know what I'm doing."

"For your sake, I hope you're right."

"Jack! There you are!" I hear Chrom shout as he reaches us. He's got the others with him, meaning they should be done cleaning up those Wyvern Rider reinforcements further back. Good, we're all gathered.

"Hey, Chrom." I greet back. "I got us a few more allies. Meet Libra and Tharja."

Virion eyes Libra and Tharja in appreciation. "And what stunning beauties at that. I must say, my friend, you certainly know how to pick the ladies."

"I am a man." Libra replies with a twitching eyebrow.

The Archer looks like someone slapped him in the face. "W-what?! But… But how- And with that face- That melodious voice…"

I clap Virion on the shoulder and nod sagely. "It's all right, Virion. I made the same mistake too when I first met Libra. If it's any consolation, he's very understanding on the matter."

Virion accepts defeat with a bowed head and a dark cloud over his head. Eh, he'll manage.

"As pleasant as meeting new allies may be, we have to hurry!" Chrom reminds us. "Emm's still up there, and I'd sooner get her down safe and sound rather than later."

Robin nods. "He's right. That's the reason we came here. Let's go everyone!"

A chorus of "Aye!" sounds through our ranks before we resume our charge towards the courtyard. Looks like the civilians were smart enough to get away the moment the battle started, as we only see soldiers in our way. What little resistance they manage to put up is quickly crushed under the weight of our entire group-plus-two-newcomers and Robin's strategizing on the fly.

The entrance to the castle courtyard comes into view. A lone General blocks it.

"You'll never save your precious exalt, scum!" He shouts before he slams his foot on the ground and gets in a stance. "Soldiers!"

In short order, at least two dozen new Plegian soldiers of various classes rush in from the sides and put themselves between us and the General.

This isn't getting us anywhere. Alright, if we're gonna break through quickly, I guess now's the time to pull out my new trump card.

* * *

 **Union strike: Final gambit**

"Robin!"

"Let's go."

We rush straight towards the soldiers with our swords drawn. As we're about five paces apart, I dash ahead with Gale step and start slashing. My sudden burst of speed catches the soldiers off-guard, allowing me to dash back and forth between their ranks with constant hit-and-run attacks. At the same time, Robin strikes at anyone who's busy focusing on me, allowing the both of us to strike where our enemies least expect it.

"Switch it up!" I shout and jump back from the harried plegians.

Robin swaps her sword for a wind tome in the blink of an eye and starts to cast Wind spells at a rapid pace every which way. I channel wind-element mana through my Windcleaver and dash around to where the errant spells will fly to bat them right at the soldiers. With Robin firing the Wind spells at so many angles, I can hit them back in directions she normally wouldn't reach. As we go, we force the plegians into an increasingly smaller formation. Their growing panic soon has them packed pretty much shoulder-to-shoulder.

I skid to a stop and sheathe my Windcleaver. "Ready when you are!"

Robin brings out her Elthunder tome. "Time to tip the scales!"

I tense my legs and jump high into the air above the plegians. At the same time, Robin launches a spell that forms a rune circle crackling with lightning-element mana right where I'm going. I reach the rune circle at the apex of my jump, thrust my hand into the spell and grab hold of the mana within. The moment I feel a connection, I rotate the mana every which way while compressing all of it into a sphere. I soon have a yellow orb filled to the brim with highly concentrated, barely contained lightning magic in my hand.

I begin falling down towards the still hapless plegians and accelerate that fall with a Gale step aimed upwards.

"LEEROY JENKIIINS!"

*Krzzt! Ka-BRAM!*

The lightning sphere detonates with the force of a thunderbolt, electrocuting every single plegian while tearing at them with the rotational fury of a giant Rasengan. They die within a matter of seconds.

I used another Gale step to jump out of the blast radius before our combined technique went off. That has me skid to a stop right beside Robin with a three-point landing. I stand up and point my fist at her with a grin.

"All according to plan."

"Now _that's_ strategy." Robin replies and returns the fist-bump with a satisfied smile.

* * *

With the mooks down, all that's left is the General. Robin turns to Frederick.

"The path's clear! Frederick!"

Frederick commands his horse into a full-speed charge as he pulls out the Savage Lynel Crusher I gave him last night. The look he directs towards the General can only mean one thing: no mercy.

"Pick a god and pray."

*KA-BRAM!*

The stalwart Great Knight hits his adversary with enough force to send him flying into the courtyard. A few seconds later, we hear the sound of a heavy metallic object crash into a stone wall at very high speeds. A stone wall that's at least 200 meters away. No mercy, indeed.

 **Frederick has leveled up!**

 **BGM ends**

Chrom turns to Robin. "Robin! Their wyverns have fallen! The skies are clear! I'm giving the signal!"

The prince raises Falchion into the air. The divine blade gleams in the Plegian morning sun.

That gleam heralds the entrance of Phila, accompanied by twenty or so Pegasus Knights.

"Your Grace!"

Emmeryn turns to her trusted guard and smiles. "Phila! I'm so glad to see you safe! But how-"

"Khan Basilio's men freed me." the Falcon Knight explains while flying towards the exalt. "Come, we must hurry!"

"What? _More_ pegasus knights?" Gangrel exclaims in shock. "How did they…" The Mad King slams his fists on the railing of the balcony. "That damned Ylissean tactician does NOT play fair!"

Aversa pulls out a wooden box. "Heh heh heh… Yes, well. Neither do I."

Hold on. Is that what I think it is?

* * *

 **Reeking box, Consumable, Uncommon  
** _A wooden box filled with corpse parts enchanted with potent dark magic. When opened, the corpse parts fuel the spell, which summons the undead to attack any living being in sight. Strangely enough, members of the Grimleal are never considered a target.  
Spawns Risen to the surrounding area when used. Doing so will automatically count as you entering a battle._

* * *

If Aversa opens that box, she'll summon an army of undead Archers. Phila and her Pegasus Knights will be killed in a matter of seconds, Robin's plans will collapse like a house of cards, and Emmeryn will sacrifice herself for the greater good. Is this… Is this how things will go down? Do I _want_ things to go down this way?

No.

H-LL no!

We didn't drag our asses through the Plegian desert in record time, fought a bunch of evil cultists and stormed the courtyard of the enemy's stronghold, only to trip at the finish line at the hands of some sadistic woman who won't stay out our business! We didn't put in this much effort, only to fail! _Robin_ didn't push herself to her limit, only to fail!

You think you can get away with pulling a deus-ex-machina on us, Aversa? Well, two can play that game, b-tch!

I make a mad dash into the courtyard.

"Jack, what are you doing?!" I hear Robin shout from behind me.

Sorry, Robin! No time to explain! A wave of dark purple miasma sweeps over the ground as I run across the courtyard. That miasma soon coalesces into clusters on the ground. That's most likely where the Risen Archers will spawn. Judging by their positions, my destination is about 30 paces in front of me, a little to the right.

*Insert heartbeat sound*

The Risen start to take shape. 20 paces!

Activate Mimicry. 15 paces!

Concentrate your mana. 10 paces!

Phila and the other fliers have spotted the Risen Archers, but they'll never get behind cover in time. 5 paces!

The Risen Archers are about to take aim. Made it!

*Heartbeat sounds stops*

"ZA WARUDO!"

A dome of mana rapidly expands until it covers the whole courtyard and even a bit beyond its surrounding wall. Everything and everyone inside the dome immediately freeze in place as time itself stops flowing – save for me.

 **A new skill has been created through a special action! You gained "Za Warudo!"!**

A quick glance at my new skill's info tells me that I can only maintain it for a little while before my MP reaches zero. I need to move fast if I want to kill all the Risen before that happens.

I concentrate and create ten Shadow clones, wincing as my MP plummets even further. No time to lose!

"Kill them all!" I shout as I draw my Windcleaver. My clones do the same before we all dash in separate directions and decapitate the Risen Archers as fast as we can. Faster. Move faster!

It probably took less than 10 seconds to accomplish my task with the aid of my clones, but it felt more like hours. Nonetheless, I manage to hold Za Warudo active until I decapitate the last undead Archer. I sheathe my Windcleaver as my clones dispel.

"And time moves once again." *Clink*

The mana dome dispels, letting time resume its march where I stopped it less than a minute ago. The heads of the Risen Archers explode in dark purple mist along with the rest of their bodies as reality catches up to my actions.

At the same time, I fall to my knees as the "Exhausted" debuff hits me full force. My MP gave out just as I sheathed my weapon. I made it – barely.

* * *

 **Due to continuous strenuous activity, STR increases by 2!  
Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT increases by 2!  
Due to maneuvering through narrow gaps at high speed repeatedly, DEX increases by 3!**

* * *

"What in blazes- What happened?!" Gangrel shouts from the balcony.

"No… Impossible…" Aversa adds from his side.

I direct a weak glance towards where the voices came from. Both Aversa and Gangrel look around the courtyard in shock, expecting Risen Archers, but not expecting them to vanish a moment later. Then they look at me. In fact, I think _everyone present_ is looking at me.

"Holy cr-p. Don't tell me he defeated all of them. I didn't even have time to blink!" I hear Basilio shout from outside the courtyard.

"Chrom, could he always do that?" Flavia asks.

The prince shakes his head. "No, this is the first time I see Jack do…whatever it is he did. Honestly, none of us know the full extent of his strange abilities."

Wait, I think we're getting sidetracked here. I look upwards to where Phila and her Pegasus Knights are. They're very much still alive, thanks to me stopping those Archers in time (Hah!). And why the heck are they looking at me instead of rescuing Emmeryn?!

"Phila, take Her Grace and get out of here before Gangrel can get anymore reinforcements!" I shout to the Falcon Knight.

That breaks Phila out of her stupor as she turns back to Emmeryn and helps her up on the pegasus.

"No! They're getting away!" Gangrel shouts. Ah, seeing his plans crumble before his very eyes fills me with sadistic contentment. In your face, Mad King!

Gangrel's despair at being denied his satisfaction quickly turns into fury as he redirects his gaze on me.

"You! I don't know how you did it, but I know for sure that this is all your fault! Mark my words, boy; I _will_ have your head for this!"

I struggle to get up on my feet and point at Gangrel. "You only have…yourself to blame…for this failure…" I reply while panting. "I'll never let you…taste any of your…twisted victories…as long as I draw breath. You messed with…the wrong halidom…court jester!"

It probably would've looked much cooler if my hand would stop trembling from the exhaustion.

I fall to the side as my strength fails me. Cr-p. Looks like insulting Gangrel took more out of me than I thought.

"Don't worry. I'm here for you."

Did I mention how happy I am that we have Cordelia with us? This girl has awesome timing, catching me before I hit the ground. With some help from the Pegasus Knight, I manage to climb up on her pegasus. We're up in the air in the blink of an eye.

"Alright, we're done here!" Basilio shouts from his position on the ground. "Let's leave this Plegian hellhole for good!"

We barely make it past the wall around the courtyard before we hear Gangrel roar about mounting troops to chase us down. Sheesh, this guy doesn't know when to quit.

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: Execution crashers  
** _Tensions were high, the fights were brutal, but you survived a full-scale battle at enemy turf. Now's not the time to celebrate, however. You've clearly overstayed your welcome in Plegia. It's time to book it for the first wagon back to Regna Ferox.  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat all Plegian soldiers  
_ **Objective cleared!** _  
_ **Rewards:** _You gain 9 000 EXP! You gain 9 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Successfully rescue Emmeryn  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _You gain 10 000 EXP! You gain 10 000 gold! Your relationship with Chrom has increased greatly! Your relationship with Lissa has increased greatly! Your standing with Ylisse has automatically advanced to the next level!_

 **You have leveled up! You have leveled up!**

 **Your relationship with Chrom has advanced! Your relationship with Chrom is now "Allies"!  
Your standing with Ylisse has advanced! Your standing with Ylisse is now "Hero"!  
Your actions have earned you a new title! You gained the title "Ylissean folk hero"!**

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

A few minutes after we left the immediate area around castle Plegia, I felt it safe enough to take a swig from my Concoction bottle. The taste was a little bitter, but getting rid of that pesky "Exhausted" debuff was well worth it. With no enemy in sight, I could safely activate Meditation and restore some precious MP.

We've been on the run for about two hours. A rainstorm sweeps over the landscape, covering the Plegian wasteland with much-needed water.

"Hurry!" Basilio shouts from the front. "There should be carriages waiting just through the ravine!"

"You'll be safe soon, Emm. It's just a bit further." Chrom reassures Emmeryn. Or…maybe he's just reassuring himself that his elder sister is sort of safe and sound with us.

"I'm fine Chrom." Emmeryn replies in kind. "We will make it back to Regna Ferox, I am sure of it."

"Quickly, we're almost-" Basilio skids to a halt, much to everyone's confusion. "Huh? Oh, great."

I lift my eyes and spot what I should've expected for a long time – Mustafa's platoon.

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: Tears of war  
** _With Gangrel's troops hot on your heels, you have every intention of leaving Plegia ASAP. There's just one problem standing between you and that goal; a problem in the form of General Mustafa. As much as you respect the guy, you realize trying to talk it out with him will only pincer you between two enemy armies. You have to break through at all costs, or you'll end up in Gangrel's clutches.  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat Mustafa  
_ **Rewards:** _10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _5 000 EXP, 5 000 gold  
_ **Failure:** _You get captured as prisoners of war. Gangrel still gets his planned execution, just a few hours behind schedule._

* * *

"Ylisseans!" the Plegian general calls to us from the other side of the ravine. "I offer you mercy! Surrender to me now and live!"

"Surrender? Sorry, I'm not familiar with the word." Basilio replies.

"Do not be foolish!" Mustafa shouts back with a clear edge in his voice. "Even as we speak, King Gangrel himself leads his army towards your rear. If you do not submit peacefully, we will use force."

Chrom steps forward scowling. "You think we would surrender with _Gangrel_ on our heels?! The dastard would kill us on the spot the moment he sees an opportunity!"

"I will not have you speak ill of my king, boy!" Mustafa growls. "If you refuse to surrender, you will have no mercy. Men! Leave no ylissean alive!"

"Enough!" Emmreyn shouts.

*FWOOM!*

Holy cr-p! Emmeryn's practically erupting with light! The shining pillar emanating from her is so big that it reaches the clouds and freakin' _disperses_ them, clearing the sky in seconds! _This_ is the peace-loving exalt of Ylisse?!

"Soldiers of Plegia!" Emmeryn calls as she steps to the front. "Time and again I have reached out my hands and offered peace between our countries. For years, I have pleaded that we let go of the grudges of old to prevent the tragedies of the last war from repeating themselves. Yet every time, you refuse my pleas, and instead answer by pillaging my people and razing villages to the ground! No more! I shall no longer stand by idly as innocents suffer because you refuse to have peace! Phila, my tome!"

Phila pulls a tome from…somewhere (?) and places it in Emmeryn's waiting hand. Hold on. What kind of tome is that?

* * *

 **Ivaldi, Tome, Legendary  
** _One of the sacred twin weapons of the theocracy of Rausten and originally wielded by its founder, Saint Latona. The sacred writing within the pages have the power to annihilate creatures of the darkness like snow in the sunlight. Ivaldi was sealed away and guarded in Rausten in the event that the demon king Fomortiis would rise once more. Its fate, as well of the fate of its corresponding twin weapon, remains unknown beyond the era of the Sacred Stones.  
All light-element spells deal 40 % more damage. If the target is an undead, the damage increases by another 250 %. All physical damage received is reduced by 10 %. The cost of all light-element spells is reduced by 12 %.  
Available skills when wielded: Ivaldi  
Requirement to wield: Light mastery Lvl 75_

* * *

Holy- How in the world did Emmeryn get her hands on THAT?!

 **BGM: That person's name is…, Bravely Default music**

"I am Emmeryn, 34th exalt of the halidom of Ylisse. In line of the duty that has been passed down to me by my predecessor, I shall protect the people of Ylisse with all my might until her enemies are slain or surrender. Soldiers of Plegia! I give you one last warning; let us through without bloodshed, or I shall bring down the wrath of the exalts on you all!"

The Plegian side backs off in shock at Emmeryn's sudden change in demeanor. Gone is the kind, peace loving queen, and in her place, a resolute war commander stands tall, ready to strike down anyone who opposes her.

Mustafa eventually regains his wits and settles in a battle stance. "It's regrettable, but you leave me no choice, Exalt Emmeryn. Men! Form up!"

As the Plegian soldiers get ready for battle, Emmeryn turns around to address the rest of us.

"Shepherds! Warriors of Regna Ferox! In our way stands an enemy that refuses to let us pass. Go forth, and strike them down. There will be no mercy! There will be no quarter! Our battle does not stop until our path forward is cleared. Soldiers! Move out!"

"Yes, Your Grace!" we shout as we all (minus Flavia and Basilio) kneel in sync. Dang, Emmeryn makes for one _frightening_ field commander!

Before we can get up and prepare to charge, however, Emmeryn turns back to the frontlines and raises her hand towards the sky. Motes of light gather in her open palm as she begins chanting.

* * *

 _Sacred light residing in the heavens above.  
Shine your brilliance onto this battlefield  
and smite the wicked from beyond the horizon!  
 **Purge!** _

* * *

The orb of light in her hand shoots up into the sky before it splits into dozens of streaks that rain down on the Plegian side. Flashes of light-element magic explode among their ranks and scatters or outright kills anyone unfortunate enough to be in the blast radius. That's our cue.

Chrom draws Falchion. "Charge!"

And so we do. The plegians answer in kind as they notice our approach. As we close in, I spin up a Rasengan in each hand and leap into the air. I bring down the spheres with a battle cry.

*BOOM!*

My opening blow smashes a hole in their ranks, allowing Sully and Stahl to spearhead our offensive. Panne runs into the fray shortly afterwards with Frederick on her tail. I myself draw my Windcleaver and slash at any plegian I see (except for Tharja).

Slash, duck, slash, parry, jump, block, Telekinesis, hitch a ride on Sully's horse, windblade, Rasengan!

*Boom!*

Dang, I'm on fire! I don't remember performing this well in the last battle. What happened?

Wait, when did I get a new status condition?

* * *

 **Rally spectrum, Status condition  
** _Under the firm guidance of a charismatic leader, your morale skyrockets and inspires you to outperform yourself. You are many, and you are one. The force of a true army is never to be underestimated. With your comrades at your side, you find strength greater than if you fight alone. Truly, a good leader can draw strength from their followers in peculiar, but effective, ways.  
All stats increase by 20 % while this status condition is active._

* * *

Did Emmeryn's rallying speech do that? Hot d-mn, she's good!

A few Plegian soldiers try to flank me in the midst of the frenzied battlefield. Their approach reaches an abrupt end as they're sent flying from a vicious blow from behind them. A familiar blue cape swishes as the blade of Parallel Falchion cuts the air.

I quickly stand back-to-back against Lucina.

"Took you long enough!"

"My apologies, Master." the Ylissean princess replies. "Traveling to Plegia was more difficult than I anticipated."

I parry an axe from a Barbarian before I kick him in the stomach and finish him off with a windblade. "Well, better late than never, I suppose. And look; Emmeryn's alive and kicking!"

Through Mind's eye, I see Lucina smile. "So I see. At long last, the course of history has been averted."

I shake my head. "Don't bet on it. We still have to survive this battle. Can I count on your support?"

Lucina nods resolutely. "Always. I came here to change the future, and I will not rest before the exalt's survival is assured!"

"Then let's go!"

We both dash back into the fray, our swords slashing through the Plegian ranks with extreme prejudice.

I notice Tharja raining down unholy vengeance on her former compatriots with a happy smile on her face. While that's nothing new per se, the fact that Gaius is in the middle of it and dodging the dark spells while slicing through plegians at his own frantic pace raises my eyebrows. I'm not sure if that counts as teamwork, but they're doing a terrific job at tearing their opponents to shreds.

Not far away, Lon'qu's teamed up with Vaike against a few Soldiers and Fighters. Between Lon'qu's blindingly fast slashes and Vaike's brutal axe swings, the two make an effective team. Something similar can be said about Gregor and Nowi tag-teaming a Dark Mage. What Nowi lacks in grace, Gregor can compensate for with unexpected moves. And what the old Mercenary lacks in raw power, Nowi covers for with dragon fire.

Some distance ahead of me and Lucina, I notice Ricken and Maribelle stuck in a circle of plegians. While this would normally be terrible odds to fight in, they're holding up astoundingly well between Ricken casting a veritable wall of spells, Maribelle's parasol-fu and…how the heck is L'Arachel this good at fighting? The horse thrashes around like crazy, sending plegians flying with precise hoof kicks. The fact that the horse does that in perfect tandem with Maribelle's martial arts paints a surreal picture. For crying out loud, Maribelle! Stop breaking the game!

*Screech!*

I look up and notice Sumia and Cordelia fighting for dominance in the sky against some Wyvern Riders. Good thing they're assisted by Phila and her unit. They have things under control, but I might be able to shift the tide in our favor.

"Sumia!"

The brunette looks in my direction and breaks off an attack charge against a Wyvern Rider. The plegian soon follows suit. As Sumia reaches ground level, I sprint towards her. We're just a few paces apart when I jump over her and set my sights on the incoming Wyvern Rider. He readies a swing, only to be forced to block as I send a windblade his way. That short moment costs him as I get close enough to drop-kick him off his wyvern. The now master-less mount flaps in confusion before I jump on its back and assume command.

Huh- Whoa! The wyvern does _not_ approve.

"Rgh! Quit struggling, you overgrown lizard! _I'm_ in charge here!"

I eventually make the wyvern obey me – with great reluctance. Alright, time to try my hand at some mounted aerial combat.

I turn and steer my newly acquired mount skywards into the fray between Mustafa's Wyvern Riders and Phila's Pegasus Knights. The plegians don't suspect a thing until they realize I'm not from their side. Too bad!

*Shing!* "Aauugh!"

A clean slash from my Windcleaver sends my first airborne victim plummeting to the unforgiving ground. I notice Phila fly to me while keeping a wary eye for any plegians trying their luck.

"You never told me you can fly a wyvern!" the Falcon Knight remarks.

"That's because this is my first time flying one!" I reply. "Still getting- Hey, quit squirming! Still getting used to this bad boy!"

Phila looks at me skeptically. "Be careful. Wyverns may be strong mounts, but they can be very vicious if treated poorly."

I shrug. "It's not like I'm taking up wyvern riding anytime soon. It's a temporary thing at best."

*Screech!*

More plegians coming in, and they look pissed. Must be because I snagged the wyvern of one of their buddies and used said wyvern to fly up and kill their other buddy. Tough luck, mooks! I'm not done yet!

I glance at Phila. "Shall we?"

The Falcon Knight nods. "Let's."

We join the fray in the sky, making the tumultuous battle get even crazier. Phila shows why she's the wing commander of Ylisse's Pegasus Knights as she weaves and sweeps through the Plegian ranks like a swallow, all while she impales Wyvern Riders left and right with her Silver Lance. I'm in my own little air space, flying around with awkward and erratic maneuvers while I send windblades at any plegian in range. The only reason I haven't been knocked off my own wyvern at this point is because I'm working Mind's eye at overdrive. It's chaotic enough keeping track of everything happening on a horizontal plane when fighting on the ground. In the air? I have to keep track of everything happening vertically too! Having omnidirectional sight makes this _much_ easier.

*Schree-*

"Enough already!" I shout as I jump from my wyvern and slam a Rasengan into the chest of the rider. Both rider and mount are sent towards the ground with the force of a cannon shot.

As I Gale step back to my wyvern, I notice that the number of plegians in the sky is significantly smaller, while our side has suffered a few casualties at best.

"Jack, we can handle the rest from here!" Phila shouts to me. "Hurry to Her Grace's side! Keep her safe!"

I nod in her direction. "On it! Yah!"

I scan the battlefield while _trying_ to at least fly in a straight line. I first thought I'd find Emmeryn somewhere close to where most of the Shepherds are, but I notice a distinct lack of light magic where I can see Robin and company clashing against Mustafa's foot soldiers. Where-

There! What the- When did Emmeryn break through to Mustafa?! Lady! Charging the enemy commander while he still has plenty of soldiers left in his command is _not_ a good strategy! It's a good thing Chrom and Lissa joined her, or Emmeryn might've gotten captured again at this point. Gotta go fast!

Chrom's holding his own well enough against the half dozen or so plegians teaming up on him. Emmeryn's engaging Mustafa one-on-one. Every time I see the Plegian Berserker swing his war axe, my heart skips a beat while Emmeryn deflects it with a quick light spell. Neither is gaining any ground, but if Emmeryn keeps this up, she'll run out of MP!

First order of business, however, is Lissa. She's…actually holding her own, all things considered. The Barbarian trying to catch her has a hard time succeeding as the Cleric keeps dodging his swings and counters with blows against his feet and shins. Things look well until a Soldier sneaks in from behind, ready to spear her. Oh no, you don't!

"Lissa, get down!"

Lissa looks up and her eyes widen in alarm as she spots me riding towards her on top of a wyvern at breakneck speeds. The princess hits the ground as I crash the wyvern into the Barbarian and use the flying reptile as a springboard to launch myself at the surprised Soldier.

*Shink!* "Guhah!"

Bullseye!

I rip my Windcleaver from the Soldier's chest and turn to Lissa.

"You okay?"

Lissa looks at the Soldier and nods her head shakily as she realizes how close she was to getting impaled.

"Thanks for the save, Jack."

"Huryah!" *Boom!*

We turn our heads to see Chrom send his adversaries flying with a brutal downward swing. Is it just me, or is his swordplay even fiercer than usual? Oh, right. Rally spectrum.

"Chrom!"

The prince turns in my direction and spots me together with Lissa.

"Jack? Are you here to help us?"

I nod. "Phila asked me to help your sister. She may be powerful, but I doubt she can take that Plegian general on her own without suffering grave wounds."

Chrom scowls in the direction where the exalt fights against Mustafa. While neither have gotten a decisive blow in, they're both getting winded from the intense battle. Bad news: Emmeryn looks worse off.

"General Mustafa needs aid! Hurry!"

More bad news: some of the plegians have noticed the one-on-one as well and now rush in to help Mustafa.

I get between the royal siblings and the approaching soldiers and crouch into a fighting stance.

"You two help your sister. I'll hold these guys off."

Lissa looks like she's about to protest when Chrom beats her to the answer. "All right. Be careful Jack. Let's go help Emm, Lissa!"

Lissa throws a worried glance in my direction before following her brother. By now, the plegians have almost reached me. I channel mana through my Windcleaver until the air whips around me from the gusts flowing from the blade.

"YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" I scream and swing my Windcleaver with all my strength.

*SHING!*

My swing fires a massive windblade that cleaves all the plegians in half before they can respond. I release the breath I didn't know I was holding and wince upon seeing my MP nearly at zero again. That was close! Please let this battle be over soon!

I turn back towards the battle against Mustafa and marvel at the teamwork between the three royal siblings. Chrom takes the front with fierce melee combat. Emmeryn backs him up with strategic light spells. And Lissa constantly adjusts her position on the battlefield while healing any wounds her older siblings suffer with her staff. Hey, I didn't know Lissa could cast Physic yet! She must've trained hard on her own time.

Their teamwork finally pays off as Mustafa stumbles back from trying to parry a stab from Chrom. Upon seeing the opening, Chrom turns to Emmeryn.

"Emm!"

Emmeryn places her free hand right on the pages of her tome as the light around her grows brighter.

"I tried to warn you!"

The exalt thrusts her hand towards Mustafa and engulfs him in a light spell that quickly collapses on itself before it explodes in a brilliant lightshow.

*Boom!*

"Lissa!"

"You asked for it!"

The Cleric runs up to the stunned Mustafa and spins her staff. As she reaches striking distance, that spinning turns into a dizzying assault of staff blows that rain on Mustafa's head, arms and torso from all manner of directions. Just as it looks like she's done, Lissa throws her staff up into the air, grabs Mustafa's left arm, reverses their positions and slams a surprisingly hard right hook in his face. For crying out loud, Lissa! Stop breaking the game alongside Maribelle!

As Lissa catches her staff again, she turns to her brother.

"Chrom!"

The prince in question is already in a stance, with Mustafa placed at the perfect distance from him.

"Now I'm angry!"

Chrom rushes in and delivers a flurry of slashes that end with a stab that goes clean through Mustafa's heart.

 **BGM ends**

Mustafa coughs up some blood before gazing at the royal siblings.

"Well done, ylisseans…" the Plegian general wheezes. "Hrrggh! Please…spare my men…"

Um, about that, Mustafa… We kinda killed the majority, if not all, of them during the battle…

* * *

 **Due to continuous strenuous activity, STR increases by 2!  
Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT increases by 2!  
Due to plenty of quick maneuvering, DEX increases by 1!**

 **Chrom has leveled up!**

* * *

There are times I wish this battle could be won without killing anybody. Poor guy had his hands tied in the canon story, forcing both him and his men to fight you, despite nobody actually wanting to. Come to think of it, the fact that this is the only map in the main story that has rain, as well as a unique soundtrack during the story mission, reflects on how much Mustafa stood out. It almost feels poetic. Like heaven itself weeps over the tragedy that all wars represent. There's no glory in fighting a war, only survival.

I walk up to the downed Berserker and kneel.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry. We ended up killing your men in the process of fighting you."

I place a hand on his shoulder. "Had things been different, you could've become a trusted ally. The world's been robbed of an honorable man today. But please, don't let that burden you." I gently place a hand over his eyes and shut them. "Rest in peace, General Mustafa. You've earned it."

Lissa approaches me tentatively. "Do you really think so, Jack? Do you think we could've solved this without killing him?"

I rise back up and face the princess. "I'd _like_ to think that, Lissa. But chances are, it's wishful thinking at best. War is a tragic thing. I doubt there's anyone who actually wants war, yet people have resorted to it time and again for all manner of reasons, simply because they refuse to look beyond their own standpoint. There are those who try to make war sound like some glorious undertaking or an honor in service of your home." I shake my head at that. "But in the end, war is nothing more than killing on an immense scale. It's a grueling clash to see who remains standing when it's all over. It's never about who is right. Only who is left."

 **Explaining a deep subject for another person has increased your WIS by 1!**

"He's right, Lissa." Emmeryn interjects. "Take a good look on what remains of this battlefield. Remember the broken weapons, the broken armor, and the broken men. _This_ is what war means."

Lissa's face grows in horror the more her gaze sweeps the field. By the end, she puts a hand over her mouth as tears threaten to spill from her eyes.

"This is horrible!" she exclaims. "Why would anyone want this?"

Emmeryn pulls her sister into a hug, allowing Lissa to weep in the exalt's gentle embrace.

"There are those who never realize how truly awful war is until they experience it for themselves. Or worse, there are those who relish in it." Emmeryn scowls at no one in particular. "Gangrel is one of those people. That is why we cannot allow this war to go on any longer. I will protect Ylisse from this horror – with my life, if need be."

"No, you're not." Chrom protests with a matching scowl. "If there's anyone we need to keep any semblance of peace, it's you, Emm. I refuse to let you sacrifice yourself for the sake of peace. If the opportunity comes, I'll take your place instead. Better me than you or Lissa."

"No!" Lissa shouts from her sister's arms. "Neither of you will sacrifice yourselves! We all promised that we would endure any hardship _together_! I'd rather… I'd rather give up my station as princess before I see either of you sacrifice your lives!" The tears flow freely from Lissas's eyes at this point. "We promised to stay together, for each other! We PROMISED!"

Emmeryn and Chrom look down in shame before looking at their younger sister again.

"And we will stay together, love." Emmeryn assures her gently.

"And there's nothing in the world that will tear us apart – ever." Chrom adds resolutely.

"Uh… Should we give you three some space, Blue?" I hear Gaius ask.

The four of us turn in the direction of the voice to see that the rest have finally caught up with us. They're a bit scruffed up, some cradle their arms gingerly, but all the Shepherds are very much alive and accounted for. Phila's unit and the feroxi, on the other hand, seem to be a bit fewer than I remember.

Drat! I know it's pretty much inevitable in a conflict of this scale, but losing allies like this feels terrible, more so for the respective units. Here's to hope that their leaders know some good ways to grieve their fallen comrades.

"Khan Basilio!"

We look in the northern direction of the valley and spot a woman running towards us.

"Olivia! I'm sorry we kept you waiting." Basilio replies.

"When I didn't hear from you, I thought…" the Dancer wrings her hands anxiously. "I assumed the worst."

The bald khan waves off her concerns with a reassuring smile before addressing our prince and Tactician, respectively.

"Chrom? Robin? Meet Olivia. She'll be smuggling us out of here."

"Only if you hurry!" Olivia adds. "Doubtless more of the Mad King's men are on their way."

Basilio nods. "Right. Pile in, you lot! And bid farewell to this Plegian hellhole."

It takes some time to get every Shepherd, every Pegasus Knight (plus Phila) and every Feroxi soldier into the wagons, but we manage to find space eventually. The fact that no wagon got cramped means Basilio must've planned for a group at least our size to make it out of Plegia before we even started marching. Dude, was this guy a Tactician back in his day?

"Ready?" Olivia asks from the lead wagon. "Hold on tight! Yah!"

With a snap of the reins, our wagon rolls off towards Ferox.

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Main quest: Tears of war  
** _It was a long and arduous journey, but your first visit to Plegia has finally come to an end. It's a shame you had to kill Mustafa to get through. Judging from what you've seen in Plegia, the guy seemed a lot more honorable than his average compatriot. Yet another reason to bring this war to an end. But until then, rest and recuperate.  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat Mustafa.  
_ **Objective cleared!** _  
_ **Rewards:** _You gain 10 000 EXP! You gain 10 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Win without killing any of Mustafa's men.  
_ **Bonus objective failed!**

* * *

Phew. Looks like we can finally relax.

I lean back against a crate in the wagon that I'm seated in. Curiously enough, I ended up in the same wagon as the royal siblings, the khans and Robin. The fact that Emmeryn, Chrom and Lissa are huddled together isn't missed by any of us. Considering how stressful this whole affair has been for them on an emotional level, the best would be to give them some space.

"Goodness, but leading an army in battle is tiring." Emmeryn sighs exhausted. "Chrom, how do you keep leading the Shepherds through one mission after another and return without looking any worse for the wear?"

Chrom shrugs. "I think it's a matter of experience. You get used to it in time. I'd say that was a good first time commanding an army in battle, especially since you yourself fought against a veteran warrior. It also helps that Frederick's training is so thorough. Without that, I would've grown exhausted even before half the battle was over."

Emmeryn places a finger on her chin in thought. "Perhaps I should join you whenever Frederick leads training, then. I could certainly use some physical exercises if I am to take the field again in the future."

Lissa blanches at the suggestion. "Uh, maybe training with Frederick might not be the best idea for you, Emm. Why not try training with, say, Phila instead?" Lissa tries with way too much enthusiasm. "Yeah, try Phila! She knows you better than Frederick! Besides, you're already familiar with how to handle a pegasus."

 **[Fun fact: Emmeryn can re-class into a Pegasus Knight.]**

Emmeryn thinks it over before she nods. "A wonderful idea. Thank you for your advice, Lissa."

The Cleric sighs in obvious relief. "I just don't want you to die, Sis."

Emmeryn tilts her head in confusion, but decides to drop the matter.

"Right." Basilio grunts while making himself comfortable against a sack of wheat. "Now that we're out of the woods, I think it's time we addressed the ox in the room."

I suddenly feel everyone's eyes on me. I look around in confusion and point at myself.

"Yes, you." Basilio confirms. "I've seen a lot in my years, boy, but what you've pulled ever since I first laid eyes on you is unlike anything I've ever thought possible. And believe me, if you want to grow as old and handsome as me, you've gotta keep your mind open."

"It's not just Khan Basilio, Jack." Chrom adds. "You've already told us you have strange abilities, but what you did to stop those Risen back in Plegia shouldn't even be possible. What did you do?"

I scratch the back of my head. Sigh. I guess it was only a matter of time before the cat got out of the bag. Now, what's the best way to explain my Gamer powers to people who don't even know what a game console is?

"It's kind of a long story, Chrom." I eventually answer. "Honestly, I think I want all Shepherds present for when I explain this. They've all fought by my side ever since you invited me and Robin to join, so I think it's only fair that they get to know the truth as well. But I _will_ tell the truth. You've earned that much."

Chrom looks like he's about to protest, when Robin speaks up.

"Chrom, I think we should let Jack tell us when he feels ready. Pushing him into telling us could hurt the trust we've built with him."

I smile at the Tactician. "Thank you, Robin. Thank you for believing in me."

Robin smiles back. "I think it's only fair. You told me you'll support me every step of the way. This is my way of returning the favor."

How this woman manages to put my own principles into practice in her own way is beyond my understanding, but d-mn, if it doesn't make her even more awesome than I thought she was already.

Chrom looks like he's about to protest again when he notices Lissa tug at his cape. He looks at his younger sister, only to see her shaking her head and point at Emmeryn (to the exalt's confusion). The prince sighs and turns back to me.

"All right, we'll wait with your explanation until we've returned to Ferox. You've proven yourself to be a trustworthy person, Jack, and I hope to see you continue to live up to that.

I nod in response. "I will, Chrom. That's a promise."

 **Your relationship with Robin has improved!  
Your relationship with Chrom has improved!**

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

The trip back to Regna Ferox was thankfully without any major incidents. We managed to return to the Feroxi capital, anyone injured was sent to the infirmaries at once, and everyone pretty much tried to settle down after our hectic, but successful, rescue operation.

We're currently gathered in the audience hall. Every Shepherd is here, save for one.

"Where's Libra?" Chrom asks while looking for the missing War Monk.

The effeminate man soon enters the hall, with Emmeryn in tow.

"My apologies for the delay, Prince Chrom." Libra begins. "I was busy assisting the priests and clerics in the infirmaries when I received word to come here. Her Grace was with me at the time, and decided to join me."

Chrom nods before he turns to me.

"All right, everyone's here, Jack. I think it's time you told us the truth. Is it all right for Emm to be here too?"

I nod. "Yeah. Considering she allowed me to stay in Ylisse while I was still a foreigner, I'd say she's earned my trust. Besides, it wouldn't be fair if only you and Lissa were in the know while she wasn't."

I take a deep breath as I gaze at the Shepherds. My allies, my comrades-in-arms. Some, I have known for what feels like years, while others, I've only met recently. Yet, for all intents and purposes, they're all part of a whole. If I'm going to reveal the truth of my origins to them, they all deserve to hear it, no matter how long or little we've known each other.

"If I'm going to explain my powers to you all, I think it best if I explained where I originally come from. In fact, some of you have already noticed signs that indicate that I'm not from around here, by any stretch of the word."

Panne and Tharja nod at this. Nowi looks down in contemplation before she hits her fist in her free palm.

"To put it as simply as possible, I'm an Outrealmer." I explain.

"A what?" Vaike asks confused.

Miriel, on the other hand, looks like her mind just got blown.

"AN OUTREALMER?!" the Mage shouts and shocks the rest of the Shepherds.

"Miriel, you know what those are?" Ricken asks.

Miriel adjusts her glasses (probably more out of nerves than actual positioning).

"For a long time, scholars have hypothesized about the existence of other worlds, inhabited by living creatures very much like ours, yet separate from our own world. These worlds were named "Outrealms", since they supposedly exist outside of our own realm. However, evidence that prove the existence of such worlds has always been scarce, and there has yet to be any reliable method to find whether these worlds even exist. A few accounts on people from various lands speaking with individuals claiming to be from another world have circulated among scholars for a long time, but the lack of substantiality has made these accounts deemed nothing but rumors."

I nod. "The scholars of this world are a lot closer to the truth than they might think. I myself am live proof that the Outrealms exist. I originally come from another world. One day, I found myself waking up in a field in Ylisse, with no memory of how I came here in the first place." I direct my gaze towards our Tactician. "That was the day I met Robin."

Robin looks at me surprised. "Me?"

"Yes. In fact, you were the very first person I met in this world. Completely by accident, at that."

"So, you're from another world." Flavia concludes. "How exactly does that tie in to your strange abilities?"

I scratch my head. "Well, here's where things get strange. The truth is, I'm not even sure how I got these powers to begin with. A short time after waking up, I discovered that they were just…there. I can't think of a better explanation."

"Huh? If you don't even know how you got them, how did you even know how to use them?" Lissa asks.

"Well, there's an old legend in the world I come from. It tells of a young man who one day woke up with the ability to see the world in a perspective that was fundamentally different from how normal people see it. He saw most of the world in…numbers. As time went on, he discovered that it wasn't just his eyes. His entire body, and his very existence, had changed to the point that everything he did was interpreted as part of a set of principles not unlike those in a game. A _very_ _complex_ game. When I discovered my powers, I quickly realized that they were very much like those spoken of in the legends."

"Hold on!" Stahl interrupts. "You can't just expect us to believe you came from another world and woke up with some kind of legendary power. That sounds more like a fairytale than a true story."

I shake my head. "Believe me, Stahl. Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it either. Yet all evidence pointed towards this very conclusion."

"So, out with it!" Maribelle exclaims impatiently. "How does that power of yours even work?"

"I think even I don't know the full extent of my own powers, Maribelle. Based on what I learned from the legend, every action I take can be turned into a skill for me to use, like how Mages learn to cast spells and perform a variety of other abilities with the assistance of mana." I answer the Troubadour.

I hold up my left hand and Trace a small buckler. "Like my ability to recreate any weapon I've seen, for example. So long as I know how a certain ability works, my powers could probably create it for me. That's how I gained this particular ability. I had already learned how to glean information from anything I see. I combined that with channeling mana through this buckler. That allowed me to understand how it was made. After that, I simply had to recreate that very object in my mind and channel my mana into its shape."

"But what about when you defeated all those Risen?" Chrom presses. "One moment you shout something strange while they were about to shoot down Phila and her pegasus knights. The next thing we know, they all disappear and you fall to your knees in exhaustion. What in the world did you do, Jack?"

"That…" I begin hesitantly. "…was me stopping the flow of time."

Everyone looks at me like I just grew a second head.

"You…can stop time…" Basilio reiterates blankly. "I don't buy it."

"No offense, Buttercup, but I think none of us would believe you unless you did something that, somehow, proves you're telling the truth."

Gaius brings up a good point. What can I do to prove I can indeed stop time?

…

I think I know.

"How about a demonstration?" I ask the Thief.

"Go on, I'm listening." Gaius replies.

"It's simple. Toss a coin and try to tell which side it will land on.

Gaius shrugs and pulls out a coin. "Heads." the Thief calls and flips the round gold piece into the air.

"Za Warudo." I mutter as the coin returns down. Time stops flowing within the audience hall. I walk up to the coin and gently place it on its side on the floor before I return to my previous position. "And time moves once again."

The Shepherds blink as they expected the sound of a coin that hit the floor, only to hear nothing.

"And there you have it." I tell everyone as I indicate the coin on the floor.

"What the h-ll?!" Sully exclaims surprised.

"The coin…landed on its side?" Vaike asks confused. "Is that even possible?"

"I think I get it." Nowi interjects. "You wanted a situation that you could only explain by stopping time. That's why you asked Gaius to flip a coin."

"Exactly." I answer Nowi. "Flipping a coin pretty much always results in it landing on either heads or tails. On the side, however? That's only possible by placing the coin on the ground directly in that very position. I assume none of you saw me do that. That's because I did it after I stopped time. Of course, I returned to where I first stood before letting time flow again, to hide the fact that I moved at all."

Instead of looking at me like I'm crazy, everyone now looks at me in awe, fear, or a combination of both. Except for Miriel and Tharja. The former looks like she wants to strap me to a metal table and conduct whatever experiment she can think of. And the latter…looks like she wants to jump me in the nearest bedchamber.

"Jack… Why didn't you tell us you had these powers all along?" Chrom asks.

"While I had yet to earn your trust?" I counter. I shake my head. "No offense, Chrom, but I'm not stupid. Even after everything we've been through, you clearly had a hard time believing me when I explained my origins and my powers. You all did. How would you have reacted if I told you on the day we met? Think me a liar? Throw me into a madhouse? I couldn't risk revealing the truth so early on. I had hoped to keep the truth hidden for a while longer, but recent events more or less forced my hand."

Chrom looks like he wants to protest, but holds his tongue. Only a few actually meet my eyes.

"Friend can stop time anytime he wishes, yes?" Gregor eventually asks.

I nod. "Yes, but halting the flow of time is a tiring ability. Just the simple act where I stopped time to place the coin in a practically impossible position drained more of my mana than almost any other skill I have gained through my powers. Using this ability thoughtlessly is a surefire way to exhaust my mana and leave me vulnerable."

"So, there you have it." I conclude. "I'm an Outrealmer with otherworldly powers."

The hall falls silent at my declaration. The Shepherds look unsure about how to respond to the proverbial bombshell I just dropped. That is, until Lon'qu walks up and places a hand on my shoulder.

"It matters little where you come from or what powers you possess. I accepted you as my rival on the grounds as a warrior, and that has not changed." the Myrmidon declares. "Just don't use your powers as an excuse to neglect your sword training."

I roll my eyes. "Would you believe me if I told you my powers affected the way I learned how to swing a sword? It's honestly ridiculous how much they influence in my life, but that's the hand I'm dealt. I just hope you don't hold it against me."

Lon'qu shakes his head. "I don't. If I did, I would've told you. This simply means I have to train harder to keep up with you." A small smile grows on his lips. "A challenge I'll gladly accept."

I match the smile. "Thank you, Lon'qu. And, for the record, I still think you're the better swordsman between the two of us."

 **Your relationship with Lon'qu has improved!**

* * *

Our conversation seems to have broken the ice, as the other Shepherds gradually show the same amount of acceptance as before again. This was what I was the most nervous about when revealing the truth – getting ostracized. Seeing everyone truly accept me for who I am, now that everything is out in the open, is an unimaginable weight off my chest.

We're soon dismissed and free to go about as we please while Emmeryn and the khans will discuss how to proceed against Gangrel. I've just managed to leave the audience hall when I feel a hand clamp on my shoulder. I turn around and spot Flavia.

"Jack, do you have a moment?" the reigning khan asks.

I shrug. "Sure. Take your time."

We relocate to an empty room. Flavia shuts the door and, oddly enough, leans against it.

"So, what did you want to talk about, Khan Flavia?" I ask her.

"It's something that's been on my mind ever since your first visit here in Regna Ferox. It concerns you…and that silver-haired tactician of yours." Flavia explains.

I raise an eyebrow. "Robin? What does she have to do with this?"

Flavia smiles wryly. "I may not be married myself, but I can tell when two people love each other, Jack. And I've seen the looks passing between the two of you. Ever since the walk to the tournament where you made me the reigning khan, you and Robin have acted like you're a couple. Imagine my surprise when I found out you aren't."

Sigh. This again?

"Look, Khan Flavia. As much as Robin and I mean to each other, we're friends. Nothing more. Dear friends, granted, but that's as far it goes. It's mostly since Robin was the first person I met when I came to this world, and I'm the first person Robin remembers meeting after she lost her memory."

Flavia scowls at my answer. "I've met dense men before, Chrom being chief among them, but I didn't expect you to be such a bad case, Jack. Listen, I'll put this as bluntly as I can. You love Robin. She most likely loves you back. You've got it bad for her. You're just too dense to realize it. Don't let that stop you from finding happiness. A woman like Robin only appears once in a blue moon. You'd better talk it out with her before someone else snatches her away, or you'll spend the rest of your life regretting it."

Why is she so pushy on this matter? You would think I would've noticed by now whether I really love Ro-

* * *

 _ **Ace Attorney-style flashback**_

 _That's when I saw her. Lustrous, silky hair colored the purest silver with two hair clips on the sides keeping the bangs out of her eyes. A face whose beauty could never be fully captured by any picture, be it painted or photographed. A body that was mostly covered by a thick black coat with purple accents (though my more hormonal side noted that it wasn't enough to completely hide the distinctly feminine figure underneath)._

* * *

 _Don't think about it. Don't think about it! Don't you freakin' think about it!_

…

 _Her moan was cute…_

 _Naga d-mn it!_

* * *

 _Robin smiled back. "Now I'm the one who thinks you're selling yourself short, Jack. You started out as a total novice at combat when we met on that field, yet look at yourself now. You've survived two battles in a single day and emerged stronger from them, and you're even fighting alongside Chrom and the others to protect the people of Ylisse. You've already become an ally that I can rely on – both inside and outside of a battle."_

 _She trusted me that much already? Gee… That made me feel happier than I thought…_

" _You think so?" I asked hesitantly._

 _Her smile widened. "Jack, I know so. You said that you have this feeling that you can trust me with your life. Well, I feel the same. You're the first person I can remember meeting, and the first thing you did was doing everything in your power to help me. How can I not trust someone like that?"_

 _That brought a smile of my own to my face. "Thanks, Robin. I look forward to aiding you in any way I can in the future. Hopefully this'll be the start of a great friendship."_

" _My thoughts exactly, Jack."_

* * *

" _Yes! I finally did it!" the Tactician shouted to the world._

" _Wow, Robin! That's incredible!" Lissa joined in._

" _Cool! Now we can take snow walks together." I commented with a grin as I approached them._

 _Robin's smile turned coy. "Oh, just the two of us?"_

" _Er…" I don't know why, but I think my brain short-circuited._

 _Robin giggled. "Relax, Jack. I'm only teasing you."_

" _Oh…" was all I managed to say as everyone else walked past me. You know…I couldn't help but wonder what would've happened, had I said "yes"._

* * *

 _As I left the plate with food on her nightstand, I got a good look on Robin's sleeping face for the first time. She looked so…peaceful. It was hard to believe that she was pushing herself so hard just to get ready for an imminent war._

 _I smiled and brushed away a lock of hair that fell over her face before I snuck out of her room and closed the door silently. It was only after the door closed that it hit me what I just did. Tuck her into bed, bring her food for when she woke up. Heck, who admires the sleeping face of someone else and brushes a lock of hair out of her face? I mean, I guess what I did was sensible, but why in the world did I put so much care into doing it? It's not like I'm her mother, for Naga's sake!_

* * *

 _Robin's laughter at my actions followed me as I walked through the corridors. That laughter simultaneously made me happy and made me want to crawl up in a hole somewhere and hope the ground swallowed me whole. That woman seemed to know exactly how to knock me off-kilter. Merciful Naga, what was WRONG with me?!_

 _ **Your relationship with Robin has improved!**_

 _Not helping, Game!_

* * *

 _Nowi then slipped out of my one-armed hug, much to my confusion._

" _Well, wonderful as this was, I won't keep you any longer. You still want to spend time with your mate before going to sleep, right?"_

 _I raised an eyebrow at the manakete. "Mate?"_

" _You know, the silver-haired woman with the big black coat."_

" _Oh, you mean Robin?" I waved off the thought. "Nah, she's just my friend. And a student of sorts since a while back."_

 _Nowi tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Really? Because any time I see you look at each other, it almost looks like two mates interacting. I'm usually good at picking up on this kind of stuff, you know? Comes with living for over a thousand years."_

 _I shook my head with a smile as I got up and looked to find Robin. Me and Robin, a couple? Sure, we're kinda close, but not that close. Right?_

* * *

" _I'm honored that you think of me that way, Jack. And truthfully, I feel something along those lines myself. You always seem to be there for me, no matter what happens. Even if we're not busy fighting a battle, having you nearby feels like I always have someone I can share my troubles with. I feel…safer with you around."_

" _And I'd be honored to keep it that way." I stretched my fist towards Robin. "I'll support you every step of the way, Robin. Not just as a fellow Shepherd, but also as your friend."_

 _Robin accepted the fist bump. "And I'll do the same for you, Jack." Dang, I could spend all day looking at that smile._

… _Where the heck did that thought come from?..._

 _ **Flashback end**_

* * *

…Merciful mother of Mila…

SHE'S RIGHT!

Flavia smiles at me smugly. "About time you figured it out. Well, what happens from here is up to you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a campaign to plan for."

Flavia leaves the room and shuts the door after her while I still stand rooted at the spot.

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: 'Til Game Over do us apart**  
 _You have realized you're in love (About time, you piece of osmium!). Naturally, the next step is finding out whether this is mutual with the object of your affections. And if not, maybe you can grow close to the point that she does return your feelings. Insecurities aside, you'd be better off telling her than not._  
 **Objective:** _Get married_  
 **Rewards:** _3 000 EXP, ?  
_ **Failure:** _Forever single. Forever alone._

* * *

I need to find Robin – fast!

It took some searching before I found the silver-haired Tactician. Strangely enough, I find her in the very room where I taught her the first step of the Rasengan. And like last time, she sits with a bucket filled with water and looks down in intense concentration.

*Plop*

A small mass of water barely clears the rim of the bucket before it falls back down and rejoins the rest. Robin lets out a breath as she drops her concentration.

"Looking good." I comment as I approach her.

Robin looks at me startled before she relaxes upon recognizing me.

"Oh, Jack. Did you see that?"

I nod with a smile. "Sure did. Considering how busy we've been recently, that's some impressive progress. You already have the basics down. Now it's only a matter of concentrating more mana into the burst."

Robin looks into the bucket with a frown and places it on the table before she rises up.

"That's going to be difficult, then. I concentrated as hard as I could back there, and the water hardly even splashed. Mastering this step will take a long time."

"Do you know how long it took for the Rasengan's creator to complete the technique?" I ask her.

Robin shakes her head. I hold up three fingers.

"According to the legend, it took him three years. One year for every step. Considering how far you've made it, I'm sure you'll get this down a lot faster than he did."

Robin smiles at that. "Thank you, Jack. I think I needed that bit of encouragement."

There it is. That smile reminds me of the real reason why I came to see her. All right, here goes nothing.

 **BGM: Gentle hands, Naruto Shippuden OST**

"Actually, there's something else I want to talk to you about." I begin hesitantly.

"Oh? What's that?" Robin asks.

"It concerns…the two of us, Robin. Do you remember when I told you that you're one of my dearest friends?"

The Tactician smiles. "Yes. In Plegia, on the night before we rescued Emmeryn. Hearing you say that made me very happy. Why bring that up?"

"The thing is… Recently, I've come to understand just how much you mean to me, Robin." My cheeks turn red as I get ready to confess the feelings that I didn't even know I had until just a few minutes ago. "To put it bluntly, I think I've…fallen in love with you."

Robin's eyes grow wide. "What?! M-me? Since when?"

"I'm not sure when it started. Honestly, I think it began all the way back on the day when we met on that field in Ylisse. When I first laid eyes on you, something just seemed to…fall into place. Whatever it was, I think that's the reason why I felt I could trust you so much. As time went on, I think that feeling turned into love. I just didn't realize it until recently."

"I… Jack, I…" Robin mutters silently.

I avert my eyes in embarrassment. "*Sigh* Look, I understand if you don't feel the sammmp!"

Oh, wow… Her lips are really soft.

Wait, WHAT?! Hold the phone!

 **A new skill has been created through a special action! You gained "Kissing"!**

Robin has the most radiant smile I've seen on her face as she steps back.

"Gods, I've wanted to hear you say that for so long."

"Wha- Bwuh…" Come on, brain, reboot!

Robin's cheeks turn a matching shade of red. "To be honest, I've felt the same for you for a long time, Jack."

"Huh?! Since when? I had no idea."

Robin averts her eyes shyly. "Like you, I felt a strong connection on the day we first met. Even when I had no memories, even when I felt completely lost, you always stayed by my side. The other Shepherds accepted me as a comrade, but you… With you, it always felt like something more – much more."

Her words overwhelm me to the point that I can hardly think straight. She returns my feelings… Is this what ecstasy feels like?

"It was only during our first trip here in Ferox that I found out why." Robin continues. "Somewhere along the road, I realized that I had fallen in love. No, more like I had become completely smitten with you. The way I see things, my life began with you. You've always been a part of my life, and I want it to stay that way."

A massive, dopey smile spreads over my lips.

"You love me back. This has to be the happiest day of my life…"

Robin takes a step forward and brings me into a hug.

"Will you share that happiness with me?" she asks with an affectionate smile.

I return the hug. "Anytime, anywhere."

Well, this wouldn't be a proper moment with Robin unless I gave a summarized confession to her. So I pull her closer into the hug and whisper the most heartfelt words I can think of.

"When I first came to this world, the last thing I expected was to find love. Yet, here you are, embracing me just as I am. Never before have I felt so happy about being proven wrong."

 **Your relationship with Robin has advanced! Your relationship with Robin is now "Lovers"!**

 **BGM ends**

Robin looks at me with a raised eyebrow (but with the smile still in place). "Wow. That has to be the cheesiest confession I've ever heard."

I grin back at her. "Hey, it's not cheesy if I'm honest. And believe me, I meant every word."

"I'm happy to hear that." Robin replies. Then her cheeks grow a bit redder. "Do you mind if…if we stay like this for a little longer?"

I gently place my forehead against hers. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

It's only a matter of time before our lips join in another kiss, this time full of mutual love. Again, I wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

The two of us enter the mess hall to find the other Shepherds gathered there, save Chrom. Most of them are busy scarfing down meals. Looks like all that fighting burned a lot of calories.

"Ha! I _knew_ you two were mates!"

Robin and I turn to the voice and find Nowi point at us triumphantly. Specifically, she's pointing at where our hands are linked together. I roll my eyes in good nature.

"Yes, yes, you were right all along, Nowi. Good on you."

The young manakete flashes a big smile before she darts off among the Feroxi soldiers in the hope of finding someone to play with. Not that she has much success.

"You two finally came around?" Sully asks. "About d-mn time!"

Robin and I look at the Cavalier with raised eyebrows.

"Wait, we were _that_ obvious?" I ask.

"Indeed." Virion comments over a cup if tea (Where did he get that?). "Seeing you two dance around each other without recognizing your mutual feelings was simultaneously amusing and horrifically painful to watch. I could even go as far as to say, my friend, that you were the very last one to realize how much you love our brilliant tactician."

Sully nods in agreement. "Why do ya think Ruffles here never made a move on Robin? He could tell she wanted you, Jack."

I blink at that. Now that Sully mentions it, Virion _did_ always keep a respectable measure of distance from Robin after the night when we met him. Guess I owe the Archer a lot more thanks than I first thought.

I turn to Robin. "Was I _that_ bad?"

Robin shrugs. "In all honesty, you were, Jack. You even missed some of the signals I tried to send you." She leans in with a loving smile. "That means you owe me a lot of catch-up, mister."

I return the smile with my own. "That's a debt I'd love to pay back. Just name the place and time."

Frederick clears his throat. "*Ahem!* If you two lovebirds are done frolicking in your own little world, I would advise you save it until after you're married."

Robin leans back and shoots Frederick an annoyed glance. "Duly noted, Frederick."

The image of a pissed off tigress flashes across my vision. Weird…

"Well, the important part is that you two came around eventually." Ricken interjects happily. "Speaking of which, you're not the only couple that formed recently."

The little Mage stands up and proudly pulls Maribelle up with him.

"Everyone, Maribelle and I are getting married!"

"Really?" Stahl asks between a bowl of stew (out of ten) and a loaf of bread.

"It would seem further congratulations are in order." Miriel comments while adjusting her glasses smiling.

Lissa runs up and lifts Maribelle into the air with a hug.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you, Maribelle!" the Cleric gushes. "You and Ricken will make a wonderful couple, I just know it!"

"T-thank you…darling…" Maribelle wheezes out from within Lissa's embrace. Just how much force is Lissa putting into that hug?

It's this very festive mood that Chrom walks into together with Emmeryn, Flavia and Basilio.

"Did we miss something?" the prince asks.

"It was wonderful, Chrom!" Nowi shouts as she bounds towards him. "Ricken and Maribelle are getting married, and everyone's so happy about it. Oh, and Jack finally realized he loves Robin, so now they're a couple."

The khans grin in my direction. Flavia in particular gives me a thumbs-up, though it somehow feels more like an "I told you so."

Chrom raises an eyebrow. "Really? I had no idea they felt like that for each other."

Cordelia sighs. "Yes, Captian, they do." The Pegasus Knight looks away. "The only one here who's denser than Jack is you…" she mutters quietly.

Lissa glances between Chrom and Cordelia and shakes her head exasperated. "Gods, Chrom. Look at the pot calling the kettle black."

This only confuses the prince further. But before he can ask for details, Flavia steps forward.

"Listen, as much as I'd like to celebrate this romantic little moment, we've got some important news to share."

This puts everyone in the room on alert.

"We've decided to put an end to this d-mn war!" Flavia's smile grows savage at this point. "It's about time the Mad King had a dose of his own vulnerary."

Gaius raises an eyebrow. "By that, you mean…"

"We're bringing the fight to Gangrel." Chrom finishes with a scowl. "And this time, we end him for good!"

The morale in the room practically skyrockets. Determination lights up in the eyes of everyone present, even Nowi. Not that I'm excluding myself from the group or anything. I want that jerk dead as much as the next guy.

"Um, milord?" Olivia speaks up from somewhere close to the rear. Everyone directs their gazes towards her, which results in the shy Dancer to almost shrink in on herself.

"Yes…Olivia, was it?" Chrom replies.

Olivia walks to the front slowly. Poor girl's practically shaking like it's winter inside. Hm… What's the most effective therapy for anxiety disorders?

"I, um… I would like to join you in this battle. Her Grace did me a kindness once, and I'd like to fight for her cause as a way of saying thanks."

Emmeryn looks at the Dancer curiously before she gives her a radiant smile.

"Oh, I remember you. You are that young girl I met during one of my visits to Regna Ferox during the early years of my reign. It makes me happy to see you in good health."

Olivia's face turns beet-red as she bows at the waist.

"T-thank you, Your Grace. What you did for me all those years ago gave me the courage to become the dancer I am today." When she gets up from her bow, she pushes her index fingers together. "Not that I'm that skilled, yet."

Basilio guffaws at Olivia's answer. "Ba ha ha! Don't mind what she just said! If there's anything Olivia's better at than dancing, it's being modest. Her dancing is so mesmerizing, she's practically a national treasure here in Ferox! Her moves inspire soldiers to work twice as hard! Go on, Commander! She'll be a great asset for your troops."

Chrom looks at Basilio surprised. ""Commander"? What happened to "boy"?"

"You've earned your way up from that name, I think." the bald khan replies. "Now, where were we? Oh, yes! I was just about to start cracking skulls! Flavia will lead me and the other feroxi in a head-on assault. That should buy you enough time to take down Gangrel."

Basilio's face splits into another grin. "Hear that, boy? You get the fun part!"

Chrom raises an eyebrow. "I thought you weren't going to call me-"

"You and Robin have my every confidence." Basilio interrupts. "You're a born leader, and she has a knack for guiding troops to victory. You both have some growing to do yet, but I can already see you'll grow tall. H-ll, if all else fails, you've got Jack on your side! He's got more tricks up his sleeve than I thought possible."

"Thanks, Basilio."

The bald khan waves him off. "Alright, enough talk. It's time to raise some hell!"

Chrom nods in agreement, determined scowl on his face.

"Let's get to it then!" Basilio urges us. "Gangrel may try to exact revenge after we foiled his little execution plan."

"Let him try." Chrom responds confidently. "This time I'm ready to dethrone the Mad King, once and for all."

Then Chrom turns to the rest of us. "Shepherds, get ready to march! Equip yourselves with whatever you need and prepare for our greatest battle yet. Then meet up by the main gate. One way or another, this war ends now!"

"Yes, Captain Chrom!" is our collective response.

Before we go our separate ways, however, I'm reminded about one figure who's hardly spoken at all.

"And you, Your Grace?" I ask Emmeryn. "What about you?"

"I shall join Khan Flavia and Khan Basilio in their assault against Gangrel's main force. Phila and her pegasus knights shall accompany me in this battle." Emmeryn replies.

Lissa bites her lip upon hearing that.

"Will you be all right, Sis? It was bad enough when you fought in that last battle. The one you're going to will be much worse."

Phila steps up and slams her fist against her armored chest. "Fear not, Princess Lissa. I shall protect her Grace from any harm, even at the cost of my life."

"Let us hope it does not come to that." Emmeryn mutters tiredly.

"No plegian shall approach her so long as I draw breath." Phila continues undeterred. "You have my word, both as wing commander of the Ylissean pegasus knights and head of Her Grace's royal guard."

Lissa relaxes at the Falcon Knight's response. "Thank you, Phila. Please, stay close to Emm."

Phila nods. "Always."

* * *

It's been about half an hour since everyone went their separate ways to prepare for the incoming battle. I'm…honestly good. Aside from refilling my Concoction bottle, I already have all the weapons and gear I need before the final battle against Gangrel. I'm just wandering aimlessly through the halls at this point while trying to think up ways in how I can fight the Mad King. Hm… Since he's a Trickster, he's bound to be very mobile, not to mention unpredictable. The fact that he's crazy on top of that means aiming at him could become a headache unless I focus and match his speed.

"Ah, there you are. Just the man I was lookin' for." an elderly voice speaks.

I'm brought out of my thoughts as I notice a figure garbed in a brown cloak approach me. I raise an eyebrow.

"And you would be…?"

The figure huffs. "Hmph. Youngsters these days have no respect for their elders."

I look at the robed figure with a deadpan expression. In response, he raises his arms in a placating gesture.

"Fine, fine. If you insist."

The figure raises his cowl to reveal-

"Old man Hubba?" I ask surprised.

"I'll have ya know I'm still in my youthful 430's, sonny." the keeper of the Outrealm gate huffs.

"Why are you here?" I inquire. "I thought you were busy managing this world's Outrealm gate – wherever it's located."

Hubba shrugs. "Oh, I left Anna in charge of that for the time being. See, I was tasked with running a few errands."

"Which are…?"

The old man smirks. "I don't know whatcha did before dropping into this world, sonny-boy, but you've gained some plentiful favor with the powers-that-be. See, residents of a world are normally not allowed to travel the Outrealms, what with all the hoo-ha that would result in such an event. Only a select few ever get the opportunity to travel outside their home world."

Hubba points at me. "You, Jack, have been deemed worthy of such an opportunity. Feel free to travel the many worlds existing alongside this one. I'm here to pass this message on to ya."

That throws me for a loop. "Me? How did that happen?"

"Oh, don't try to play dumb with me, boy. When waking up with powers like yours, there's bound to be some grand destiny for ya to fulfill down the road. Consider this offer as an invitation to a training trip of sorts. Trust me, you'll either learn a lot during your travels, or go insane. It's usually a combination of the two."

"You know about my powers?"

Hubba shakes his head exasperated. "You don't get to become keeper of an Outrealm gate without learning when stuff happens in the multiverse. The powers-that-be must've dumped almost every crazy idea they had into ya when yer new life started."

 **AN: Achoo!**

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
Side quest: Outrealm traveler  
** _Hubba approaches you with the offer of a lifetime; you've been given the opportunity to travel the many worlds that exist parallel to this one. You can experience cultures very different from those of Fire Emblem, learn skills unheard of, discover places no one knew existed, and much more. Of course, whether you accept or not is up to you. Just make sure to keep your head screwed on tight. The Outrealms are a fascinating place, but there's bound to be some crazy stuff going on there too.  
_ **Objective:** _Travel the Outrealms  
_ **Rewards:** _5 000 EXP, 1 000 gold_

* * *

Well, why not?

"I think I'll take you up on that offer." I tell the elderly gatekeeper. "Though, would it be possible to postpone that trip until a later date? I'm kinda busy ending a war, and cleaning up afterwards is bound to take some time too."

Hubba smiles. "Sure thing. Take yer time. When you're ready, we'll know."

"And how do you do that?"

The old man chuckles. "That's for me to know, and you to find out."

Cheeky old man…

"Oh, by the way." Hubba continues. "That's not the only thing I came here for. I was asked to bring one of your friends a present. Was told that she might like it. You might wanna see her."

With that, the old man puts his cowl back on and walks away. "See ya soon, sonny."

And then he just…vanishes. Not even Mind's eye can pick up on his presence. Did he just fade from existence? That was creepy.

* * *

My steps eventually take me to the armory. I quickly notice that I'm not alone.

"Cordelia?"

The red-headed Pegasus Knight turns away from sorting through some axes and faces me.

"Oh, Jack. Did you come to pick up a weapon for the upcoming battle?"

I shake my head. "No, I think I'm as ready for that as I can be. I'm mostly just wandering around and passing the time before we march. How are things on your-"

I stop cold in my tracks as I notice a weapon leaning against a few crates just beside Cordelia.

* * *

 **Gradivus, Polearm, Base damage: 150, Legendary  
** _One of the three legendary regalia from the age of the Hero-King Marth. This spear is rumored to have been enchanted with the power of the divine dragons as it was forged. Those claims may be well founded, as it boasts immense striking power. What's more, the shaft continuously absorbs ambient mana that restores the lifeforce of the wielder when held, allowing them to fight far longer than they are normally capable of. Whoever wields Gradivus is said to become invincible.  
Increases HPR by 250 % when wielded. Can be called back to the wielder's hand after it is thrown.  
Requirement to wield: Polearm mastery Lvl 70_

* * *

 **BGM: Armed and ready, RWBY OST**

"Cordelia?" I ask breathlessly as I point at Gradivus. "How did _that_ end up here?"

The Pegasus Knight picks up the legendary spear. "A robed figure came to me a little before you arrived and handed me this very weapon. Before I could ask any questions, he just left without a word."

Must've been Old man Hubba.

I place a hand on my chin. "If that's what I think it is, you're holding an immensely powerful weapon in your hand right now. This will be a great help in the battle against Gangrel."

Cordelia tightens her hold around the shaft. "It is indeed a powerful weapon, but am I truly worthy of wielding it?" she asks both herself and me.

A quick Observe on her shows that her polearm mastery sits at a whopping Lvl 73.

"I'd say you're skilled enough." I reply. "So, what's the issue?"

Cordelia shakes her head. "This is not a matter of skill." The Pegasus Knight begins shaking. "I ran from the battle that robbed my knight-sisters of their lives. I abandoned them in their time of need. And Captain Phila believes _I_ am the one to continue their legacy? Some successor I am, abandoning my own family." she declares bitterly. "I've tried to make peace with the past, but just thinking of facing their murderer terrifies me."

Her head bows down in shame at her words. "I'm scared, Jack. And if I can't even muster the courage to confront Gangrel, then why should I even bother fighting?"

So that's what the issue stems from. It all comes back to that fateful day.

"Cordelia, look at me."

She eventually does – reluctantly.

I place a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Look, I understand that this is a big issue for you. I won't judge you if you want to sit this battle out. Facing your fears is never easy."

I tighten my hold on her shoulder. "That being said, you're left with a choice here. You can either sit this battle out and let the rest of us handle the Mad King. Or, you stand up, fight alongside us and stare the source of your fears right in the eyes."

I indicate Gradivus in Cordelia's hands. "I think that's why you were given Gradivus. This spear represents that very choice. You can either let it keep you alive as you stay away from battle, or you let it become the tool that pierces through anything in your path. The choice is yours. Just know that I'll support you, no matter what you choose. I know you would do the same for all of us."

At hearing my words, determination slowly lights up in Cordelia's eyes until it becomes a roaring inferno.

"You're right, Jack. I can't let my fears hold me back, nor will I run away ever again."

"Is that your decision?" I ask.

Cordelia nods. "Yes. If I run away now, I'll spend the rest of my days doing it over and over. I refuse to live like that. I'll fight, no matter _who_ my enemy is!" The determination spreads until she's practically radiating it. The terrified girl is replaced by a scarlet-haired warrior. "This war ends now! Gangrel will pay for killing my sisters, and he will pay in _blood_!"

I nod back. "Alright, then. Let's do it!"

 **Your relationship with Cordelia has improved!**

* * *

 _ **POV change: General**_

A sinister aura envelops Tharja's tome as she chants a spell. A training dummy in front of her rots a few seconds later. Gaius shakes his head exasperated and gives the Dark Mage a come-hither motion. Tharja smirks and charges her next spell. Gaius slips a hand into his robes – and pulls out a lollipop that promptly goes into his mouth, which only annoys Tharja.

* * *

Stahl takes one more look at the recipe book on his right before he nods and adds some chopped onions to the cauldron. While stirring in his stew, he notices Panne return from her run in the forest. Stahl sends her a smile and offers a bowl of the stew, which the taguel curiously accepts.

* * *

Sully explains to Vaike how some of her hand-to-hand combat moves work. To demonstrate, she walks up to a training dummy, grabs hold, and suplexes it. The move leaves the dummy broken in an impact crater, making Vaike whistle in appreciation. Then the blond Fighter grins and rolls his shoulder as he approaches a training dummy of his own.

* * *

Sumia flips and twists through the air before she homes in on Frederick. She pulls up in her flight path to avoid Frederick's retaliatory strike and then uses the opening to jump off her pegasus to sneak in an attack of her own. Frederick parries the blow, albeit with visible effort. As they push against each other, Fredrick smiles and nods in approval, making Sumia smile back.

* * *

Miriel closes her notebook with a snap and directs her gaze on the vials with experimental potions brewing on her desk. Meanwhile, Kellam walks in with a box of more ingredients and places it on the Mage's left. Both occupants smile at each other before Miriel instructs the Knight on the various effects of the liquids.

* * *

Sweat pours down Ricken's forehead as he charges a powerful wind spell in his palm. The spell hits the training dummy with enough force to send it crashing into the wall. Ricken pants, tired, but triumphant over his achievement. Maribelle smiles proudly at her fiancé while she twirls her parasol in an intricate kata. The plegians will feel her wrath!

* * *

Lon'qu and Gregor try to outsmart each other in a chess match. Lon'qu soon gains the upper hand, only to raise his eyebrow at Gregor's confident grin. That's when he notices the knife pointed right at his gut. A tic mark grows on the Myrmidon's head, much to Gregor's amusement.

* * *

Virion pulls out his Duplex Bow, nocks an arrow, and hits two simultaneous bullseyes in a single fluid motion. He glances to the side and notices Olivia practice some dance moves. Olivia stops upon noticing the Archer applauding her with a bright smile, which in turn causes the Dancer to blush bright red.

* * *

Libra focuses mana into his staff, making the crystal at the tip glow yellow. Lissa takes in the sight with wide eyes as the War Monk demonstrates the spell. Libra then cuts off the mana flow and motions for the young Cleric. Lissa nods and closes her eyes in concentration, making her own staff glow in the same color.

* * *

Robin demonstrates some basic battle tactics for Nowi on a map. Nowi nods in understanding and then imitates a roaring dragon. Robin smiles and rubs the manakete's head affectionally, which makes Nowi pout.

* * *

Chrom sheaths Falchion and places his cape on his shoulders. Then he marches towards the meeting place with purpose and a determined scowl.

* * *

 _ **POV change: Jack**_

Cordelia and I meet Chrom as we arrive in the main hall at the same time. In short order, the other Shepherds join us.

"Shepherds, get ready to march!" Chrom orders.

"AYE, CAPTAIN!" is our collective response.

The main gates of Flavia's palace open, letting the cold Feroxi air into the building. The chilling breeze causes Chrom's cape to billow majestically behind him as he leads us out in the open. We're not just ready to fight in a battle – we're gonna end a war.

Gangrel, your days are numbered! Bring as many soldiers as you can. Arm them as well as you wish. We'll grind them all to dust under our heels.

Bring it on, Mad King of Plegia!

 **To be continued (BGM ends)**

* * *

Preview of the next chapter:

*The Shepherds charge and meet Gangrel's elite forces head-on*

 **Gangrel:** Here to die, little prince? That can be arranged! Bwa ha ha!

 **Chrom:** I didn't come here to fight, Gangrel. I came here to kill you!

 **Gangrel:** Really, is that the best comeback you have? You're nowhere near my level!

 **Jack:** He doesn't need to, not with the rest of us here.

 **Gangrel:** You… I'll take especially great pleasure in gutting you where you stand!

 **Jack:** Try me, court jester!

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Shepherds! Assemble! The day our names were carved into history.**

 **Chrom and Gangrel:** Either way, this war ends now!

* * *

 **Omake: Why muscle is the best diplomacy**

Emmeryn is about to unleash a massive light spell on the Plegian side when Frederick steps up.

"If I may, Your Grace." the Great Knight asks.

Emmeryn looks at Frederick in confusion before she nods.

Frederick calmly walks towards Mustafa, unarmed and with his hands folded behind his back. The Plegian Berserker raises an eyebrow at the unusual maneuver, and continues to raise it the closer Frederick gets. The two men stand only a few paces apart. Both sides watch curiously as the two men stare each other down.

With nary a warning, Frederick flexes his muscles so hard that the armor on his upper body flies off from the rapid expansion of rock-solid biomass. Everyone save for Mustafa look at the Great Knight in shock. Several females eye his physique with less-than-professional intent.

On a side note, Frederick is _frikkin' RIPPED_!

Mustafa, in turn, flexes _his_ muscles, causing his significantly smaller armor to rip like paper. While obvious due to the revealing nature of his attire, he, too, displays a very muscular figure.

Both half-naked men hold their flexing poses for half a minute. In that time, the clouds manage to return and cover the sky once more, as Emmeryn stopped powering her light pillar.

Frederick and Mustafa suddenly release their flexing poses and clasp their hands together instead. A shaft of sunlight pierces through the clouds, illuminating where the two men stand and look at each other in admiration and respect. The very air around them seems to sparkle in kinship and comradery.

Mustafa nods. "I understand. Go. I will cover for you."

The Plegian general then turns to his soldiers.

"Men! Clear a path and let the Ylissean league through. No one is to so much as raise a weapon, much less attack anybody! Do I make myself clear?"

Mustafa's subordinates look among themselves in confusion, trying to understand why their general would order something like that.

Mustafa scowls at his unit. "I said; DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!"

"Yes, General Mustafa!" his soldiers answer fearfully.

Not wanting to draw the ire of their (insanely ripped) commander, the Plegian soldiers scramble to clear the middle of the road as fast as possible. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, Frederick calmly strolls through the cleared pathway. The rest of the ylisseans and the feroxi follow soon afterwards, albeit with a lot more vigilance.

As soon as the Ylissean league has cleared their last obstacle, Lissa runs up to Frederick.

"Frederick, what in the world did you do?!" the Ylissean princess asks bewildered.

Frederick places a hand on his chin while a mysterious sparkle twinkles in front of his face.

"'Tis a secret among men, milady."

Jack and Gregor nod sagely.

"Very ancient way of talking. Spans over any cultural and language. Deep instinct is making the connecting between all men from baby age. Can only say that much." Gregor explains.

"Besides, we wouldn't be able to explain it to you in a way you'd understand, even if we tried, Lissa." Jack continues. "We call this secret: Bromance."

Frederick smiles at his fellow males. "Ah, I see you two are men of culture as well. It does my heart good to be in the company of like-minded."

Lissa looks at the three nodding males and shakes her head. "Men…"

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Za Warudo!, Lvl 1 [12 %], Active, Cost: 150 MP per second  
** _The most powerful signature ability of the undead Stand user, Dio Brando. When unleashed, the world itself bends to your will as the flow of time stops within the space of your power. Of course, you yourself are fully capable of moving within this stopped space and affect anyone frozen in time. Need a better battle position? Want to set up for a devastating ambush? Maybe you just want to punch someone really hard in their face without them seeing it coming? All of this and more is possible with Za Warudo. And when you're done, strike a cool pose as you declare time to move once again. It's not complete without a cool pose!  
Stops time around the caster upon activation. All damage dealt will come into effect the moment this skill is deactivated._

 **Kissing, Lvl 1 [10 %], Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _Lip contact is one of the most intimate acts two people can share together. This skill represents how skilled you are at using your lips in these intimate moments. When sufficiently skilled, a single kiss can light a passion so hot, you won't escape the bedchamber for a long time. Or, you know, you can just use this skill as a simple sign of affection. It's not like this is a hentai or anything._

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **Berserker, Class** _  
Frontline fighters with herculean strength and unrelenting resilience. Their axe swings can penetrate almost any defense, and they move fast enough to make up for their poor technique. But all is not good with these juggernauts. They can take hits like champs, but that's because their dodging skills suck. This only gets worse by the fact that they have such huge body frames. They are also often considered to be quite stupid, as they typically rush into battle with very little armor.  
Passively increases maximum HP and STR by 15 %. Damage dealt from axes and blunt weapons is increased by 10 %. Magic of any element deal 10 % less damage. Damage taken from any source is increased by 5 %._

 **Palutena's Bow, Bow, Base damage: 64, Divine  
** _A sacred bow crafted through the power of the goddess of light, Palutena. The drawstring of this weapon only appears when the wielder draws an arrow. The arrows, in turn, are conjured by channeling mana through the bow. It can even split into a pair of short swords. You'll have a smash using this versatile weapon. Just make sure you don't end up in a brawl too often. Short swords aside, it's not really suited for a melee.  
This weapon also counts as Dual blades.  
Available skills when wielded: Light arrow, Bow split_

 **Super War Spear, Polearm, Base damage: 110, Unique  
** _The ultimate weapon of the foul-playing ex-marine, Don Krieg. Whenever swung, this weapon unleashes a powerful explosion at the point of impact. This makes fighting the wielder extremely difficult, as blocking the spear only results in getting blasted in the face. Breaking the tip won't really help, as it merely reduces this weapon to a bomb-on-a-stick. Make sure to keep your distance, whether you're the wielder or the opponent, or you'll get blown to smithereens.  
Each explosion deals fire-elemental damage. The base damage of each explosion is 350 % of the wielder's STR._

 **Ylissean folk hero, Title  
** _Your many selfless deeds in the service of the halidom have gained recognition among the people. Your reputation has grown to the point that the people of Ylisse celebrate you as you arrive. Your mark in Ylissean history is all but guaranteed. The ladies throw themselves at you (well, not really). In short, you've become a celebrity on Ylissean soil. Become the best you can be, and the halidom will grow better of it.  
Increases CHAR by 15 % when interacting within the borders of Ylisse or with someone from Ylisse when outside the halidom._

* * *

 **Dio:** Wryyy!

*Bang!*

 **For the love of Stand power, stay in your coffin, Dio!**

 **All right, people. Put down your torches and Bolganone tomes and hear me out before you flame me.**

 **My decision has been made: Emmeryn lives! This is probably the biggest divergence from canon in this fic. Naturally, this will have its consequences down the line, primarily that Chrom won't shoulder as much of the political responsibility he would have if Emmeryn sacrificed herself. Aside from that, the Shepherds can rub a sick burn into the Grimleal's face regarding the whole "you cannot change the course of history" thing. And if you think Emmeryn acted OOC against Mustafa and his men, consider this. Chrom is awesome. Lissa is awesome. Lucina is awesome. Owain is** _ **all kinds of**_ **awesome. Awesomeness practically runs in the royal family of Ylisse along with their brand. It only makes sense that Emmeryn has some awesome running through her veins as well.**

 **And if you think Jack pulling Za Warudo out of nowhere was cheap, consider the fact that Aversa summoning all those Risen Archers falls into that category as well. It ain't unfair if both sides play huge trump cards. Besides, Jack could've achieved the exact same effect with a different method that's well within his grasp. He simply had to Trace Mickey's keyblade, Mimic the iconic mouse and cast Stopza on the whole courtyard. This method is just faster and cooler. Of course, Jack won't use Za Warudo all the time. Not only would it make most future battles boring, its cost is tremendous, making it impractical in drawn-out fights. At the moment, I plan on including Za Warudo a total of five times in this fic, including the two times in this chapter. Consider that in light of how many more battles Jack has ahead of him. Za Warudo is a trump card, not a go-to option.**

 **As of this chapter, Jack and Robin are officially a couple! Their wedding will have to wait until a future chapter, though, as I plan a few things to happen before then. In turn, I plan for their wedding, as well as Chrom's and Cordelia's, to have its own scene. The rest will happen off-screen, since I can't plan enough wedding scenes with variety. Still, I can imagine Tharja being all "Get on with it!" on her wedding.  
On a side note, osmium is the densest natural element in the world. I think you can make the connection from there.**

 **I came to realize something after Jack revealed the truth of his origins; he has more leeway in which kinds of weapons he can Trace now, since any weapon the Shepherds aren't familiar with can be written off as "a weapon from a different world". Of course, there's a limit to how high-tech Jack can go, even with the increased leeway. I simply have some more options at my fingertips, including some weapons suggested in the reviews you have posted.**

 **I made the omake more or less by flying by the seat of my pants. Maybe that's how omakes are supposed to be made? Eh, whatever. I had fun writing it.**

 **That should be everything for now. Please rate and review. VipeR out.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello** , **dear readers. Welcome to the newest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **This is it. The time has finally come for the final battle against Gangrel. And judging by the reviews, the hype. Is! Not as big as I expected…**

 **For real, the most common thing in focus was that Jack and Robin are a couple now. Guess almost everything else in the last chapter got overshadowed by that one moment. I had no idea you guys had anticipated it for that long, but seeing your responses, it seems that bringing those two together when I did was the right call.**

 **Now, onto the reviews more specifically.**

 **LegacySpellsword:** Oh, I'm saving the menacing text for another chapter. I'm nowhere near done with the JoJo's references.

 **TheOrangeLord:** I'd rather not. If you look at the FMA storyline, you'll notice that alchemy involving human beings has a massive probability of backfiring horribly. Jack may have a crazy streak, but attempting to make a Sharingan seems more up Tharja's or Henry's alleys.

 **Firem78910:** You'd better have a dentist at the ready! This chapter has enough sweet content to rot your teeth (I think)!

 **warrior of six blades:** I've finally come around to watch RWBY volume 5, and I've got to say, Raven's weapon definitely looks interesting. That being said, it's practically an arsenal in its own right. Not what I have in mind for Jack's UBW arsenal, but the idea is worth an honorable mention. Besides, Raven's not the only one who uses elemental weapons. Just wait 'til Jack delves deeper into the Tracing. Raven's weapon may be awesome, but some other weapons just blow it out of the water, depending on the situation.

 **meteroce:** The cost of Za Warudo was a calculated move. See, I decided the cost based on Jack's MP pool at the start of the chapter and the moves he would use before unleashing Dio's signature ability. I wanted it to last for roughly 10 seconds for simplicity's sake, and planned accordingly from there. Otherwise, I agree. It's fully reasonable to have the cost of Za Warudo be higher than I made it in this fic.

 **AscendedHumanity:** I have already mentioned this in an earlier review response, but I mainly rated this fic M for _safety reasons_. And while I hardly hear about this being discussed, there's a lot of violence in this fic. Warfare aside, there's death by sword, death by lance, death by axe, death by headshot, death by steamroller, death by Tharja… People die in a myriad of gruesome ways in this fic. I may seem a bit careful because of my stance, but imagining how this would look in real life is something I wouldn't wish anyone under the age of 17 to witness.

 **Hashirama 1710:** Why, thank you. I do make sure those scenes get some good content.

 **Anonymous reviewer, November 11** **th** **:** Yeah, the omake is based on the FMA animé when Major Armstrong meets Sig Curtis. Those two started quite possibly the manliest bromance in fictional history.

 **Archer:** Have no idea how that weapon works. I've got something else in mind.

 **A fan:** Soo… If I understand this correctly, the Wish ender is a bow that scales in power in proportion to its wielder… While definitely a nice idea, I don't have that many more ideas for weapons for Virion. My ideas for bows are reserved for another notable Archer who will join the Shepherds in the future, and she's a little…unhinged.

 **Guest reviewer, November 11** **th** **:** Not sure if I'll continue beyond Awakening. If I do, I need one heck of a premise to not make it look like I'm just throwing an overpowered character into a point in time where the canon protagonist is just getting started on their journey. And I'd need to do lots of research on the lore in the game Jack would end up in.

 **Scarlet Moon:** I've listened to the song. Unfortunately, it's not my taste. I've got other BGMs in mind, and I hope you'll enjoy them.

 **SirHaloFan:** Nope. Nuh-uh. Not the Lantern ring. That thing's just ridiculous. I'm walking a difficult balancing act here in which I try to make Jack powerful, but not to the point that he'll wipe entire armies without breaking a sweat. That would just make this fic boring to write. Overpowered finishers are one thing, but overpowered all the time? Nope, not here.

 **.77770:** The plasma blade sounds like a nice idea if I translate it to being mana-powered, but I already have something similar planned for one of the future kids. Jack' jaw's gonna hit the floor when it happens.

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark:** Good eye on spotting the hints at the pairings. Be warned though; one of those hints are a red herring. As for which one it is… Not telling XD

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _Hee ah ha ha ha ha! –_ Gangrel

* * *

 **Chapter 10:**

 **Shepherds! Assemble!  
** **The day our names were carved into history.**

We made camp just about an hour ago. By Robin's calculations, Gangrel and his elite forces should be just beyond the hills on the other side of the open wasteland outside our campsite. This means our sides will clash first thing in the morning. Not wanting to risk any assassins sneaking into our camp from the Plegian side, I posted Shadow clone sentries around the perimeter, disguised as local wildlife. Imagine their surprise if they try to sneak in, only to get ambushed by some critters who turn into murderous clones. That'll teach those suckers.

While most of us have a few things to check off our lists before the big battle, Chrom has ordered us to turn in early so we're well rested in preparation for tomorrow.

As a result, everyone's hurrying around camp doing whatever they feel needs to be done ASAP. In my case, I'm at the edge of camp and staring at the sunset together with Robin. I gently rub my thumb where our hands are connected. Despite her wearing gloves, I can still feel her hand underneath.

"Tomorrow's the big day…" I murmur idly.

Robin nods. "Yeah."

I turn to look at her directly.

"I know it's selfish of me to ask this, but I want you to make sure you're never fighting on your own on that battlefield. It's going to be hectic, so watching your surroundings will be vital."

Robin turns to me with a smile.

"Heh. That's what I should be telling you. You've had a tendency to run off on your own on the battlefield ever since…" Robin frowns as she thinks back. "Actually, I can't think of _any_ battle where you never tried to fight on your own. The fact that you're still alive amazes me."

I grin at my girlfriend. "Heh. I'm _that_ awesome."

Robin shakes her head fondly. "I never took you for the boasting type. Thoughtless, perhaps-"

"Hey!"

"- but you've always kept it lowkey when assessing your abilities."

"I'll have you know I never do anything without a plan." I grumble. "Mostly…" is added as an afterthought.

Robin squeezes my hand.

"Which is exactly the reason why I want you to be careful, Jack. Your plans may yield unexpectedly good results, but they're as dangerous as dangerous gets. I… Now that we've grown this close, I find myself starting to worry for you."

I release Robin's hand to bring her into a loose embrace.

"I feel the same for you, Robin. Just thinking that you could be in the middle of a hectic battlefield and fighting for your life against dangers on all sides terrifies me. I know that's exactly where you'll be as this army's tactician, but that only makes me worry for you more."

Robin returns my hug, bringing us close enough that our foreheads touch.

"Then we should both try to stay safe – for each other's sakes. I believe that's the only way we can agree on this matter."

"Couldn't say it any better myself."

I look up from our contact at our heads and look back at the setting sun. It's almost dipped below the horizon.

"We'd better return to our tents soon if we want to be properly rested for the incoming battle."

Robin hugs me tighter. "Do you mind if we stay like this for a little longer? Standing here with you feels so…soothing."

I turn back to Robin with a raised eyebrow and a smile. "I never took you for the clingy type."

That makes her pout in return. "Well, _excuse me_ for wanting to spend some time alone with my clearly disinterested lov- Mmm!"

I pull back from the sudden kiss and grin at Robin's stupefied face. "To be fair, I didn't say "no"."

After regaining her bearings, Robin sighs and puts her forehead back against mine. "You almost killed the mood."

I smirk. "Yes, _almost_." Then I soften back into a smile. "But you're right. And I'd love to stay with you here a while longer."

Robin puts her head against my shoulder. "Thank you…"

As the sun finally finishes its course over the horizon, our lips join in a tender kiss.

"It's time." I whisper. "Sweet dreams."

Robin smiles with a blush. "I know I will have those, so long as I think of you."

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

Morning at camp was a quiet affair. Everyone was up by sunrise, prepared their gear and ate breakfast in near total silence. My guess would be that the tension before the battle was approaching the breaking point. The slightest misstep would trigger a chain reaction of responses that were mainly violent and reserved for any plegian not named "Tharja".

We're currently lined up at one end of the great wasteland we made camp in front of last night. Everyone's on edge, myself included.

I notice Lissa fidget a lot. Wait, she's not fidgeting – she's shaking.

"Lissa? How are you holding up?" I ask the Cleric.

"How can you remain calm in a situation like this?!" Lissa snaps back, much to everyone's shock. Lissa quickly shrinks in on herself. "I'm sorry… It's just…the air feels stifling. Suffocating, even. I feel like I could choke on it any second."

I shake my head slowly and gently put a hand on her shoulder.

"Believe me, I feel taut like a bowstring from all this tension. If so much as a stone would seem out of place here, I'd probably let loose on it just to relieve some stress."

"I believe I speak for all of us when I say we share Jack's sentiment, Princess Lissa." Libra speaks up. "It is only natural. This upcoming battle will decide not only the fate of our fair halidom, but quite possibly the course of history of this realm."

Lissa directs an annoyed glare at the War monk. "Yeah, way to go putting _more_ pressure on us, Libra!"

I give Lissa's shoulder a light shake to get her attention again. "Look, as much as I feel the pressure from this situation, I've decided to stop thinking of it. Right now, there are only two things I'm thinking about; killing Gangrel and ending this war. We only have one enemy ahead of us. An entire army, granted, but it represents only one enemy nonetheless. We've banded together to face this enemy. You're not alone in this, Lissa, so there's nothing to fear."

Lissa takes a deep breath before letting it all out. "Phew. I think I needed to hear that. Thanks. Jack."

I smile at the young princess. "The pleasure is all mine, milady."

This makes her pout. "Oh, not you too! It's bad enough that Frederick and Phila call me that all the time!"

I raise my hands in a placating gesture. "Fine, fine, I'll stop. And hey, you don't look nearly as nervous as before."

Lissa blinks. "Huh? Hey, you're right. Wait, you did that just to help me calm down?"

I nod. "Kind of. You perform much better when you're calm." I turn to the rest of the Shepherds. "I suppose that goes for all of us."

A collective nod is their answer. Any trace of nervousness that may have settled on them left when they saw me and Lissa banter. Excellent. We're good to go.

Chrom steps up in front of us. "If that's all you have to say, I'd suggest you direct your gazes to the south." A scowl forms on the prince's face. "They've arrived."

True to Chrom's words, I can spot a mass of individuals marching in our direction from the south. Spread among them are banners depicting the flag of Plegia. The message is clear; We're right here. Come at us!

We march as well until the remaining distance between our two forces is only about 100 paces. Seeing the army of the Plegian side up close, it's clear that they outnumber us. A quick headcount with Mind's eye gives me an estimate of around…8-to-1. Impressive, but we can take them. Seriously, for being the so-called elite of the Plegian army, the only real threat would be a select few commanders spread among their ranks, as well as Gangrel himself.

Speaking of Gangrel, the Mad King separates from his forces and walks up to us like he owns the place, and with a smug expression to complete the look. After some quick communication with Frederick through looks alone, Chrom does the same. Our commanders meet right between our sides. If I didn't know any better, I could swear lightning struck between them the moment they stopped.

"Good day, my little princeling!" Gangrel greets Chrom arrogantly. "Back for more so soon?"

Chrom scowls. "No more talk, Gangrel. Today you die, and peace returns to Ylisse and Plegia."

The Mad King scoffs. "Pah! Such hypocrisy! You despise me, wretch! You want to cut me down! You don't know the first thing about peace. No man does!"

"I know more than you ever will." Chrom replies.

Gangrel chuckles. "More than me? More than ME?! Bwa ha! …You ARE me! When life asks you a question, you answer with blood!" Gangrel's expression grew more crazed the longer he talked. By this point, he looks like a lunatic.

Chrom sighs. "Maybe you're right… I will never be my sister. I cannot forgive men like you – men who sow nothing but evil." Determination blazes forth as the scowl returns full force. "That's why I'll do what she never could – become the blade that cuts you off before you infect this entire world! And I'll never be like you! Were I alone, I might be driven to madness. Or worse."

Chrom indicates us with a flourish, causing his cape to flutter in the morning sun just right. "But I'm not alone. My friends and brothers-in-arms stand behind me."

Gangrel's chuckles turn into outright laughter. "Are you done? May I vomit now? Bwa ha ha! What a flowery harangue!" Just as fast as the laughter came, it changes into a serious face. "Men are beasts! Nothing more! We fight! We kill! We devour our pray! Beasts don't stand behind beasts, little prince… They use each other only so long as it suits their own selfish purpose!"

"I've heard enough of your twisted madness!" Chrom snarls. "I'm ending this, right here, right now!"

Gangrel matches Chrom's snarl with his own. "Try me, then! I may not have gotten your precious sister's head, but yours should make for a decent consolation price!"

Both monarchs turn back to their respective sides, Chrom with an angry scowl, and Gangrel with a bloodthirsty grin. As Chrom returns to us, he takes a deep breath.

"Shepherds! Today we make a stand against the root of this war, the Mad King himself! This is a battle that we _cannot_ afford to lose, for the fate of this realm hinges upon its outcome. So I ask you one more time; lend me your strength and help me put this menace down once and for all!"

"AYE!" is our collective response.

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Main quest: Fall of a madman  
** _It's victory or death! The final battle against Gangrel has finally arrived, and it's high time the Mad King got what's coming for him. He may be backed by superior numbers, but really, when has that ever stopped you? Show those plegians why messing with the good guys never works out, and end this blasted war!  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat Gangrel  
_ **Rewards:** _11 000 EXP, 11 000 gold  
_ **Failure:** _Do you even need to ask at this point? Kick Gangrel's ass already!_

* * *

Chrom turns back to the frontline and draws Falchion.

"Shepherds! CHARGE!"

 **BGM: You will know our names, Xenoblade Chronicles music**

All the tension we've held back since this morning is finally unleashed in a single moment. We run towards the Plegian soldiers with our weapons drawn and our battle cry roaring out, none more so than Chrom at our lead.

Gangrel sneers before commanding his soldiers to charge. They obey without question, rushing to meet us man-for-man and beyond that. As we're closing in, Chrom jumps into the air and brings down Falchion.

*Boom!*

The prince of Ylisse draws first blood with his opening blow. Before the plegians can form up and close the gap in their ranks, Cordelia and Sumia dive bomb them from above. Mind's eye tells me of at least three Archers with their arrows trained on the two Pegasus knights.

"Not on my watch!" I shout as I activate Gale step and slip right into enemy ranks. The plegians are too slow to react as I zip around and slice the Archers' bows in half before they can launch their arrows.

The only problem now is that I'm smack middle in the Plegian side. At least a dozen enemy soldiers leer in my direction and get ready to dogpile me with whatever they're armed with.

*Shing!* "Gah!"

*Shing!* "Guhaa!"

*Boom!* "Mommy!"

Unfortunately for them, I'm not the only one who can tear into enemy ranks easily. In short order, I stand back-to-back with Lon'qu, Olivia and Tharja.

"Must you always rush into battle so recklessly?" the Myrmidon asks exasperated.

"Hey, why change a strategy that works?" I fire back grinning.

"You're impossible…"

The plegians try to box us in, only to realize there's a line they can't cross. That line is marked by me and Lon'qu slashing every which way with our swords in tandem, forming a circle that no enemy manages to enter. Part of that success stems from Tharja. Since we're right in the middle of the enemy side, she's free to cast spells as she pleases without any risk of friendly fire. Come to think of it, she seems to cast faster than I remember her doing in the last battles.

Hold on… That's Olivia's doing! Her dancing seems to make Tharja weave between spells at a much faster pace than normal. Now that I take a closer look at the Dancer, her movements seem oddly mesmerizing…

Huh? Did I get a buff just from watching her?

* * *

 **Motivated, Status condition  
** _Seeing the passion your ally puts into their actions has spurred you to take it up a notch yourself. Determined to match their performance, you find yourself able to move and act faster than you normally can. Let's kick it into overdrive!  
Increases movement speed by 50 %._

* * *

Oh… Oh ho ho ho… I'm gonna make good use of _this_ while it lasts.

A grin spreads along my face as I Trace a weapon in my left hand.

"Try to keep up, Lon'qu!" I shout to my ally.

"Is that a challenge?" the Myrmidon fires back smirking.

"You're impossible." I counter with an even wider grin, which in turn triggers a grin on Lon'qu for having his own words thrown back at him.

As the mana disperses, the elegant shape of Dunban's Anti-Mechon glaive is revealed for all to see. I flip the Traced katana into a reverse grip and lower my stance.

"Readyyy, GO!" I shout as I run headfirst towards the plegians. Between Reinforcement, Gale step, dual wielding a pair of badass katanas and the buff Olivia granted me, I unleash a whirlwind of slashes that soon carves a berth through enemy ranks that the others use to slip through. But I don't stop there. As soon as I notice my allies join up with Maribelle, Ricken, Miriel and Kellam, I split off from them again. Looks like Vaike and Sully are on their own, and they're having trouble against a surprisingly agile Sage.

Said spellcaster pushes Vaike back with a well-aimed Elwind spell, giving him the opening to cast a flurry of Thunder spells against Sully. The red Cavalier's about to brace herself for the painful impact when I get in-between and channel wind mana through my weapons. My arms become a blur as I slice apart the incoming Thunder spells thanks to my element. Because Naruto physics, b-tches!

The Sage gapes at what I just did. Before he can do anything else, I'm already right in front of him and ready to unleash a string of kicks against different sections of his body. Left, right, shin, roundhouse, hook, axe, sweep, this. Is. SPARTA!

I turn to our resident Fighter. "Vaike, now!"

"It's Vaike time!"

Vaike jumps right back into the fray and brings down his axe with a vicious swing that both cleaves the Sage's tome in half and leaves a deep gash across his upper body. Then Vaike turns to our red Cavalier.

"Sully!"

"Where should I stab ya?"

Sully charges in at full speed and rams her lance straight through the Sage. Instead of stopping there, she jumps off her horse, brings the Sage around by the lance, and kicks him off it in my direction.

"Jack!"

I toss up my Windcleaver into the air as I Mimic the original wielder of the Mechon destroying sword in my hand.

"Born in a world of strife…" *Shing!*

"…against the odds…" *Shing!*

"…we choose to fight!" *Shing, shing!*

I catch my Windcleaver as it comes back down. "Blossom dance!"

*Shingshingshingshingshingshing!*

 **You have leveled up!**

I dismiss the Anti-Mechon glaive as the Sage collapses from his numerous wounds. A smirk forms on my face as I point my Windcleaver against the next group of plegians.

"Timing is everything. Remember that!" I tell my fellow Shepherds.

"I coulda done that!" Vaike replies with bravado.

Sully rolls her eyes at Vaike's reply. "Come on! That ain't the last of 'em!"

Vaike and I nod and set off in search of more of our comrades to help. A few clashes later, I notice lightning and dragon fire a few dozen paces from our position. That has to be Robin and Nowi!

I also notice a LOT of plegians in that direction. That triggers something within me.

"You are NOT touching my girlfriend!" I roar as I tear through their ranks with reckless abandon. I take a few scrapes on my way through, but none of that matters as long as I can reach her!

As the two ladies come into sight, I notice that Libra's with them, juggling between healing his allies and bringing down his Killer Axe on plegians with admirable skill. Admirable or not, however, they're about to be cornered.

*Shingshingshingshing!*

Correction; _were_ about to be cornered. I slide to a stop beside Robin.

"Jack?"

"Made it in time…" I sigh relieved as I take in Robin's appearance. A few bruises and wounds, but nothing serious. Thank goodness for that.

"You're hurt." Robin remarks concerned.

"I could say the same about you. Not that it's hindering me."

"Me neither." she replies smiling. Her face then sets in determination. "Now, let's bring them down."

I grin at her declaration. "Ready when you are, love."

We're surrounded by enemies on all sides, but there might be a way out of this.

"Do you have any spells that can be cast against all of them at once?" I ask Robin.

She nods. "Yes, but it takes a lot of mana. What's more, it'll be spread thin over such a wide area. The impact might be too small."

I smirk at her assessment. "Not if we catch them flat-footed."

I sheathe my Windcleaver and run to our resident manakete.

"Nowi!"

The transformed manakete turns to me and nods. Just like back at castle Plegia, I jump on her tail and get launched into the sky. I take a moment to measure the area I need to cover with my next move. Assessment done, I direct myself back to the ground with Gale step and clap my hand together.

"Robin, now!"

I hit the ground hands-first and Transmute every square inch within a 10-meter radius around Robin with a plegian standing on top of it. The sparks flicker over the ground for a brief moment before all the ground I transmuted heaves up like an entire earthquake was concentrated in a single pulse. The sudden vertical shift sends the plegians into the air with no footing at all.

"Arcthunder!"

*Krrzzz-bram!*

Seeing my girlfriend zap all those plegians with a giant AOE lightning spell has to be the highlight of my day. Seeing them drop like flies after a cloud of pesticide is sweetened icing on the cake.

 **Robin has leveled up!**

 **BGM ends**

Robin puts her hands on her knees and pants in exhaustion.

"You okay?" I ask as I run up to her and place a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah…" she answers after a few deep breaths. "It's just… That spell took a lot out of me."

"It was worth it though." I reply smiling. "Look around. We cleared them out in one fell swoop."

Indeed, that combo attack left all plegians around us knocked out or even dead. There's still more, but we're finally gaining the upper hand in this battle.

That's when I notice something on my mini-map. A blinking dot approaching our position from afar. If that blinking dot is who I think it is, then it's high time to clear out the cause of this war.

"Nowi, Libra, stay with Robin and keep her safe." I tell the War Monk and manakete.

"And what about you?" Libra asks.

"I'll find more plegians to battle. This war won't decide itself. Try to find me after Robin's recovered."

Libra looks like he wants to protest before Nowi tugs on his robes and shakes her head. She looks at me with a serious face.

"Will you be okay on your own before then?"

I smile at her sincerity. "I will. Don't worry, I've got this."

I'm about to walk away when Robin calls out to me.

"Wait!"

I turn my head back.

"Please, Jack… Be careful. Remember what we talked about the night before." Robin reminds me.

I smile softly in reply. "I remember clearly. I _will_ return to you, Robin. That's a promise."

Robin keeps her gaze at me for a while longer before she nods. I nod back and resume my course.

* * *

Some walking later, my adversary finally comes into visible view.

 **Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy detected!**

It's none other than the Mad King himself. Just standing close to him increases the level of Detect bloodlust by the minute.

"You…" Gangrel growls menacingly. "You've been a thorn in my side ever since I laid eyes on you."

"I could say the same about you." I reply with a glare and my arms crossed. "From the moment I first saw you, you've done nothing but provoke war and cause suffering to people around you. Chrom was right. You're a plague, a disease that threatens to infect this entire continent."

"Shut up!" Gangrel roars. "Shut up, shut up, shut UP! Do you think me a fool?! I've heard the recent rumors. Ever since you foiled my plans to obtain the Fire Emblem and execute Emmeryn, you've become a hero among the ylisseans."

Gangrel points at me accusingly. "That's why you're here, are you not?! You've come for my head, so that your precious little princeling can go about without staining his hands with my blood!"

I scoff. "I honestly don't care _whose_ hands get stained in your blood. The world is better off without you. So long as you die today, that's all that matters."

Gangrel snarls at my reply. "See this?! THIS is why I cannot stand you ylisseans! You talk about peace! You claim to make the world a better place! And how do you practice it? By killing and slaughtering everyone who doesn't agree with you. You did it fifteen years ago, and you still do it on this very day! I've had it with your hypocrisy!"

The Mad King raises his Levin Sword and points it at me as it releases a few stray sparks. "I'll put and end to your twisted sense of justice, starting with you!"

I shake my head. "I never claimed to stand on the side of justice. Nor did I ever desire to become a hero. The only reasons why I took up arms were to aid the people who took me in when I had nowhere else to go and protect the country that I've come to call "home"."

I raise my right hand in front of me. Sparks fly and reveal the No Name keyblade wielded by Xehanort's younger self. "You are a threat to both, and that makes you my enemy."

 **BGM: It has to be this way (Platinum mix, instrumental & vocal mix), Metal Gear Solid: Revengeance OST (check Harris Ahmad's version)**

Gangrel sneers at my weapon of choice. "Hmph! And here I thought you would draw the sword on your back. You think me so weak, you can kill me with some enchanted _key_?!" The Mad King flips his Levin Sword into a reverse grip and gets in a low battle stance. "Come on, then! Just try to take my head! I'll soil the ground with your blood as I tear you apart limb for limb!"

"The one between the two of us who will die is _you_!" I reply. I twirl the time themed keyblade over my head a few times before I settle into a stance of my own with No Name held overhead. "Let's dance."

Gangrel jumps back and launches three lightning bolts at me. I activate Gale step and run around their path before I make a beeline for the Trickster.

*Clang!*

Our weapons lock together in a brief power struggle before Gangrel breaks off and goes for a low sweep. I jump and swing down, only to hit the ground instead as Gangrel slips out of range. Right as my feet reach the ground, I'm hit by another lightning bo-

I jump back just in the nick of time to dodge another lightning bolt. Gangrel barely has time to blink at the strange phenomenon before he's forced to dodge the energy waves I send his way from No Name. I give chase and rush back in the fray, only to miss as Gangrel leans to the side and stabs his Levin Sword in my si-

I narrowly dodge the retaliatory stab and swing No Name at Gangrel's mid-section. Gangrel backs off and places his free hand on where I drew first blood. I give him no time to think as I swing No Name from too far away to hit – had it been its normal length. The keyblade grows as I swing, making it look more like a whip as the tip strikes the ground where Gangrel frantically jumps back and forth to avoid another blow. Gangrel manages to sneak a lightning bolt between my swi-

I rush in low and manage to dodge the lightning bolt. That brings me right in front of Gangrel, allowing me to lay it on thick on the Mad King. Gangrel's forced on the defensive as I swing my keyblade from one direction to another. Sparks fly as our weapons clash over and over. I won't give him any chance to retaliate.

Gangrel takes a step back and brings his sword in for a horizontal slash. I crouch low in response and send a sweep kick at his shins, only to miss as he jumps over my leg. That's fine with me, however, as I use the rotation to deliver a backhanded slash at him instead.

*Clang!*

The blow has enough power to push Gangrel away. The Mad King dives to the side to dodge the Rasengan fastball that I throw at him.

"Get back here!" I shout as I run after him.

Gangrel pivots and sends another horizontal slash at me. I jump over the Levin Sword and swing down on Gangrel as I travel over him. As I land behind the Mad King, he's already in mid-swing to slice me from hip to shoulder. I parry the blow before I slash diagonally myself. Gangrel parries and responds with a stab. I lean to the side and swing downwards. It soon devolves into a frantic back-and-forth fight as we jump around like hyperactive fleas and clash our weapons every time we meet. While we're at a stalemate, I have an innate advantage. My Keyblade mastery increases my attack speed with its level. And with how much I've swung one during this battle, it's only a matter of time before that skill levels up.

Right on cue, I notice that my swings get slightly faster. The increased speed allows me to finally push Gangrel back in our clash. The Mad King picks up on that too, judging from the growing surprise on his face. But just as I think I can force an opening, the jerk kicks up sand against me. I jump back from the unexpected move, which Gangrel capitalizes on as he rushes me with his Levin Sword covered in lightning magic. I swipe my free hand over No Name and coat the keyblade with wind magic in response.

We clash once more – or so I expected. Right as I swing in anticipation for our clash, Gangrel stops dead in his tracks, making me overcommit my swing and leaving me open.

"Hee ah ha ha ha ha!"

The Levin Sword comes down too fast! I won't dodge in time! Thinking fast, I let my overcommitment carry me to the ground instead and slap it for a Transmutation. A fist made of tightly packed dirt shoots out of the ground and nails Gangrel right in the face.

*Wham!*

I would take the time to enjoy the look of stupefied shock on his face, but I'm busy fighting him.

"I tire of your tricks!" Gangrel roars frustrated. "If you'll slip away from my strikes beyond all reason, then I'll just hit everywhere at once!"

The Levin Sword hums and lights up like it's made of pure energy as Gangrel points it skywards. "Beg for your life!"

Lightning bolts spear out from the sword by the dozen every second, covering a massive part of our battlefield. Not wanting to stand in the middle of Gangrel's little thunderstorm, I start running with Gale step and do my best to avoid the bolts. A few fly too close for comfort, but the main problem is that I can't reach Gangrel if he keeps firing those lightning bolts.

Well, if I can't slip through, then I'll just _break through_!

I channel more wind mana through No Name while looking for an opening.

There!

I slide to a stop, rear back the keyblade, and SWING!

"Hyah!" *Whoosh!*

The supercharged Windblade that flies from No Name cuts through the lightning bolts like a hot knife through butter and carves a path straight to Gangrel. The Mad King jumps away from the Windblade, but just as he lands, I'm already in position with No Name swinging down.

*Clang!*

Gangrel's arms tremble as he pushes back against my full strength. I smirk at him, and then jump back while I dismiss No Name. With nothing pushing back anymore, Gangrel finds himself stumbling forward.

A kick to the chest sends him sprawling on the ground. I jump after him, draw my Windcleaver, and stab it through his wrist. As he loses his grip on the Levin Sword and screams in agony underneath me, I reach into my bag and pull out my trusty Frying pan.

"This is for Maribelle!" *Wham!*

"This is for Phila!" *Wham!*

"This is for Emmeryn!" *Wham!*

"And this is for Ylisse!" *Wham, wham, wham!*

"Enough already!" Gangrel shouts and kicks me off him. Right as I reorient myself, I spot Gangrel trying to plunge my Windcleaver through me. I manage to catch the blade a few centimeters from my chest, but the only thing that lets me hold the blade back as the Mad King pushes down is liberal use of Telekinesis combined with Reinforcement.

The bad news? I can't find a good way out of this situation, and I can't hold on like this forever!

"Any last words?" Gangrel asks while grinning down at me madly.

I grin back in response. "Yeah. You angered the wrong Pegasus Knight…court jester!"

Gangrel looks down on me in confusion. Confusion turns to shock as Gradivus erupts from his chest in a shower of blood.

Gangrel looks down at the tip of the legendary spear before he shakily turns his head back.

Cordelia stands behind him, holding Gradivus with an angry glare.

"For my knight-sisters!"

The Pegasus Knight rips the spear out of Gangrel's chest, twirls it once, and beheads the Mad King with a clean swing across his neck!

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **Gangrel has been killed!**

 **Cordelia has leveled up!**

 **Due to continuous strenuous activity, STR increases by 2!  
Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT increases by 3!  
Due to running around a big battlefield like crazy, DEX increases by 5!**

* * *

My Windcleaver slips out from Gangrel's lifeless fingers as his head rolls off his shoulders and onto the ground. I heave the now headless corpse to the side and sit up panting. Good riddance! I don't care if he had some altruistic goal for his country. Even if he had, his execution was terrible.

"Thanks, Cordelia." I pant as I accept her hand. "You saved my life."

Cordelia pulls me up with a smile. "I just did what you would have done for me, had our roles been reversed."

Her face turns somber as she looks at Gangrel's beheaded body. "With this, I've finally avenged my knight-sisters. Maybe… Maybe now, they can truly rest in peace…and I can move forward."

I place a hand on her shoulder. "It's still a bit early to declare this. We still need to bring the news of Gangrel's demise to everyone still fighting."

First order of business, clean my Windcleaver and put it back in its sheathe. Next, I'll need Gangrel's head as proof of our victory and to make the other plegians realize their situation. Right as I get ready to return to the frontline, I notice Gangrel's sword.

* * *

 **Levin Sword, Sword, Base damage: 85, Rare  
** _A sword forged from a rare metal that can conduct mana with exceptional ease. As a result, this sword is useful both in melee combat and at range, making it a very versatile weapon. However, a byproduct of the forging method limits the blade to only being able to channel mana of the lighting element, which is further evidenced by its shape resembling a lightning bolt. Since the metal needed to forge these weapons is so difficult to come by, just one of these are considered to be a rare find.  
Increases all damage dealt from lightning-element spells by 10 %.  
Available skills when wielded: Thunderbolt  
Requirement to wield: Sword mastery Lvl 35_

* * *

Well, he won't need that sword anymore. In fact, this bad boy would make a nice present for Robin. Finders keepers!

 **You got a Levin Sword!**

The battle still rages on in a few places as Cordelia and I find the other Shepherds. The Plegian side shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. All right, if they won't look my way, I'll just grab their attention by force.

"Cordelia, can you bring me up into the sky?" I ask the Pegasus Knight.

She looks at me questioningly before she nods. "I certainly can. But what for?"

"I'm ending this war, one way or another." I reply.

We're soon above the battlefield. Taking a look, I zero in on where the plegians are the most concentrated.

"Thanks, Cordelia. I'll take it from here. You can return to the ground, if you want. In fact, you might be better off if you do."

Before she can ask what I mean, I jump off her pegasus and fall straight towards my desired landing spot.

I approach the ground at breakneck speeds as I push my hands forward, Trace my (hopefully) final weapon for this battle…

"RODOH ROLLAH DAAA!"

*KA-BRAM!*

…and land right on top of a plegian Hero. If he survives that, I'll officially quit fighting altogether. And this time, I settle for making the construct 100 % steel instead of only the shell. No need to blow everything up.

Everyone looks at me in shock. Or rather, the massive, foreign steel construct that I landed with. Good. That means I have everyone's attention. I rise up from my landing crouch and look at the plegians around me.

"Soldiers of Plegia! This war has been decided! You lose! Any further fighting will only be a futile effort!"

I reach into my bag and retrieve Gangrel's severed head, to everyone's shock.

"Behold your fallen king!"

Soldiers drop their weapons. Some drop to their knees. You can see the morale shatter into countless pieces among the Plegian ranks.

"No…" a plegian to my right breathes out. "I refuse to believe it! Our king's not dead! There's no way some Ylissean dog like you could kill him!"

"You're right. I didn't kill him." I admit. I point towards Cordelia as she returns to ground level. "She did."

Everyone's attention turns to Cordelia instead. The sudden attention makes her blush.

The Plegian soldier who's in denial tenses up. "You…" He makes a mad dash towards Cordelia with his axe in hand. "I'LL KILL YOU, YLISSEAN SCUM!"

I toss Gangrel's head to the side and clap my hands together. My Transmutation of choice? My Traced steamroller.

*Shink!*

A single spike made of steel lances out from my construct and spears the plegian before he can even get close to Cordelia. One more slap on my construct, and I spear him from the inside out by making multiple steel spikes jut out from various parts of his body.

The majority of both sides stare in horror at how I killed him. Maribelle faints into Ricken's arms upon seeing the brutal display. Stahl looks as green as his armor. Tharja…looks like she wants to tear off my clothes and ravage me right this very moment. Cr-p. Better keep a wary eye out for her.

I feign nonchalance as I sit down on the faux machine and look at the plegians again.

"Anyone else want to try their luck? Fair warning: if you do, you'll turn out like that guy."

The plegians promptly surrender.

I point at a random soldier among their ranks. "Hey, you!"

"Y-yes?!" he replies fearfully.

"Send word to the rest of your army that Gangrel has fallen. This war has claimed enough lives already, and frankly, we're all sick of it!"

The Plegian soldier obeys without question and runs towards the other battlefield as fast as he can. Not that I blame him. I'd do the same if some stranger committed murder by metal bending on one of my allies. Or I'd just run away as fast and as far as I could.

I jump down from my Traced steamroller and approach Cordelia. Despite our indisputable victory, she still looks very somber. I place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay, Cordelia. You can let it all out now."

Cordelia pulls me into a hug (Ow, that breastplate is hard!) and bawls her eyes out. All the pain from losing her knight-sisters, all the stress from fighting while trying to mourn them, the relief of finally avenging them by her own hand – all of it comes out at once. The only thing I can do is return the hug and let Cordelia's emotions run free. Her cry heralds what we've all been longing for.

The war is finally over.

* * *

 **BGM: Experienced many battles, Naruto Shippuden OST**

"Then it's finished. Once their messenger delivers our terms, that's it." Flavia declares. "We put an end to this bloody business, once and for all."

Chrom sighs tiredly. "We've won… Somehow I don't feel like celebrating."

"Victory can be bitter as well as sweet, boy." Basilio explains. "It's good you learn that now."

Flavia's face turns somber. "Regna Ferox lost many good soldiers today. We need to see to our dead. Then it's time to attend to the living and rebuild our army."

Chrom bows to the reigning khan. "I'm sorry, Flavia. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. Ylisse will compensate your nation in whatever fashion-"

"Oh? In that case, how about you hand over the Fire Emblem and we call it even?" Flavia interjects. She smirks at Chrom's nervous reaction. "…Hah! Just a little Feroxi humor. Don't worry after our finances, Chrom. Reparations will fall to Plegia, and I've seen their treasury – they can well afford it." Her statement is punctuated by her rubbing her hands in glee. Unless anyone keeps an eye on her, chances are she could bleed Plegia's royal coffers dry.

Basilio shakes his head exasperated. "Yes, pity the man who stands between Flavia and a full coffer, boy."

Chorm smiles at the lighthearted banter. "Heh. I'll have to remember that when you come to visit Ylisstol."

Right as we get ready to return to camp, Cordelia flies in at our meeting place.

"My prince!"

Chrom turns to the Pegasus Knight. "Cordelia?"

Cordelia smiles relieved as she approaches the prince. "Oh, Prince Chrom! You made it! You're safe!"

Faster than Chrom can react, Cordelia pulls him into a bearhug.

A massive grin grows on Flavia's face. "Hoo! Give these two some room!"

"Cordelia… Breastplate…" Chrom groans.

"Gods, I was so worried for you when I lost sight of you during the battle!" Cordelia babbles while trying to inspect every part of his body. "Please tell me you're unharmed!"

"Chrom?! Say something!" Lissa encourages the prince.

"I'm trying to!" Chrom manages to squeeze out.

Lissa gives her brother a knowing smile. "Uh-huh. Flavia? Robin? Jack? Maybe we should…you know."

Flavia nods. "Carry on, lovebirds."

As we leave, I place a hand on Chorm's shoulder.

"Chrom, I made the most important realization of my life a few days ago. Now it's your turn. You've got happiness right in front of you. You need only reach out and grasp it."

 **BGM ends**

 **Your relationship with Cordelia has advanced! Your relationship with Cordelia is now "Allies"!**

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Main quest: Fall of a madman  
** _Gangrel has fallen, and with his death, the war against Plegia is finally over. Now is the time to rebuild and rest. More importantly, the time has come for Chrom to pick his bride. Get some nice clothes. It's wedding time!  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat Gangrel  
_ **Objective cleared!  
Rewards:** _You gain 11 000 EXP! You gain 11 000 gold!  
_

 **You have leveled up!**

* * *

I leave with Robin at my side. Yep, those two will do juuust fine. As for me, I've got a girlfriend to attend to. Judging from Robin's smile, she's thinking the same thing.

We've gathered in the mess tent for one final meal before we plan to break camp and head back to Ylisstol. As we get ready to sit down, Chrom enters the tent with Cordelia and-

By Naga's immaculate hair, the Pegasus Knight's smile is so bright, it could put the sun to shame!

"Everyone, I have an announcement to make." Chrom tells us with a smile of his own. "I've spoken with Cordelia. We've decided to marry. If anyone wishes to attend the wedding, we'd be honored to invite you."

*Clang!*

Everyone turns their attention to the tent opening to see Sumia stand stock-still with a look of shock and utter betrayal on her face. At her feet is a metal plate with what used to be a freshly baked pie. Now it's a freshly baked pie that's in pieces.

Sumia runs out from the tent without another word.

Cordelia reaches out for her longtime friend. "Sumia, wait!"

Too late. She's gone.

"I'll go after her." I volunteer.

"Please, Jack, make sure she's safe. I can't bear losing her too." Cordelia implores.

I nod before I set off after Sumia.

I find her a few minutes later, sitting under a tree and crying. She's not alone, however. Frederick sits right there with her, holding her comfortingly and simply being a rock as Sumia lets out every tear and sob she has. The Great Knight takes note of me and gives me a nod that roughly translates to "I've got this.".

I nod back and return to the mess tent without another word. Sumia's in good hands. She'll be fine.

Just as I enter the mess tent, I stumble upon an odd sight; Gaius and Stahl kneeling on the ground and eating Sumia's ruined pie.

"Really?" I ask the two with a deadpan expression.

Stahl shrugs. "Hey, it's still edible – mostly." he replies between bites.

"Never expected rhubarb and fiddleheads to work so well together." Gaius adds. "Woman knows how to bake pies."

I shake my head in exasperation and carry on to Cordelia to deliver the news. The red-headed Pegasus Knight sighs in relief and makes a note to thank Frederick later.

"Do you really think Sumia will be fine, Jack?" Robin asks me when we have a bit of space for ourselves.

I smile in reply. "Yeah. Fredrick's got this. She's in good hands."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "Not what I was asking about, but I suppose that's good news."

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: 3 months later**_

Rebuilding Ylisse took a lot of work. Able-bodied men were sent all over the halidom to reconstruct destroyed houses and razed villages. Farmers hired Feroxi soldiers to help work on the fields as the need for food was expected to rise. Chrom made sure to send just about all of us out on various missions across Ylisse to help wherever help was needed. It's a good thing I have access to Shadow clones, as it allowed me to work with the efficiency of at least a dozen people at any given time. Needless to say, my missions were always the shortest in proportion to the workload. With how much work there was in rebuilding the halidom after the war, the costs were enormous for materials alone. Good thing all of that was payed by Plegia, or else Emmeryn would risk a nationwide riot for raising the taxes in these trying times.

Speaking of Plegia paying the bill, the same went for planning Chrom's and Cordelia's royal wedding. The moment Maribelle and Lissa heard that, matching evil smirks grew on their faces before they dragged Cordelia into the nearest room and locked the door. No one saw them exit said room until hours later. Lissa and Maribelle were carrying a massive scroll each, filled from top to bottom with ideas for the wedding. To make sure everything got organized, Robin got dragged into the planning too (to her apparent horror).

Cordelia looked like she had just finished one of Frederick's fanatical fitness hours.

Emmeryn wisely stayed out of that business, simply by giving her brother and the red-headed Pegasus Knight her blessing. To be fair, she has a halidom to oversee.

The weeks that followed basically consisted of Lissa and Maribelle zipping across Ylisse in search for everything they needed. Whenever they were done in one area, they returned to the capital to dump everything into Robin's capable hands so the Tactician could put everything in place. What looked like a massive, jumbled lump of cargo turned into all manner of knick-knacks for the wedding within an hour of arrival.

Of course, none of this would've been possible without a workforce of slav- I mean _volunteers_. Said _volunteers_ turned out to be all of us males. All of us, except for Libra and Chrom. Libra, because the lucky dog could slip away with the excuse of volunteering to officiate the ceremony, since he's an ordained priest. Chrom, because he's the groom.

And so, the most hectic three weeks of our lives began. Everything had to be perfect, carefully scrutinized under Maribelle's watchful eyes while Tharja served as extra…motivation. As in, motivation by Elfire. It's surprising how efficiently lazy bums like Virion and Vaike work when threatened like that.

To round up this messy period was Cordelia's reconciliation with Sumia. The weeks were dedicated to awkward talks, emotional arguments, more talks, dozens of tea times with Sumia's home baked pies, even more talks and an innumerable number of tears shed and hugs exchanged before the two Pegasus Knights managed to reconcile regarding Chrom. Seeing the two women mend their relationship was equal parts heartbreak and wacky comedy. Thank Naga they managed to become friends again.

It helped that Sumia eventually found love with Frederick. Not only did it help her move on, it was precisely the stalwart Great Knight's steadfast and patient guidance that helped Sumia realize that he was the one she wanted all along, not Chrom.

By the end of the three weeks, Cordelia finally breached the question of whether Sumia wanted to be the maid of honor. She accepted in a heartbeat.

We managed to finish preparing for everything, from the banners decorating the pillars in the cathedral, to polishing every little surface of the palace's ballroom for the wedding reception, about a full day before the appointed date. Needless to say, everyone who participated (except for me) spent that free day staying in bed and _sleep_. Wedding preparations is tiring work.

* * *

The day has finally arrived. The cathedral of Ylisstol is packed with people who wish to witness the royal wedding. Fortunately, we Shepherds have front-row seats.

It's a good thing we have Virion and Maribelle, since everyone else have just about no clue about fashion and garbs fitting for times like weddings. Virion found me a combination of shirt and pants that, honestly, seem to blend together well. Robin's sitting on my right, wearing a modest blue dress that allows her plenty of movement, while still being easy on the eyes. Maribelle, you've done a fine job finding this for her.

Chrom stands at the altar, nervously tugging at the collar of his wedding suit. Gone is the armor for a more decorated coat with the brand of the exalt sewn on the backside. His pants have been changed to match the royal blue of his jacket. And to complete the outfit, he wears a cravat made from the finest silk around his neck, generously donated by Virion.

The gathered crowd has settled for hushed whisper amongst each other. As a result, it's easy to hear Chrom's conversation with Frederick, Chrom's chosen best man.

"Can't we just get this over with, Frederick?" Chrom mutters nervously. "These clothes are horribly uncomfortable, and every moment I spend waiting for Cordelia frays on my nerves. If I have to wait any longer, I'll be a wreck by the time she makes it here."

"Please, try to be patient a little longer, milord." Frederick replies as comfortingly as he can. "This _is_ your wedding, after all. Do not rush this moment, savor it. Take in everything you see, every person gathered here today to witness this joyous occasion. Cordelia is worth every moment you need to wait."

"Indeed, my prince." Libra adds from in front of the altar. "Today is a day of celebration, both for all the hard work we have all put in to rebuild our fair halidom, as well as witnessing two people join in matrimony. If I may be so bold, I believe a smile would fit you much better than a frown at this moment."

Before Chrom can reply, we hear the cathedral's bells ring. Their tune carries through the entire building, making everyone suddenly sit up much straighter in anticipation for the lady of the hour. At the sound of the cathedral gates opening, everyone turns to the entrance.

Oh, wow…

 **BGM: Tifa's theme, Final Fantasy 7 music**

Cordelia slowly walks into the cathedral, garbed in a pure-white dress that flows almost like an aurora as she moves. Her gait shows hours of practice under Maribelles' strict tutelage. It's as if every step flows into the next as smoothly as the way the fabric of her gown waves in the slight breeze in the cathedral. What demands the most attention, however, is her smile. If I squint at just the right moment, I can see Cordelia smile at Chrom from behind her veil, and it's radiant.

In fact, Cordelia takes so much of our attention that we hardly notice Phila accompanying her to the altar.

After what feels like an eternity, Cordelia finally ascends the steps to the altar, where Phila leaves her with Chrom and goes to stand beside Sully, Maribelle, Olivia and, most importantly, Sumia.

With everyone in place, Libra steps forth, opens a tome and begins the wedding sermon.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness these two people join together in holy matrimony…"

*Sniff*

I look to my left and see Nowi in tears.

"Something wrong, Nowi?" I whisper concerned.

"Ibs… Ibs so bweadibul… (It's… It's so beautiful…)" the manakete sobs.

I Trace a handkerchief and hand it to her.

"Here."

Nowi accepts the handkerchief without a word and blows her nose HARD. Then she hands the handkerchief back to me.

"Bwanks, Jabk… (Thanks, Jack…)"

I gingerly grab the piece of cloth by a corner that, miraculaously, managed to survive the manakete snot assault. Manakete mucus… Lovely… It's not like I can dismiss this handkerchief either, since that would just leave all the mucus to freefall to the floor.

"Having trouble, Jack?" Robin whispers teasingly from my right.

An eyebrow twitches. "Not the time, love."

Well, I suppose I'll just hold it for a while longer. It's time for the big moment.

"Prince Chrom of House Ylisse…" Libra begins. "Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love her in health, as in sickness? In wealth, as in poverty? Through happy times, as well as times of sadness, 'til death do you apart?"

Chrom nods with a resolute smile. "I do."

Then Libra turns to Cordelia.

"Cordelia, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love him in health, as in sickness? In wealth, as in poverty? Through happy times, as well as times of sadness, 'til death do you apart?"

A tear can be seen sliding down Cordelia's cheek as she smiles at Chrom.

"I do."

Libra turns to the gathered crowd.

"If anyone has any objections to these two being wed, then speak now, or forever hold your peace."

The hall is completely silent, save for a few people sniveling alongside Nowi.

Libra clears his throat before he raises his voice. "Then by the power vested in me, and by the grace of Naga, I hereby declare you husband and wife!" He smiles at Chrom serenely. "You may kiss the bride."

Chrom slowly lifts Cordelia's veil to reveal her tear streaked face. Then he gently cups her cheeks and brings her in for a kiss. Cheers erupt through the cathedral as their lips join.

Frederick stands by Chrom's side, smiling while freely crying tears of pride over seeing his liege take this monumental step in his life.

"Atta boy, Chrom!" Vaike shouts from the other side of the row I'm sitting on.

"Whoo, these two will need a room soon!" Flavia comments grinning.

 **BGM ends**

* * *

After finishing the wedding ceremony, everyone invited moved to the royal palace for the wedding reception. And what a reception it is. I should know, I carried a lot of the stuff needed for this party alongside several of my fellow male Shepherds.

Lissa and Maribelle went all-out in planning for this shebang. Dozens of tables filled to the brim with all sorts of food and refreshments. Servants walking everywhere and holding trays with drinks for anyone feeling thirsty. An entire orchestra softly playing music in the background. And, of course, more decorations than you can shake a stick at. And we males had to carry _all of that_ around during preparations. Okay, not the orchestra, but definitely the musical instruments!

In the end, it was worth it. The atmosphere is cheerful, the music leaves a soothing tone, and the food is delicious. The kitchen staff really outdid themselves with this food, and more is still on the way as the party goes on.

"Ooh. Just look at him."

"Such a handsome stud."

"I wonder if he's single."

Of course, no high-class party would be complete without the mandatory gaggle of airheaded female aristocrats. And as luck would have it, they've set their sights on Lon'qu. To add insult to injury, the ladies believe themselves subtle, when, in reality, anyone with even a smidge of common sense can spot their passive flirting from the other side of the ballroom. Lon'qu caught on faster than he can swing a sword, and the poor guy's looking mighty uncomfortable.

"I think we should help him." I whisper to Robin.

The Tactician is about to agree when Gregor comes to the rescue. The Mercenary simply needs to flex his muscles a bit while narrating some stories from his many years as a traveling sellsword. He has the ladies flocking to him within seconds, much to Lon'qu's relief.

I turn back to Robin. "Well, that should settle thi-"

There's a garishly clothed fop flirting with my girlfriend.

"And I must say, Lady Robin, the grace with which you execute those strategies is simply mesmerizing! Ah, what I would not give to stand by your side and witness your tactical genius be unleashed on whatever foul evildoer who would attack our fair halidom."

I repeat. There is a garishly clothed fop. _Flirting._ With MY GIRLFRIEND!

Winds whip up around me as I slowly advance on the soon-to-be dead man.

Robin subtly tries to tell him to back away, but she'd have more success pouring water on a goose.

"Make no mistake, my dear." he continues. "Far be it for me to let _any_ harm befall you so long as I am with you. Yes, you will be perfectly safe with me. I guarantee it."

"Yes, most impressive, good sir." Robin replies politely. "Though I really think it would be in our best interests if you kept your distance-"

"Nonsense, my lovely!" the sleaze interrupts. "I could, in fact, be so bold as to say that your rightful place-"

"-is with _me._ " I interject.

Robin and the fop turn in my direction. The relief on Robin's face in unmistakable as she hurries to my side.

"Thank goodness you're here." she whispers and grabs hold of my arm.

The fop scoffs. "Hmph! And who, pray tell, might you be?"

"Call me Jack." I reply.

"Well, then, mister…Jack… Unless your lowborn mind has caught up on the situation yet, I was just about to profess my most sincere intentions for Lady Robin here when you so rudely butted in. I must ask you to kindly leave us alone."

"And I must ask you to kindly shove off." I counter.

"I beg your pardon?!" the fop hisses indignant.

"Unless your garishly clouded mind has caught up to the situation, Robin is already spoken for."

That finally stops the snob in his tracks. "I-indeed?" Then he turns to Robin. "If… If I may ask, who is the man who has wormed his way into your heart, fair lady?"

Robin smiles and points at me. "Jack."

The fop points at me. "You?! But- But you're a commoner! A lowborn nobody who just happened to sneak your way into this prestigious wedding!"

I glance at Robin, who's doing a good job at stifling her laughter.

"Clearly, this man has no idea who he's talking to." I muse. "If I may ask, who are you, good sir?"

The snob puffs up his chest proudly. "Who am I? Well, since you asked so politely, I suppose it is only right that I deign it worthy an answer. I am Gaston, heir of House Ferros. Surely, you must have heard of my illustrious family name during your life, have you not?"

A quick Observe tells me everything I need to know about this guy. Womanizing pretty boy who uses the prestigious name of his family to get anything he wants, wherever he wants, whenever he wants. Preferably, flirting with the ladies of the courts and maybe even spend the night with one of them. Has hardly ever done any effort to contribute to the family name. Typical spoiled brat.

"Never heard of it." I reply blandly, which makes Gaston sputter in shock.

"Wh- Is there no end to your ignorance?! I will have you know, my family supplies Ylisse with the bulk of their iron, thanks to the rich ore mines in our lands!"

"Iron, eh?" I muse.

And this fop is the heir of said family? That can't be good for business, especially if a competitor were to enter the scene. Hm… I wonder if I could dab into some mining business of my own, if only to give this Casanova a sick burn in the face?

"Yes, iron." Gaston declares. "So if I were you, I would make sure you stayed on my good side."

"Is something the matter, Jack?" we hear Chrom ask.

Gaston is quick to bow to the Ylissean prince and kiss up.

"Ah, Prince Chrom! It is an honor for me to represent my dear family at your wedding. Simply marvelous. Oh, and congratulations to getting married. I am sure it fills your heart with joy."

Chrom raises an eyebrow. "And you are…?"

Gaston sputters indignant once more (which only makes it harder for Robin to hold in her laughter) before he regains his composure – somewhat.

"Ah, how rude of me! I am Gaston of House Ferros. I am sure your dear sister has met my father, the head of my house, numerous times during her rule."

Chrom suddenly scowls at the noble. "Wait, I remember you. You're the philanderer who kept pestering Lissa into courting her when she was younger. To make matters worse, she soon found out you tried the exact same thing with Maribelle at the same time!"

"Chrom, you know this guy?" I ask as I point at Gaston, who's sweating at this point from Chrom's accusing remark.

"What?! You're on a first name basis with the prince of Ylisse?!" Gaston exclaims. "But- But you're just a lowborn nobody!"

Chrom's scowl grows deeper. "He's anything but a nobody! If it wasn't for Jack, neither Phila nor my sister may have survived the war against Plegia. He saved both of their lives, and for that, I owe him a debt I could never repay."

Gaston's sweat nearly flows in rivulets at this point. "Hold a moment. YOU are Jack, as in Jack, the hero of Ylisse? The man who singlehandedly defeated dozens of Risen to protect Captain Phila's life and rescue Her Grace?"

I cross my arms with a smile. "The one and only. In fact, _had_ you been by Robin's side while we were in Plegia, you would've witnessed it firsthand, right alongside her, Prince Chrom and both khans of Regna Ferox."

"But I only thought those were rumors – tall tales spun within the army to glorify minor feats among the soldiers!"

My smile turns into a condescending smirk. "Really, Master Gaston. Is there no end to your ignorance? If I were you, I would make sure you stayed on my good side."

Gaston sputters in shock of having his insults thrown back in his face. Ah, the sweet satisfaction of turning this flirting wannabe's words against him. Robin's whole body is shaking with suppressed laughter as she hangs onto my shoulder for support (much to Chrom's confusion).

"You- Yoouu…" Gaston grinds out angrily. "Mark my words, this is _not_ over!"

With that, the garish aristocrat indignantly turns to leave.

"Remember, it's bad form to leave royalty without a proper farewell!" I shout after him.

Gaston halts mid-step, gives Chrom a quick bow, and then continues his trek out of the palace.

The moment he's out of sight, Robin lets the dam burst.

"Ah ha ha ha haa! Oh- Oh, gods! Did you see the look on his face?! Absolutely priceless!"

I grin at Robin. "Oh, I saw, all right. Almost looked like he got slapped in the face with a fish."

Robin wipes a tear of mirth from her eye. "Ooh, I needed that. Thank you, Jack."

I look back at where Gaston stormed off and raise an eyebrow.

"How did you even end up talking with that fop in the first place? I thought you were a better judge of character than that."

Robin straightens herself out. "Well, I decided to try my hand on this whole negotiating thing. Since the Ferros family indeed supplies Ylisse with most of its iron, I figured some negotiating could help make the trade easier for the halidom. You know, in case the need for iron would increase."

That raises my eyebrow even further. "Negotiating? During a wedding reception?"

"You'd be surprised how many business deals are made between merchants, nobles and other high-profile people during festivities like these, Jack. Official meetings with the ruler of a country barely make a fraction of all those deals."

I wince at the implications of her words. "Oh. Does that mean I went and ruined a possible negotiation you had there?"

Robin shakes her head. "No, fortunately not. I thought I would be able to negotiate with Gaston, but the moment I struck up conversation with him, he wouldn't stop trying to woo me. I tried to decline his advances as politely as I could, but he just wouldn't take the hint."

The thought of going Dio Brando on the snobby pretty boy feels _very_ tempting all of a sudden. As is stacking UBW on top of that. And a few hundred Rasengan for good measure.

Me, jealous? I have NO idea what you're talking about.

"Well, that wasn't a big loss at all." Chrom remarks. "Gaston has made a name for himself as a womanizer among the nobles. He shamelessly flaunts his family's name to get in the good graces of any lady who catches his fancy, but he's never done anything to actually contribute to House Ferros. In fact, despite being the heir of his house, he hardly has any sway in the deals and negotiations his family is involved in."

Robin sighs relieved. "Good. Then this venture wasn't a complete loss after all." She leans to my shoulder with a smile. "And…thank you for standing up for me, Jack. Enemies on the battlefield, I can handle. But politics with unsavory men is out of my depth."

I return the smile and bring my arm around her waist. "Anytime, Robin. Should you try something like this again, just tell me. I'd be happy to stay nearby, if only to act as a deterrent for anyone trying any funny business with you."

I grab a nut from my bag and flick it out the nearest open window.

"And if that fop plans to try anything with you again, I'll know."

After the little incident with Gaston, things were generally peaceful at the reception. Though I have no need for eating, I made sure to sample all the food on the tables. Delicious stuff, if a little lacking on the nutritional side.

However, that ended soon, as the host called for the bride and bridegroom to start off the dancing portion with the wedding waltz. Seeing Cordelia smile as Chrom led her over the polished dancefloor was a sight of beauty. I've never seen Chrom move with such grace. Either he's been holding out on us, or he's taken some serious dancing lessons during the past weeks.

As the waltz ends, the floor opens up for anyone who wishes to wow the crowd together with their partner. Really, people are supposed to enjoy dancing with the person most dear to them, not use the floor as a means to upstage everyone else. Freakin' nobles…

Personally, I would abstain from dancing, since I only know a few basic steps myself. That is, until I notice Virion ask Robin for a dance. Before Robin can answer, and before I have time to think, I've already swept her off her feet and placed her in front of me on the middle of the dancefloor. Cr-p.

Robin looks at me curiously. "Jack?"

Everyone's staring at us. Now that I listen, even the orchestra stopped. Double cr-p.

"Ah…" I begin nervously. "May I have this dance, Robin?"

My girlfriend raises an eyebrow. "You know how to dance?"

Gulp. "Not really… But I could try. How about you?"

Robin shrugs. "Amnesiac, remember? Your guess is as good as mine."

Triple cr-p.

…

Ah, screw it! We've handled worse situations than these. What's one dance surrounded by a bunch of dolled up aristocrats compared to fighting for our lives while surrounded by enemy soldiers?

I smile at Robin. "Well, I suppose we'll just have to wing it, then. I'll ask again, Robin: May I have this dance?"

Robin smiles back. "Certainly."

I indicate the conductor with a grin. "Maestro, music!"

* * *

 **BGM: Beauty and the Beast (Tale as old as time), Disney: Beauty and the Beast**

As the music starts to play again, I close my eyes and listen to the theme. Orchestral… Slow and soothing… Perfect for ballroom dancing. Think of a good ballroom dancer. Think of a good ballroom dancer. Think of a good ballroom dancer!

Wait, that's it! Beast led Belle through a dance in his own ballroom during his date with her. Dude was a prince before he was transformed, so he definitely knows how to dance! Mimicry, go!

I gently take hold of Robin's waist and right hand. With a few sways, I ease her into the rhythm of the music before I take the first steps. As the music plays, the world shrinks down to only the two of us. I lead with dancing steps Mimicked from the Beast, while Robin follows along with the grace worthy of a fairytale princess.

Our feet glide across the floor as the music plays. Robin laughs merrily as I twirl her in a pirouette before I bring her in close again. By the Heron galdrs, I could listen to her laugh for eternity! Moments later, I notice that I've joined her in the laughter. Here we are, two lovers dancing and having the time of our lives.

I decide to get a little bold and take longer strides with Robin. She catches on quickly and follows my lead. A twirl here, a backstep there. Really, I'm flying by the seat of my pants at this point. I'm amazed she can keep up with my spontaneous choices. We're not competing for any spotlight. We're just enjoying ourselves on the dancefloor.

The moments we've spent together flash before my eyes as our dance continues. The day I met Robin on the field. Surviving our first battles together. Solidifying our bonds right after we settled in with the Shepherds. The march to Ferox, when we learned the art of snow-walking. Our team-up against Validar and me agreeing to teach her the Rasengan. Every lesson I had with her afterwards in teaching her the powerful technique. The time I tucked her into bed, brought her food and gently brushed away her hair, only for her to notice everything. The day we confessed our mutual love and shared our first kiss. Every tease. Every smile. Every embrace. Every assurance that we'll be there for each other.

As the music winds down, I slow my steps to a halt and bring Robin in close.

"What did I do to meet someone like you?" I ask affectionally.

"I've asked myself the same question for a long time." Robin replies with a gentle smile.

I shift my hold and bring her into an embrace. I close my eyes as we bring our foreheads together.

"Maybe we don't need to know the answer." I whisper. "What matters is that we're here together. Would you…mind if we stay like this?"

"I'd love to."

It may not be our wedding, but I will make Robin the happiest woman in the world. That's the promise of a lifetime.

 **BGM ends**

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action! You gained "Dancing"!**

* * *

Cheers and applause erupt around us, which jolts us from our trance and reminds us that we're still very much at a social gathering. A blush grows on Robin's face as reality catches up to her.

I grin and step back a bit before I bow to her at the waist. "Thank you for the dance."

Robin blinks before she smiles back and curtsies. The moment she rises back up, she grabs my arm and drags me off the dancefloor.

"Oh, that was beautiful!" Sumia gushes with stars in her eyes as we reach the other Shepherds.

Robin's quickly surrounded by her fellow female Shepherds.

"Robin, darling, that dance was absolutely marvelous." Maribelle comments with a beaming smile. "You never told us you could dance like this."

Robin blushes under all the attention. "Actually, I didn't know about it either. I just followed along Jack's lead."

Olivia pushes her fingers together. "Um, could you teach me how to dance like that? I haven't tried any paired dancing before, but it looked lovely."

I myself am surrounded by the male Shepherds.

Gaius puts his arm around my shoulder. "Niiice! Now that's what I call dancing, Buttercup!"

I scratch my cheek. "And I call that "winging it". Seriously, I just went with the flow."

"Yeeaah, no. I'm not buying it. There's no way you're an amateur. Not if you can move like you and Bubbles did."

I raise my hands placatingly. "I swear, I've never danced like this before. It's just, you know. Strange powers and all that."

Gaius gives me a flat look. "This again? There _has_ to be something you can't do with those weird powers of yours. What was it this time? Steal someone's moves?"

"Uh, kinda. I can copy other people, to a certain extent. I just copied the dancing moves of a prince in a fairytale."

The lollipop almost falls out of the Thief's mouth. "Seriously?! I was just joking!"

The rest of the reception was mostly silly banter and the occasional pluck from the food tables. I did _one dance_ , and that's plenty enough for me. There were, of course, more couples who danced after me and Robin, but no one tried to upstage us. We kind of became dancing celebrities after that little stunt.

* * *

"For the last time Frederick, it's only ONE small trip. How dangerous can it be?!" I hear Chrom shout.

I round the corner to see the Ylissean prince argue with his faithful lieutenant.

"I believe I have made myself clear on the dangers that even the smallest of ventures can entail, milord. Pardon my overstepping of bounds, but I must advice against you traveling without protection."

"Huh? What kind of trip are you two talking about?" I ask as I approach them.

The two look in my direction before they make room for me in their conversation.

"It's about mine and Cordelia's honeymoon, Jack." Chrom explains. "To make sure we can enjoy it in peace, we've arranged so that we spend it in a small, remote village at the outskirts of Ylisse. Away from all the attention of gossip mongers and whatnot." A scowl grows on Chrom's face. "The problem is, Frederick refuses to let us go without an escort to keep us "safe from whatever may happen on the trip", as he said."

The Great Knight nods. "As you should, milord. I will not shirk my duty just because you and your newlywed wife wish to have privacy."

Chrom rubs his temples. "We've been stuck at this point for over an hour now, and it's making my head hurt."

I look between the two before I settle on the prince. "Uh, can't you just order Frederick to stay here while you and Cordelia go? I mean, you're both his prince _and_ captain, so you should be able to do that without any problems."

"I could…" Chrom agrees. "…but do you honestly think that won't prevent Frederick from sending _everyone else_ after us just to make sure we're watched?"

I wince as I realize Chrom is correct. The Great Knight would probably throw in a threat in the form of "fanatical fitness hour while wearing heavy training armor" to make sure the other Shepherds actually focus on the task as well.

"Soo… One way or another, Frederick gets his way, huh?" I muse.

Chrom sighs. "If things stay this way, then, yes."

Frederick nods pleased. "It pleases me that you see things my way, milord. Now, the next step would be rounding up volunteers to join as escorts."

"Hold, Frederick!" Chrom interrupts. "I agreed, provided that things stand _as they are_. There is, however, one important person you've yet to discuss with."

"And that would be…?"

"Cordelia."

* * *

"I don't see why not." Cordelia replies without a second thought.

Chrom stands slack-jawed while Frederick nods sagely.

"Wh- Cordelia, why would you agree so readily?!" Chrom protests.

Cordelia shoots her husband a mild glare. "Chrom, when was the last time you were on a trip that went without you running into any kind of trouble?"

Chrom opens his mouth to answer, only to fall short as he realizes that his wife has a point. Come to think about it, every trip I've been on with the prince has always resulted in us running into one faction or another that wants us dead. Heading to the capital? First battle with the Risen. Trip to Ferox? Raimi mistook us for bandits. First meeting with Gangrel? The jerk wanted to declare war from the start. Rescuing Emmeryn? Freakin' Grimleal and their Lynel summoning spell. Return trip to Ferox? Mustafa.

Yeah, Chrom has a terrible track record when it comes to staying out of trouble while traveling.

The prince is eventually forced to concede that both Frederick and Cordelia are right. They'll need an escort.

"Now as I was saying…" Frederick begins. "…I need some time to gather volunteers."

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Side quest: Hazardous honeymoon  
** _Chrom and Cordelia are about to set out for their honeymoon. As lovely as it sounds, things are bound to go south at some point during their time alone. At Frederick's suggestion, the newlyweds should bring some escorts to make sure they can enjoy their honeymoon in peace. Why not tag along?  
_ **Objective:** _Protect Chrom and Cordelia during their honeymoon, ?  
_ **Rewards:** _4 000 EXP, 2 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _?, ?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _1 000 EXP, 500 gold  
_ **Failure:** _Sure, they'll survive, but do you really want to see the consequences of Cordelia's honeymoon being ruined?_

* * *

"I'll join in." I speak up.

Frederick smiles at me. "Excellent. How about you help me find more volunteers, then, Jack?"

I rub my chin. "Sounds like a plan. When do we meet up?"

"Early tomorrow morning."

* * *

"Oh, oh, I wanna go!" Nowi waves enthusiastically as I break the news for the other Shepherds in the barracks. Oddly enough, the young manakete seems to be the only one who wants to tag along.

"Are you sure, Nowi?" I ask. "We're supposed to protect Chrom and Cordelia during the whole trip, you know."

The manakete rolls her eyes. "Oh, please. Frederick's such a worrywart. We've defeated pretty much every threat that's after us at this point."

I raise my eyebrow. "Still doesn't explain why you want to join."

"Because I'm booored!" Nowi exclaims with a pout. "There's almost nothing to do here. I try to play with the soldiers and palace staff, but everyone's busy doing "grown-up stuff", as they call it. There should be at least _something_ happening if I tag along on Chrom's honeymoon."

I stare at the manakete blankly. " _That's_ your reason? You just want to go on a vacation?"

"It's pretty much a vacation at this point anyway. What kind of dangers do you expect on the trip? Bandits? No bandits would be stupid enough to attack us."

I cross my arms. "You have to come up with a better reason than that if you want to tag along, Nowi."

Nowi bows down her head until her face vanishes behind her bangs. As I take a closer look at what she's doing, she looks back up at me – with big puppy-dog eyes!

"Pleeeaaase!"

Hnrg! Cuteness…overload…! My one…true…weakness… Resolve…crumbling…

I look to the side and cough in my fist.

"*Ahem!* Well, I… I SUPPOSE I could have a word with Frederick…"

"Yay!"

Nowi's instantly rainbows and flowers again. No, seriously. She literally has flowers and rainbows floating around her as she jumps around in exuberance.

Sigh. This girl will be the death of me.

* * *

We head out early the next morning. Chrom and Cordelia get to sit in their own horse drawn wagon during the whole trip, while the rest of us settle for our usual means of travel. Yes, even Frederick. He'll only mount his horse in case we're attacked. Incidentally, all our supplies are stowed in the very same wagon our newlywed couple sits in. It's amazing what an efficient packer Frederick is, since he managed to stuff all the luggage into the wagon without making it cramped anywhere. Man, if he ever picked up Tetris, he'd reach god-tier within an hour.

The trip is uneventful for the most part. Nowi volunteers as the lookout, as she wants to be the first to notice anything happening to us. While Frederick was less than pleased about her motivation, he let it slide. I'm driving the wagon, seeing as Frederick is busy leading his own horse. It's fortunate that our trip is so peaceful, 'cause I have no idea how to act if the horses pulling the wagon freak out.

We've made good progress by the time night falls. According to our travel plans, we should reach the designated village tomorrow at noon.

Setting up camp was a quick affair, since there's only five of us, one of who is Frederick. Nowi's gone to gather firewood while I'm on watch duty. Our newlyweds are busy getting comfortable in their own tent (which Frederick made during the preparations for the wedding).

Food isn't an issue, since our luggage includes travel rations for the journey (also made by Frederick). We eat our supper in comfortable silence. Well, as comfortable as having two newlyweds going gaga over each other gets. Sigh. If this is how you get when you're married, I worry for mine and Robin's mental health in the future.

…I miss Robin… Maybe I should've tried harder in asking her to join.

…I've got it bad…

The moment supper is done, Cordelia dragged Chrom to their tent and closed the flap with strict orders to _not_ be disturbed unless it's an emergency. The slight feeling of dread that passed through my spine when she said that told me everything I needed to know.

Frederick's on watch duty while Nowi and I have some time alone by the camp fire.

The manakete stretches and sighs in satisfaction as she feels a few joints pop.

"Ah, that's better. I really needed to get out of that stuffy palace. Tagging along on this trip was the best decision ever."

I glance at her. "That bad, huh?"

"You have no idea."

To my surprise, Nowi leans to my side.

"Do you remember the last time we sat at a campfire together?"

I nod. "Yeah. On that night, we started to see each other as siblings of sorts. Thanks for helping me realize my feelings for Robin, by the way."

Nowi beams at me. "Hey, that's what family's for. We're always there to help each other, even when we don't want to."

I give her a flat stare. "Aren't you taking this "family" thing a bit far?"

"Nuh-uh. We're siblings now, like it or not." The manakete points right at my face. "That means I get to play with you whenever I want."

I sweatdrop. "There's a thing called "consent". Ever heard of it?"

"Don't care. If I wanna play, we play."

I'm about to retort when a sudden thought strikes me.

"Did you… Did you get to play with other children at all before you met us, Nowi?" I inquire.

Nowi's cheerful demeanor vanishes like a wisp in the wind. Her eyes become downcast as she stares into the campfire.

"No. I spent a lot of time traveling in search for a home." She tells me as she pulls her knees to her chest. "And those travels stopped when slavers captured me and sold me off at the auction. The Shepherds' barracks is the first place that I've gotten to call home in about a century."

A tear escapes her eye. "I… I was so lonely, Jack. I know we're not real siblings. And I know you won't have as much time with me in the future, since it's only a matter of time before you and Robin marry. It's just…" She looks up at me with more tears on the way. "…it's been so long since I could call anyone "family". I've already forgotten last time I did."

At that moment, something clicks in my mind. I think I'm finally starting to understand why Nowi's so set on playing with everyone she meets. I pull her in for a hug.

"Wh- Jack?"

"I'm sorry, Nowi."

"For what?"

"For not realizing this sooner. You…hardly had any childhood, did you? Even for as long as you've lived, you've rarely gotten to live as the child you're meant to be. You were forced to grow up in order to cope with everything happening around you."

I feel Nowi shudder as her tears flow.

"*Sniff* I… Whenever I saw all those children happily playing together, I wanted to do the same. When I saw their smiles as their parents picked them up and hugged them, I felt so empty inside. I wanted that. I wanted a place to call "home", a place where there would always be someone waiting for me to return. A place where I could share meals with the people I've come to cherish."

I hug her tighter as her crying continues.

"Nowi, I can't promise to become the family you wish for. I can't promise you any childhood. I think none of us Shepherds can. But that won't stop us from trying. Just… Please understand that not all of us grew up happily either. Some of us still carry wounds on our hearts because of what happened in the past. We're not a perfect family. In many ways, we're more like a wounded one. But that's what holds us together. We know what it feels like to hurt, so we stay with each other to help soothe each other's wounds."

Nowi dries her tears on my shirt sleeve (Hey, not cool!) and looks up at me.

"I don't want a perfect family. I want a family where I'm welcome home."

I smile and pat her head. "Then you've come to the right place, Nowi. We don't always see eye to eye, but we always care for each other. That's part of what being a Shepherd means."

A smile grows on Nowi's face before she buries it in my chest.

"Thank you, Jack."

I decide to stay with Nowi by the camp fire. Eventually, I notice that she's fallen asleep. Well, it _has_ been a long day. Taking great care, I lift her up and carry her to her tent. I tuck her into her bedroll and give her cheek a light caress.

"Sweet dreams." I whisper before I exit her tent.

 **Your relationship with Nowi has advanced! Your relationship with Nowi is now "Allies"!**

The moment I leave Nowi's tent, I see Frederick stand in front of me with an unreadable expression.

"Do you have a moment, Jack?" the Great Knight asks.

I shrug. "Sure. I'm up next on watch duty, right?"

"Indeed. Before that, however, I wish to discuss something with you."

I raise an eyebrow, but follow him back to the campfire.

As we're both seated, I decide to take the initiative. "So, what brought this up?"

"I overheard some of the conversation you had with Nowi." Frederick explains. "I would like to thank you, Jack. I think none of the other Shepherds managed to notice her plight, and for that, I commend you."

I scratch the back of my head. "It wasn't _that_ commendable. Heck, I only realized it myself less than half an hour ago."

"Yet you _did_ realize it." Frederick points out. "And with that realization, you've helped Nowi with a burden none of us knew she was carrying."

I stare into the campfire. "It's just…I have a soft spot for children. Nowi may be older than the rest of us combined, but deep down, she's still a child. From there, it was only a matter of giving her the attention that every child needs. Children usually show how they feel, you know. So long as you show that they can trust you, they're willing to share what's on their mind."

Frederick hums in thought. "I am afraid childcare is something that is beyond my abilities. You, on the other hand, seem to possess quite the aptitude for it. I could tell from the way you spoke with Nowi."

I smile at the Great Knight. "In my case, I can hardly vouch for aptitude. It's more a matter of how much you care for the little ones. If your concern for them is genuine, figuring out what to do comes naturally. At least, that's what I think. It sure would explain how some people who seem completely unreliable turn out to be the best parents, simply because of how much effort they put in for their children out of love."

"Oh?"

"I could even take it one step further. Frederick, you believe childcare is beyond you, right?"

"That is what I said, yes."

I bump my fist against his pauldron. "Well, I beg to differ. Should you ever find that a child has been placed in your care, ask yourself this: how much does this child mean to you? Based on your answer, you might turn into a great caretaker."

Frederick smiles back at my reply. "Why, thank you. Your words were certainly encouraging. I shall take them to heart. Feel free to ask me a favor, should you ever need it. Within reasonable limits, of course."

I direct my gaze at Nowi's tent. "Well, we've got an energetic manakete child in our care. It's going to take every one of us to help her grow up be to the wonderful woman I have no doubt she will one day become."

Frederick nods sagely. "Indeed."

I rise from my seat as I walk in search for a good lookout spot.

"Well it was nice talking to you Frederick. Here's to hope you get some good rest tonight."

"Likewise, Jack."

 **Your relationship with Frederick has improved!**

* * *

 _ **The next morning**_

Nowi, Frederick and I are up early for breakfast. It's only several hours after sunrise that Chrom and Cordelia emerge from their tent. Chrom looks happy enough, but Cordelia's smile speaks of bliss beyond description.

After we packed everything up, we're back on the road. There's a notable skip in Nowi's steps that weren't there yesterday. Guess last night's talk helped lift a heavy weight off her shoulders.

We arrive at a small village around noon.

Wow… It's been so long since I was at such a peaceful place. No signs of conflict, no anxiety hanging over the village like a cloud, just the bustle of a small village where the inhabitants are hard at work with their daily chores.

Our traveling company draws stares from every direction as we proceed into the village. Frederick leads us to a small hut near the center of the settlement.

"Well, here we are." Frederick declares. "I took some time to send a messenger to this village in advance to prepare this house for milord and Lady Cordelia to spend their honeymoon."

I raise an eyebrow. "Exactly how much did you prepare for this trip?"

Chrom sticks his head out the window of the wagon. "Don't ask. He'll list things until sunset."

That's everything he manages to say before Cordelia pulls him back in and shuts the window. The sounds coming from within…are not for children's ears…

"Well, howdy. You the wun who wanted to rent this here cottage?" the voice of a young man greets us.

* * *

 **Donnel Lvl 10 Class: Villager**

* * *

Well, what do you know? Of all the villages they could've picked for the honeymoon, it was Donnel's home village.

Frederick nods. "Indeed. I assume everything is in order."

Donnel grins cheerfully. "Sure is, sir! We did everythin' just like ya wanted it. Thanks fer the gold, by the way. Should pay fer some nice new tools fer us to use in our fair village, it should."

"My thanks, young man."

"By the way, where're the two lovebirds that're gonna spend the week here?" Donnel asks as he looks around curiously.

"That would be Chrom and Cordelia." I reply from my seat. I point my thumb at the wagon. "They're busy inside there at the moment. Maybe we should find a place to put this wagon while we wait for them to…ah, finish up."

Donnel nods. "Sure thing!"

It takes some maneuvering, but I manage to park the wagon beside the house. With some help from Donnel, we lead the horses to the nearest stables and get them settled in.

"Soo… What now?"I ask as we head back outside. "Chrom and Cordelia will obviously be busy doing their own thing during our stay, but what about us?"

"The probability of this village getting attacked is quite low. You are free to do as you please for the duration of our stay in this village." Frederick replies. "I advise you find some lodging."

"Yay! Vacation!" Nowi cheers and runs off into the village.

I scratch the back of my head. "Uh, hope she won't cause too much trouble for you."

Donnel shrugs. "Nah. We're a small lot out here, an' we don't get many them visitors. A new face here is always welcome." The young farmer boy scratches his head as well. "But why in tarnation does she have so little clothes?"

"That's…" I stop as I realize that I have no answer. "…a good question. I've never asked. Frederick?"

The Great Knight shakes his head. "I believe no one among the Shepherds have managed to find the answer."

Donnel stops abruptly. "Shepherds? As in, the Shepherds led by his Lordshipness, Prince Chrom?!"

I nod. "The very same. Didn't my mentioning of Chrom earlier tip you off?"

Donnel blushes. "I thought the name sounded familiar, but… Yeeps!"

The Villager runs to a nearby house. "Ma! We've gots some bonafide royalty in town!"

"I know, boy." a female voice replies from within the house. Yep, that's Donnel's mother, all right. "Ya gots ta hear that when the messenger told us two weeks ago."

"He- he did?"

Donnel's mother sighs. "Honestly, you've been outta it lately, boy. I knew Iris gettin' hitched with Feenie hit ya hard, but ya can't let it keep ya down forever, son."

The woman turns to us. "I apologize fer my son bein' a bit absent-minded, sirs. He's been in a slump ever since a girl he liked married another man an' left the village. Fine lass, at that."

Donnel's face turns as red as Cordelia's hair. "Maaa~!"

Frederick coughs into his fist. "*Ahem* As interesting a story your son may have to share, we have other matters to tend to, ma'am. For starters, do you know of any place in this village where we can have lodgings for a week?"

Donnel's mother rubs her chin. "Well, there are a few houses that have been a bit empty lately ever since some o' the young'uns moved out. I'm sure some a' them elderly would welcome some young folk ta' keep 'em company for a while."

The Great Knight nods with a smile. "My thanks. Well, then, Jack. Now would be a good time to find a place to sleep."

With plan in mind, I walk through the village for a place to stay. Fortunately, Donnel decided to tag along. That should make my search easier.

"Beg yer pardon, sir, but I think I never got yer name." Donnel remarks.

I offer him my hand. "Name's Jack."

Donnel accepts the handshake. "Donny. Er, actually, it's Donnel, but everyone here calls me Donny."

I'm about to let go when I feel Donnel's grip stiffen.

"Wait a sec…" the Villager murmurs. "Yer Jack? As in, Jack, the hero who saved the exalt?"

I scratch my cheek. "Technically, that was Captain Phila. And us reaching Exalt Emmeryn was a team effort. But, yeah, I had a hand in saving her." Seriously, I get that I played a role more important than many in Ylisse may ever realize, but that only makes my role feel so much more overplayed.

Donnel slips his hand out from mine and starts bowing.

"Jack! I mean, _sir_ Jack! Fergive my rudeness earlier! I didn't-"

"Relax, Donnel." I interrupt with an eye roll. "You don't have to treat me like royalty. Honestly, the way you talked to me earlier was a lot better. No need to spew all those titles whenever you want to talk to me."

That calms the young Villager down. "Phew. Well, if ya say so."

I eventually manage to find lodgings with a friendly elderly couple, whose son moved to the capital to join the army. They were more than happy to let me stay the week.

With nothing else to do, I decide to explore the surroundings outside the village. Some walking later, I notice that Donnel's been following me all along.

"Was there something you wanted, Donnel?"

The boy fidgets a bit before he straightens up. "Well, it's, uh… Si- I mean, Jack. Ya know how ta fight, right?"

I nod. "Yep. When you get dragged into a war, you either learn that, or you die."

Donnel gulps at the implications before he steels himself again. "Well, the thing is… Can ya teach me? Ta fight, I mean?"

I raise an eyebrow. "What for? This village seems peaceful. Why would you want to learn how to fight?"

Donnel shakes his head. "It's peaceful now, but everyone's been feelin' that somethin' big is happenin'. I wants to learn how to fight so I can protect my ma and pa in case somethin' nasty made it here."

Donnel's father is still alive? Well, that's interesting.

I rub my chin in thought. I'm not sure how much I can teach Donnel, save for some sparring. That might actually be enough. Besides, if Lucina was any indication, future-me knows how to train people. Well, I've gotta start somewhere. Might as well begin with the guy in front of me.

"Sure thing." I reply.

Donnel smiles ear to ear. "Thanks so much, Jack! Ya won't regret it!"

A small smirk forms on my lips. "No, but you might. Make no mistake, Donnel. My training is harsh. You either give it everything you have, or you go home. There will be pain. There will be bruises. But if you can endure the training, I'm sure you'll grow stronger from it."

A nervous look crosses the Villager's face before he nods resolutely. "Let's get 'er done!"

I nod. "Good. But first, make sure you don't have anything to do at home. Meet me here again when you're in the clear."

"Gotcha!"

While Donnel's away, I sit down under a tree and enjoy the peaceful afternoon sun shining through the treetops. Let's see… Which is the best way to train Donnel? If he's anything like in the game, I've got to make sure he finds his style. That should make recruiting him a lot easier.

* * *

Donnel returns an hour later.

"I'm back!"

I get up from my spot under the tree. "So I see. Follow me."

I lead Donnel to an empty clearing. "Tell me, Donnel, what are you good at?"

The Villager scratches his head. "Gosh, uh… I've never fought before, so I don't think I'm much good fer any fightin'."

I shake my head with a smile. "You'd be surprised how many skills work both inside and outside a fight. Take me, for example. Do you know how I defeated my first opponent?"

At Donnel shaking his head, I reach into my bag and pull out my Frying pan.

"I snuck up behind a bandit and swung this beauty right in the back of his head. He went down like a sack of bricks. Then I took his sword and killed him with it."

Judging by Donnel's wide eyes and pale face, he's equal parts fascinated and horrified by my story. Guess he's not used to the whole thing about killing another human. Makes sense, since he's a civilian."

I put away the Frying pan. "My point is, any skill can be useful in a fight, no matter how weak it may seem. How about we start with what you're good at, no matter what it is?"

After the color returns to his face, Donnel adopts a thinking pose. "Well… Pa says I'm a good hand at cuttin' trees and makin' firewood, so I guess I'm good at handlin' an axe. And… this might sound silly, but I've always been a good shot with slingshots."

That last sentence makes the breath hitch in my throat. It can't be… There's just no way…

"Uh… You wouldn't happen to be good at digging too, would you?" I ask tentatively.

Donnel nods happily. "Sure am. I can make all kinds o' traps to capture animals, but my favorite is the good ol' pitfall."

A shudder runs down my spine. Donnel's no ordinary Villager. He's a Naga d-mned Smash Villager! My mind flashes back to when I still played Super Smash Bros. Freakin' Villager mains with their freakin' trees and Loid rockets and bowling balls and balloons and- Gaah!

 **AN: My brother mains Villager in Smash, and he's terrifyingly good at using that kid's bottomless bag of tricks. Freakin' death by triple turnips! Every time!**

"Uh, you okay, Jack?" Donnel asks.

That snaps me out of my trance. Okay, calm down, Jack. Donnel's not _that_ kind of Villager. And while he has the potential to be one, he'll also be an ally. It's all good.

"Yeah…" I reply. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just relived some bad memories, is all."

I straighten up and look the young farmer in the eye. "All right, I think I have an idea on how to train you. During my travels, I met a warrior with a very peculiar skillset. You, Donnel, have the potential to develop such skills yourself, all based on the skills you have now."

Donnel's eyes widen. "Really? I can fight with my measly skills?"

I chuckle at what I'm about to unleash. "Believe me, that was no ordinary fighting style I saw. That warrior had a bag of tricks the size of Ylisse. Unless his opponent knew exactly what he was doing, nothing could touch him. What's more, he defeated his opponents in the strangest ways I've seen, yet they were frighteningly effective."

I rummage in my bag and hand Donnel my Frying pan. "You'll be using this as your training weapon."

Donnel accepts the cooking implement with a raised eyebrow. "Uh, beg pardon, si- I mean, Jack… It's just, uh… How do I even fight with it?"

"Gimme a sec."

I walk toward the trees and look around on the ground. Let's see… Ah, that one will do. I pick up a Tree branch from the ground and give it a few test swings as I return to Donnel. Enough heft to qualify. Just the right length too.

"We won't use any real weapons while I train you." I explain. "However, I didn't bring any training weapons, so these will have to do. Don't worry about any fancy moves with that Frying pan. Just aim and swing."

I get in a fighting stance with the Tree branch pointed towards Donnel. "Ready when you are. Come at me!"

Donnel hesitates a little before he grasps the Frying pan in both hands and runs towards me with a battle shout.

* * *

 _ **Fifteen minutes later**_

"Gurgh…"

Donnel falls down on his back and groans in pain from the numerous bruises all over his body. While the young Villager is busy catching his breath, I take the time to assess his performance.

As expected, he's no good in a fight as he is right now. While his physique is passable, probably from all those years of farm work, his movements are laughable at best. Though that can be attributed to his lack of combat experience. I should know – I was like that at one point too. And to his credit, he lasted far longer against me than I did during my first spar against Lon'qu. Then again, unlike me, Lon'qu doesn't hold back. Ever.

"Man. I knew fightin' was hard, but I never knew I was so weak." Donnel groans on the ground.

I smile and offer him my hand. "For your first training session, I'd say you did well. When I started practicing with one of my friends among the Shepherds, I got at least twice as many bruises as you did, and that was after I had already begun learning how to fight well."

"Ya think I gots what it takes to fight well?" Donnel asks as I pull him up.

One Observe at his skillset tells me everything I need to know.

* * *

 **Aptitude, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _You possess potential only seen once every few generations. You might be weak now, but if given the time to harness that potential, you'll become a titan on the battlefield. Think Magikarp. So what if the enemy has an army? Your side has you.  
All stat growths increase by 50 %. All stats increase by 10 when changing to a higher-tier class (only works once per ascension)._

* * *

I grin. "You have no idea, Donnel."

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

It's been about five days since we arrived in Donnel's village. The guy kept himself busy almost non-stop during that time. During the days, he helped on the farm with whatever needed attention. Curiously enough, Nowi decided to help at the farm too. After making it very clear that, no, turning into a dragon does _not_ make farm work go faster, the young manakete obediently stayed in her human form. Turns out Donnel has a knack for teaching as well, since Nowi picked up on the many chores at a farm after only a day or two. More importantly, she seemed to have fun.

The evenings, however, Donnel spent training with me. I should've expected this after reading about his signature skill, but this guy's growth is nothing short of astounding. We were only on our third spar when I discovered that I had to push harder because his swings grew increasingly stronger and more precise. His combat prowess grew with frightening speed, at a frightening level.

And, just for kicks, I asked him to demonstrate how well he can handle a slingshot. A bit rough around the edges, but good Naga, the Villager has some good aim! Slingshots may not seem like an ideal weapon in a death match, but they're great for disrupting the opponent if used correctly. I should know, after all the flashbacks I had from fighting Smash Villager mains.

Frederick decided to try his hand on some of the mundane chores in the village as well. Needless to say, the Great Knight became popular in the whole village overnight after he completed at least five days' worth of work in a single afternoon. And he did it all with a smile on his face.

Chrom and Cordelia…I hardly saw at all during my stay in the village. According to the villagers, the newlywed couple had almost never left the cottage. And, sometimes, some of the more curious inhabitants heard strange noises coming from within the building. Noises that reminded them of furniture hitting a house wall. That was…oddly specific.

It's a few hours after sunset, and dark has fallen over the village. Most of the inhabitants have retired for the evening, with supper cooking in just about every house.

I decided to break off my spar with Donnel a bit earlier today. One particular swing from the Frying pan snapped my Tree branch in half and carried on to me. Even when I stacked Reinforcement on top of Iron body on instinct, I felt that swing. Yeah, Donnel's come a long way.

The Villager wipes some sweat off his brow. "Phew… I think I'm gettin' the hang of this here fightin' thing."

I nod in agreement. "Sure do. For someone who's only trained for a few days, I'd say you're good enough to at least drive away a small-time bandit or two."

Donnel nods nervously. "Feels nice hearin' that. But I hope it ain't never happenin'."

"Same here. Bandits are always bad news."

We just re-enter the village when we notice that there's more noise than normal in town. A lot of that is screaming. Oh, come on! Don't tell me we jinxed it!

Thinking fast, I reach into my bag and retrieve my old Bronze Sword. "Use this!"

"Huh?" Donnel asks as I shove the weapon into his arms.

"There might be trouble in the village. If so, you'll need a real weapon."

Donnel's eyes widen. "Oh no! Ma! Pa!"

Before he can run into the village, I grab him by the shoulder.

"Whoa there, Donnel! Calm down. The last thing you want to do when danger's afoot is running headfirst into a dangerous area with no protection. We need to go in carefully, or we might run into nasty surprises."

"But I've gots to find my ma and pa!" Donnel protests. "What if they're bein' attacked by bandits?!" *Smack!* "Ow!"

"I said: calm down! Look, I get that you're worried, but running in there without knowing what's happening will help no one."

I draw my Windcleaver. "Stay close to me. We'll head for your house first."

Donnel nods before he straps the Bronze Sword to his hip and draws it.

"First time I'm holdin' a real weapon." he mutters.

"Let that tell you how bad things are." I explain. "We might find people in the village who could kill without a second thought. This is no training. This time, we might fight for real. If you want to help your family, you have to give everything you got, even if it means killing."

Donnel gulps at my warning before he steels himself.

"For my family." he mutters.

I nod. "Let's go."

As we reach the village plaza, we spot what I was fearing. Bandits are raiding the village! The good news is that the villagers seem to have barricaded themselves in their homes. That should buy us precious time to drive them off before any innocents get injured or, worse, killed.

Granted, their average level is 14, so they're not any threat to me. The villagers, on the other hand, are in serious trouble.

"Get ready, Donnel." I whisper as I get into a fighting stance.

*Boom!*

Several bandits fly through the air from a massive dust cloud. What the-

"WHO DARES RUIN MY HONEYMOON?!"

Holy s-it, Cordelia's furious! I don't see any weapon in her hand. That means she sent those bandits flying barehanded! And…is that a pink aura surrounding her body?

The other bandits in the plaza note the furious Pegasus Knight as well. After they look at each other and shrug, they decide to gang up on her.

This is bad! Cordelia may be strong, but even she will have trouble against half a dozen bandits when she's unarmed and only wears a night gown.

I try to come up with a weapon that I can lend her, but the only thing that comes to mind is my Frying pan! Well, better than nothing. Better retrieve that thing from my bag fast.

"Cordelia, catch!"

Cordelia spots the Frying pan fly through the air. The moment the cooking implement lands in her waiting hand, she swings down on the approaching bandits.

*BOOM!*

An explosion spreads from the point of impact and scatters the bandits everywhere. Some land as far away as on a roof.

What in Ashera's name- I didn't know the Frying pan could do that!

Wait… The Frying pan is enveloped in the same glow that's surrounding Cordelia. Did something happen to it?

* * *

 **Frying pan of Feminine fury, Blunt weapon, Base damage: 200, Legendary  
** _In the hands of a furious woman, this seemingly mundane household tool has achieved its true potential as a weapon. No matter your reasoning, no matter your defenses, no matter how much you resist, this weapon will smash through anything and everything. Houses have been leveled in the rampage of angry housewives. Men cower at the sight of its deceptively innocent looking shape. Yet, for all its destructive power, no one has ever died from it. They've only had the ever-loving s-it beaten out of them.  
This weapon is indestructible. All defenses are ignored when attacking with this weapon. Enemies cannot be killed with this weapon. Can only be wielded by a female with the Female Fury status condition. If the wielder is no longer in a state of Female Fury, or is no longer in contact with this weapon, it automatically reverts to Frying pan._

* * *

 **BGM: Bombing king, My Hero Academia OST**

What. The. Actual. Heck?! What did I just unleash?!

"Come on!" Cordelia shouts in challenge as she runs in search of more bandits to smash.

Moments later, Chrom enters the scene, Falchion in hand and garbed in only his smallclothes.

"Jack, what happened?" the prince asks as he approaches me.

"I have just unleashed one of the deadliest forces in existence…" I reply in a hollow voice.

"And Cordelia?"

*BOOM!*

"Just follow the giant plumes of dust…"

Chrom nods before he runs in that very direction.

I shake my head to clear my thoughts before I turn to Donnel.

"That should distract the bandits a little. Let's hurry to your home!"

Donnel nods dumbly while still witnessing unholy amounts of destruction spread through his village from a furious woman with a Frying pan. I roll my eyes and grab the Villager by the arm before I drag him with me through the village.

We soon run into more bandits. Seeing as we're pressed for time, I make a beeline towards where I remember Donnel's house being while I slice my way through any bandit standing in the way.

"Wait up!" Donnel shouts from behind me. I glance back and notice him locked in combat with a Barbarian. The training finally bears fruit, as Donnel manages to keep up with the seasoned killer.

However, the Barbarian pulls a fast one by feinting an axe slash. Donnel falls for the feint, which allows the bandit to trip him up and line up a deadly swing.

*Wham!*

" **I gotcha!"**

Right on time, Nowi. That Barbarian won't get up any time soon after getting squashed by a transformed manakete.

Nowi reverts back to her human form and checks Donnel over. "You okay, Donnel?"

Donnel blushes at the contact while gaping like a fish. "What in tarnation?! Yer a dragon, Nowi?"

Nowi nods with a smile. "Yup! Oh, guess my little secret's out. Oh well, you would find out sooner or later."

"Spencer!"

We turn in the direction of a woman's voice to find Donnel's mother. Following her line of sight, I spot a man fighting against a particularly rough looking bandit. Spencer manages to land a brutal punch at the bandit's torso. The cracking noise indicates a broken rib.

"Yargh! You'll pay fer that!" the bandit roars as he raises his axe.

"Pa! No!" Donnel shouts form behind me.

Gotta act fast! Telekinesis, go!

The moment I feel a connection, I dump a boatload of MP into the skill and yank the man towards me as hard as I can.

*Shing!* "Augh!"

I catch the villager as he flies into me. He's wounded, but I managed to pull him out of the worst of it.

"Pa!"

"Spencer!"

Donnel and his mother check him over in concern.

"Don't worry, he'll live." I assure them.

Both breathe a sigh of relief.

Right after that, Donnel's eyes harden. There's determination in his eyes. The young Villager confronts the bandit and brandishes the Bronze Sword.

"I ain't lettin' you do any more killin' tonight, ya hog!"

 **BGM ends**

The Barbarian sneers at him.

"Feh! An' watcha gonna do about it, kid? Stick that sword there in me gut? I'll slice ya to pieces 'fore you can even touch me."

"You ain't slicin' nothin' tonight!"

Donnel's mother looks at the impending stand-off in horror. "Donnel, no!"

"It's alright, ma'am." I assure her. "Donnel's trained hard these last few days. He won't lose to some amateur like that bandit. And if he's ever in danger…" I raise my Windcleaver. "…I'll step in."

The combatants stare each other down. The tension is thick enough that you could scoop up some of it with a spoon. That is, until the bandit takes the initiative.

"Yaargh!"

Donnel steadies his breathing and sidesteps the clumsy swing at the perfect moment. Before the bandit can regain his balance, Donnel nicks him in the side with his sword.

The bandit backs away and feels his side with his free hand. After seeing his own blood on it, he charges Donnel with a snarl.

Donnel steps back as the Barbarian swings wildly, trying to look for an opening. That plan goes down the drain as he accidently trips on a pebble and momentarily loses his balance. The bandit takes that moment to wind up a massive swing.

*Clang!*

Donnel manages to block it, but the sword flies from his hand in the process and lands to the side. The Villager stares in horror at what happened while the bandit attacks with renewed vigor.

Donnel's training fortunately gained him some fast legs. He manages to keep his distance from the bandit, but that's all he can do, as the bandit refuses to let him approach his sword. Running out of options, Donnel dives into a house through a window.

"Ya can't run forever, kid!" the bandit snarls as he stalks towards the same building.

He only makes it a few steps before Donnel emerges and attacks with-

*Whack!*

-a bundle of turnips?! Where in the world did he get those? And for crying out loud, Donnel! You are NOT supposed to turn into a Smash Villager!

The bandit barely has time to process the fact that, yes, he just got hit on the head with a bunch of vegetables, before he's forced on the defensive under Donnel's strangely effective assault. Donnel manages a feint similar to the one he fell for himself only a few minutes ago. The Barbarian falls for it, allowing Donnel to wind up a swing on the bandit's torso.

*Crack!* "Uargh!"

Oh, right on the ribs! I didn't know Donnel had it in him to fight like that!

The bandit drops his Steel Axe from the intense pain. Donnel quickly discards the turnips and picks up the dropped axe. Seeing no other option, the bandit backs away until he notices the Bronze Sword that Donnel dropped earlier. He pulls it out and brandishes it, while Donnel mirrors the action with the Steel Axe.

The two clash again, but this time, Donnel has the clear advantage. First, Donnel clearly shows his experience at handling axes, even if he's just cut wood with one, while the Barbarian shows how inexperienced he is at wielding a sword. Second, the bandit's ribs are most probably broken after he suffered two heavy hits in less than 10 minutes. This leaves his movements sloppy and stiff, while Donnel has full mobility.

It all culminates when Donnel finally manages to overpower the Barbarian with a heavy swing. Before the bandit can regain his balance, Donnel has already swung the Steel Axe right into his chest.

The bandit coughs up some blood. "Gahaugh! Nngh… This ain't…where…"

He collapses before he can complete his last sentence.

 **Bandit leader has been killed!**

 **Donnel has leveled up!**

Donnel drops the axe and falls down on his butt.

"Donny!" his mother shouts as she brings him into a hug. "Gods above, boy, you had me frightened to death!"

"I- I did it, Ma…" Donnel whispers. His face lights up in joy. "I helped protect the village! I'm strong enough to fight and protect everyone now!"

"Oh no, ya don't! Do you even realize how worried me and yer pa were when we saw you fight that bandit?! You be a good boy and leave the fightin' to the soldiers."

"Ma!"

"Oh, let 'im, Holly." the man I saved earlier interjects. "He handled that there bandit just fine. You've grown when I wasn't lookin', son."

Donnel smiles. "Aw, thanks, Pa."

Oh, yeah. Donnel keeps referring to this guy as his father. Wait, that means I prevented Donnel's mother from becoming a widow! Well, guess that makes another good deed under the belt.

While the family of three are busy comforting each other, I look around for the rest of our traveling party.

"Hey, Nowi. Do you know where Frederick went?"

Nowi puts a finger on her lip (So adorable!). "Hm… Well, the moment the bandits attacked, Frederick jumped on his horse and rode off in search for Chrom and Cordelia."

I scratch my head. "Well, he should've found them by now. Did you notice the giant plumes of dust that erupted in the village?"

"How could I _not_ notice them?"

"That was Cordelia." I reply dryly.

Nowi looks at me in disbelief. "Seriously? I knew she was strong, but no human I've ever met can make dust plumes of that size."

I roll my eyes. "Same here. You'll be surprised how it happened. Long story short, I now know better than to anger a woman holding a Frying pan."

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: The next day**_

Fortunately, no villagers died during the bandits' raid yesterday night, though quite a few got injured. Nowi and I found Frederick in the company of Chrom and Cordelia after a few minutes of searching. As it turns out, the Great Knight found the newlywed Pegasus Knight almost at the same time as Chrom, through the exact same method. As no bandits were killed in Cordelia's rampage, Frederick tied them up while they were unconscious and left them in the care of the villagers to be sent to the nearest garrison.

Our group of five woke up early in the morning and immediately made preparations for the return trip to Ylisstol.

Right now, we're at the outskirts of Donnel's home village.

"Is everyone ready to depart?" Frederick asks. At everyone nodding, Frederick nods back. "Very well, then. Let us be off."

"Wait!"

We stop at the sound of a familiar voice and turn back to find Donnel running towards us with a pack slung over his shoulder, the Bronze Sword strapped to his hip, the bandit's Steel Axe across his back, and…a brass pot on his head? Well, at least there's _something_ familiar about his appearance now.

Chrom jumps out from the wagon. "Donnel?"

The Villager takes a moment to catch his breath. "Phew… Made it just in time."

"What are you doing here, Donnel? And what's with all the gear?"

"I wanna go with ye, yer Lordshipness, sir!" Donnel explains.

"Oh, I knew there was somethin' fishy the moment ya left the house in such a hurry, boy!" Donnel's mother yells indignant right behind them.

Donnel's face pales when he hears his mother's voice. "Uh-oh…"

"Honestly, Donny, you should know yer manners around noble folk!" she continues undeterred as she finally catches up to her son. Then she turns to Chrom.

"Please forgive my son, Yer Lordliness. He's had this idea stuck in his head since yesterday night that he wants to be a Shepherd. My Donny? A soldier? Heaven forbid!"

"Oh, come now, Holly. It ain't that bad." Donnel's father protests as he finally catches up as well.

"Hush, Spencer! This is our son we're talkin' about here! Our Donny's a farmer, not a soldier!"

"Actually, we'd be thrilled to have him." Chrom interjects with a smile. "The Shepherds need every good man we can find, and from what I heard, he fought bravely. Isn't that right, Jack?"

I nod at Chrom's question. "He did. If anything, you saw it with your own eyes, ma'am. When I first started training Donnel, he had almost no skill at fighting at all. Five days of training later, and he's good enough to take on the leader of a group of bandits all on his own. Donnel has the makings of a great warrior. He just needs time and training to nurture his strength."

Donnel blushes under my praise, but the grin on his face is unmistakable.

Holly, on the other hand, seems less enthusiastic. "I appreciate what ya did for my son _and_ my husband, sir, but still…"

Spencer places a hand on her shoulder. "Holly, I thinks we should let 'im go. He ain't a child anymore. He's old enough ta make his own decisions. Life as a soldier ain't peaceful, but if it's what Donny wants, keepin' 'im here won't do 'im any good."

Holly lets out a sigh. "I know, hon, I know. It's just… He's our boy – our only son. Don't tell me seein' him leave the village tugs at yer heart."

Spencer nods. "Yeah, sure does. But if a bit o' heartache is needed for my son's happiness, I'll take it."

Donnel smiles at his father. "Thanks, Pa. I'll make you and Ma proud. Heck, I'll make the whole village proud! Just you watch me!"

Holly walks up and wraps Donnel in a hug. "I'll miss you, Son. Know that you'll always be welcome home."

Donnel blushes at the affectionate gesture. "Ma~"

Holly walks back to stand with her husband and see their son off with a smile. "We'll make sure the village still stands when you gets back, hon. Next time we see you, you'll be a hero. We just know it. Well, off with you. The world's waitin'."

Donnel nods. "Alright." Then he turns to us. "I'm in yer care, Yer Lordshipness."

Chrom sighs with an exasperated smile. "Please, just call me Chrom. That should make things easier."

"Yes, sir Lor- I mean, Chrom."

"This is great!" Nowi exclaims from the top of the wagon. "And here I was afraid I'd have to tie up my future mate and drag him all the way back to the capital."

Donnel looks at the manakete curiously. "Mate? Who?"

Nowi points at the confused Villager. "You, silly. Who else?"

"M-me?"

Nowi winks at him. "Why do you think I spent so much time with you on the farm? I knew I wanted you as my mate from the moment I saw you. But I'd never marry a man that I don't know, so I made sure to get to know you."

Spencer laughs at Nowi's casual confession.

"Hah! Would ye lookit that, Holly! Our son's barely out of the village, an' he's already gettin' married! Kids these days grow up so fast!"

Donnel pulls the pot over his head. "Pa~"

"Alright, Son. When ye gat back here, we'll be expectin' a grandchild or two. Jus' make sure ta treat 'er right."

Donnel's blush deepens. "Pa~!"

"And make sure to tell 'er to dress properly." Holly interjects. "Goodness me, the girl dresses like a harlot."

"Harlot?! These are the traditional garbs of my people, Mother-in-law!" Nowi replies indignant.

Holly shakes her head. "Traditional or not, I'll not have my Donny look like he married some child tramp."

"Child?!" the manakete snaps. "I'll have you know I'm at least twenty ti- Mmph!"

"I apologize for Nowi's…choice of garb, ma'am." I interject while keeping a hand on Nowi's mouth. "Rest assured, Nowi's nothing like the deviant you imagine her to be. Your son will have a wonderful and (somewhat) responsible wife."

I turn to Frederick with a subtle sense of urgency (due to the pissed off manakete in my hands). "Well then, shall we be off?"

Frederick nods. "Indeed. It is high time we returned to the capital."

With heartfelt farewells and a few dozen tears, our traveling party of five-plus-one-Villager leave for Ylisstol.

Even a few minutes after Donnel's village vanishes from sight, I notice Nowi fuming from her spot on the wagon.

"Call me a child, will she? My future mother-in-law needs to learn to respect her elders…" the young manakete mutters irritably.

"To be fair, Nowi, if you want people to treat you like an adult, you have to act like one." I reply. "There's a saying where I come from: Act your age, not your shoe size."

"If I acted my age, I'd walk around like a skeleton! And I'll have you know I'm an Ylissean 24."

"Yes, and you're also a Feroxi 6. Judging by your behavior, you lean more toward the Feroxi number."

"Meanie! You're supposed to be on my side! What happened to the whole family thing?"

"It's called tough love. I'm blunt. Get used to it."

The rest of our journey until nightfall proceeds with me bickering with Nowi. It feels weird having a sibling argument with someone more than a dozen times my age, but it's surprisingly entertaining, if only because of how adorable Nowi is when she gets riled up.

"Ugh! I can't wait 'til you mellow out from old age!"

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Side quest: Hazardous honeymoon  
** _Looks like Chrom can never catch a break. Even during his honeymoon, there's trouble afoot. Good thing the bandits were taken care of quickly. Besides, the trip was overall peaceful. But now is the time to return to Ylisstol.  
_ **Objective:** _Protect Chrom and Cordelia during their honeymoon. Defeat all bandits.  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
Rewards:** _You gain 4 000 EXP! You gain 2 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Protect Donnel's family. Donnel performs his first kill.  
_ **Bonus objectives cleared!  
Bonus rewards: **_You gain 1 000 EXP! You gain 500 gold!_

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

Turns out I wasn't the only one having it bad during Chrom's and Cordelia's honeymoon. The moment I returned to the barracks, Robin practically flew into my arms and pulled me into a kiss (ah, bliss…). We probably would've gone further than that, if it I hadn't noticed Tharja spying on us. Her giggle spoke of more imagined debauchery than I'm comfortable thinking about. Good thing there's a thing called repression.

It's been a week since we returned from our trip. It was eventually decided that Donnel would train under Frederick's guidance instead of mine. Not only is Frederick more used to axes, Donnel's new weapon of choice, but I won't be around for a while. That's right; it's finally time for me to take Old man Hubba up on his offer.

I'm currently in Robin's room, embracing my beloved girlfriend from behind as we stare out the window.

"Are you sure I cannot join you?" Robin asks.

I shake my head slowly. "Unfortunately, I'm the only one who was given the offer."

Robin turns around in my embrace. "And Chrom?"

"He's already given me the clear. I'm allowed leave from my duties as a Shepherd for an undetermined amount of time, seeing as I don't know how long I'll be traveling."

Robin tightens the hug. "I'll miss you."

"And I'll miss you. It was bad enough for the week we were away for Chrom's and Cordelia's honeymoon. I'll…try to complete my journey as fast as I can – for both our sakes."

Robin bites her lip. "Even so… Waiting for you without knowing when you'll come back is agonizing. A small part of me wonders if you'll come back at all."

I slip out of the embrace and reach beneath the collar of my shirt. "Robin, take this."

I hand the Mysterious medallion to her.

"Jack, what is that?"

"I'm not sure. I found this around my neck on the day I woke up in this world and met you. No matter what I do, I can't figure anything out from this medallion. Still, I can't help but feel that it's important. That's why I'm leaving it with you during my journey. Will you keep it safe for me?"

Robin nods. "You know I will."

I place the medallion in her waiting hand and close it over the accessory. "One day, I'll come back for it. And when I do, I'll take you as my bride. That's my promise to you. That is, if you'll have me?"

Robin looks at me wide-eyed. Cr-p. Maybe I asked too soo-

 **BGM: Those who inherit the will of fire, Naruto OST**

Robin pulls me into a deep kiss. Just when I think I'm going to suffocate against her lips (which really doesn't sound too bad), she pulls back with a smile.

"I thought you'd never ask."

Then she hugs me again. "I'll wait for as long as it takes, Jack. Just…please. Don't make me wait for too long…"

I return the hug and place my forehead against hers. "I'll make myself worth the wait. _That_ I can promise."

"I suppose that's good enough."

* * *

Let's see… Clothes? Check. Chain mail? Check. Leather armor? Check. Windcleaver? Check. Traveling cloak? Check. Infinite inventory bag? Check. All right, looks like I'm all set.

As I exit the barracks, I notice several of the Shepherds lined up.

"Huh? What's the occasion?" I ask.

"Friends see you off. Should be obvious, no?" Gregor replies with a grin.

"We heard that you're leaving on a journey." Stahl continues. "Since we won't see you for a while, we decided to at least say goodbye before you leave."

Next up is Ricken. "I hope you'll have a great journey. I know you'll train to become stronger on the way, and I'll do the same here. I'll be both bigger and stronger by the time we meet again, count on it."

I grin at their thoughtfulness. "With friends like you guys, I have more than enough reason to return from my journey. You'd better keep working hard, or I'll leave you all in the dust by the time I'm back."

"Do not think that it will be easy." Lon'qu replies. "I can only speak for myself, but know that I will push myself to my limit until you return. And I expect the same from you."

I smirk at my rival. "Oh, you can bet your fancy sword that I'll train hard. Just don't complain when I'm the one smacking you around after I'm done traveling."

Lon'qu smirks back. "Challenge accepted."

* * *

After I exit the capital, I make a brief stop in the nearby woods and whistle. A squirrel lands in front of me moments later. I give it a nut and a note.

"Itachi, what I'm sending you on here may be among the most important missions I've ever requested from your clan since I became an honorary member. This note contains a list of humans that I want you to search and keep tabs on while I'm traveling. Next time I call you, I'll expect that you have a report on every name on this list."

Itachi accepts the note. _"In that case, I might need to enlist the help of THEM."_

I nod in understanding. "Yeah. THEY could be instrumental for the success of this mission. Know that you'll be handsomely rewarded by the time you leave the report, so I expect some promising news."

Itachi nods before he vanishes into the foliage. All right, that's all the preparations I needed to check off my list.

* * *

"Took ya long enough, sonny." Old man Hubba remarks as I approach the Outrealm gate.

"Oh please." I answer with an eyeroll. "You're the old one here. Aren't you supposed to be the more patient between the two of us? Besides, I had a few things to prepare before setting off. So excuse me if I'm a bit late."

"Well, the important thing is that you're here." Anna comments.

I raise an eyebrow. "Have we met before, or was that just one of your cousins?"

The redhead smiles. "Actually, the merchant you helped in Ferox is my twin sister. She prefers staying in this world."

I- You know what? I'll leave that convoluted family tree alone.

"Well, I'm here. We doing this or what?"

Anna waves a hand. "Yeah, yeah, I gotcha. You're on a tight schedule and all that. Well, let me the first one to introduce you to the wonders of cross-world traveling."

The massive gate behind her opens with the noise of stone grinding against stone.

"Welcome to the Outrealms!" Anna presents cheerfully.

I take a moment to take in the sight before I take the first step forward.

"Let's go."

With those words, I enter the shining portal with Anna and Hubba in tow. After passing through the gate, it closes with a boom, looking to the world like some random stone monument once again.

 _ **War against Plegia**_

 _ **E N D**_

 **(BGM ends)**

* * *

 **Omake: How to one-shot a Mad King**

Jack and Gangrel stand face-to-face, ready to clash at a moment's notice. The only thing stopping the two men from tearing into each other is the electrifying tension in the air separating them.

Curiously enough, Jack has yet to draw any weapon.

Gangrel sneers. "Hmph! You come here to face me alone, and you intend to do so unarmed? You're either a fool or conceited. Either way, you die."

Jack grins at the Mad King. "I don't need a weapon to defeat you. Watch this!"

Jack claps his hands together and then slaps them on the ground. "Alchemy style: A thousand years of pain!"

Sparks travel along the ground before they dissipate into the dirt. Gangrel raises an eyebrow at the strange maneuver.

His eyes suddenly widen in shock and pain as he flies into the air in an arc. The Mad King's flight ends with him landing face-first on the ground in an undignified heap. His butt sticks up in the air, still smoking from the violent and focused assault that it suffered mere seconds ago.

Jack rises up from his crouch to admire his handiwork. Right behind where Gangrel originally stood, there is now highly compacted dirt shaped into two arms with the hands clasped together, save for the index and middle fingers pointing straight forward.

"Kakashi-sensei, I hope I made your legacy proud." Jack whispers in the wind.

Then Jack looks at Gangrel. The Mad King is unconscious, face is frozen in shock and agonizing pain. Deciding to end the battle quickly, Jack draws his Windcleaver and beheads the unconscious king with a single cut.

The other Shepherds soon arrive to the scene to see Jack completely unharmed and Gangrel headless.

"Jack? What happened here? Did you defeat Gangrel?" Chrom asks.

Jack nods. "Sure did, Chrom. As for how… You don't want to know."

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Dancing, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _The art of moving your body to the beat of music has been practiced by mankind for centuries. With various types of music in various parts of the world, many different dancing styles have developed over the course of history. While different aspects, such as speed, posture and the number of participants, vary among different styles, skill is a common factor among all of them. The greater your level in this skill, the better you can perform according to a learned style, whether you're dancing solo or with a partner.  
Current dancing styles: Waltz_

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **No Name, Keyblade, Base damage: 60, Unique  
** _The mysterious keyblade wielded by the younger incarnation of the seeker of darkness, Xehanort. The shaft is made of compressed mana, and therefore lacks a fixed form. This allows No Name to be wielded like a whip, just as much as a sword or wand. What's more, this keyblade seems to have the power to bend time itself around the wielder.  
Passively increases critical hit rate by 20 %. Magic of all elements deal 28 % more damage.  
Skills available when wielded: Time clone, Rewind_

 **Female Fury, Status condition  
** _Hell hath no fury like a pissed off woman. This variant of the Enraged condition is only seen among females. Being blinded by rage would normally be a bad thing, but this is a clear exception. Any woman in this state will hit harder, move faster, and aim better at anyone she considers a worthy target. It's not necessarily a personal matter. She just wants to vent some frustration. This status condition is known to occur at its highest frequency during_ _that_ _time of the month.  
STR, VIT, DEX, movement speed and accuracy increase by 100 %. INT and WIS decrease by 20 %. Additional effects may occur as well, depending on the person. Only women can have this status condition._

 **Dancer, Class  
** _Professional entertainers who move with a grace rarely seen among soldiers. Dancers are team players, typically relying on their allies to fight for them. While capable of defending themselves to a certain extent, Dancers rarely fight, as their training emphasizes dancing over combat. Don't let this fool you, though. A skilled dancer can make for a deceptively deadly assassin.  
Passively reduces enemy's accuracy by 5 %. Attack speed and accuracy increase by 5 % when attacking with a sword. All stats increase by 5 % when teaming up with an ally. Damage taken from all sources increases by 10 %._

 **Tree branch, Sword, Base damage: 5, Very common  
** _A sturdy tree branch. It does little good in combat, but you might be able to poke someone in the eye with it. Or you could just set it on fire fore some extra heat and light. Just make sure it doesn't happen in a forest. No, really. Forest fires are disastrous._

* * *

 **The Frying pan strikes again!**

 **Don't worry, people. This isn't the end of this fic. It's just the end of the first arc of Awakening. I haven't even unleashed half the ideas I have for this fic. With how I've set things up, it would be a shame if I didn't take this fic all the way through the Awakening story. So rest assured, there's more to come.**

 **I had to toss a few ideas around regarding the fight against Gangrel. At first, I planned to let Chrom deal the finishing blow. But after deciding to let Emmeryn live, I realized that Chrom wasn't as emotionally invested in the Plegian war as he is in canon. Bandit raids and kidnappings aside, he just didn't have anything personal against the Mad King. That got me thinking; who among the Shepherds was the most emotionally invested in this war? The answer was quite obvious: Cordelia. Gangrel personally led the attack that robbed Cordelia of the unit that was her family in all but blood. Heck, by the time she joins you, she's an emotional wreck. To me, letting her deal the final blow on Gangrel was a way for her to have closure on the whole matter. In a way, Cordelia's gotten a lot of spotlight in this arc. Honestly, that's probably because I'm biased towards her. Oh well…**

 **Seriously, though. Donnel is like the Magikarp of Awakening. He starts out as the weakest recruitable unit in the game, but the moment he changes classes, Boom! Instant top-tier unit! That aptitude skill is seriously overpowered, especially when combined with his already high LUCK growth and the option to give him the Armsthrift skill. Donnel is, bar none, THE best 1st-gen Shepherd at using that skill. Increase his weapon level enough, and he can spam legendary weapons for eternity. My favorite one is promoting him into a Bow knight or Warrior and equip him with Nidhogg, which increases his LUCK by another 10. He'll never run out of durability on that weapon!**

 **Ah, writing this chapter was fun. What wasn't fun, however, was trying to figure out how to write the country accent in Donnel's home village. There were times when I wondered if I had slipped into the Brooklyn accent. Well, until next time.**

 **VipeR out.**


	11. Bonus chapter

**Hello, dear readers. On the day this chapter is posted, it's been 6 months since I posted the very first chapter of this fic. These past 6 months have seen some major changes in my life. I moved to a new town, got started on a new job, got to know new people, and, of course, I've come to experience the depths of the art of writing.**

 **With Christmas fast approaching, what better way to celebrate this little anniversary, and the fact that this fic has over 500 followers (WHOO!), than by presenting the newest chapter. This chapter, however, will be a bit different than the previous ones. While it does have relevance to the overall plot, you can actually follow said plot without even reading this chapter at all. You might miss out on a reference or two in the future chapters, but that's about it.**

 **Think of this chapter as my answer to the Final mix exclusive content for the Kingdom Hearts games. It's meant to give a little extra for the dedicated fans, but not so much that newcomers miss anything important when the main plot progresses.**

 **Now then, on to some reviews.**

 **TheOrangeLord:** I have a skill that Jack will learn during his journey that can accomplish just that. Except in this case, it also provides a power boost that'll terrify anyone who can survive the first two seconds.

 **Mukuro Kaze:** Aside from this chapter, I'll only give brief flashbacks or references to Jack's journey through the Outrealms. Other than that, we'll jump straight to when he returns to Ylisse. As for Morgan, only the male counterpart makes an appearance in this fic. Jack and Robin will have their hands full keeping their eyes on just one amnesiac child, alongside his sister.  
And I sympathize with you regarding what you suffer at your daughter's hands. Fear the Smash Villager…

 **warrior of six blades:** Well, Tiki's a grown manakete in Awakening, so I imagine she'll just drag her chosen mate straight to the nearest bedchamber and claim him. It's not like anyone would try to stop her, since she's revered as a demi-goddess. You do _not_ cross the voice of Naga.

 **dcoon:** Nah, I haven't planned for Jack to visit any other Fire Emblem universe in his travels. At least not from what will be mentioned. And yes, Jack will be married to Robin and _only_ Robin.

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark:** That's…a pretty accurate comparison. In fact, Kushina's one of the few redheads I know who has managed to consistently weaponize the legendary pan. Pity the poor soul who awakens her wrath.

 **thepowerfullkira:** Nope, there will be no de-aging. Jack will make a stop in the Elemental nations, but only as his current self, not his child self.

 **Isshion:** Nope. As much as Tharja wants to get it on with either Jack or Robin (or both at the same time), that won't happen. And there are at least two good reasons for that.  
1: Jack will be powerful enough to repel Tharja with ease. Nothing serious, just enough to move the Dark Mage away from him.  
2: By the time Jack returns, Robin will have grown enough of a backbone, and grown possessive enough, to fight off any would-be alternate suitors with whatever she has on hand. Jack is hers and hers alone.

 **A fan:** Those are some interesting bows. Still, I've already made up my mind regarding the bow for Noire. There's no need to give her anything as overpowered as you suggested, especially since I've planned a skillset for her that'll make her an absolute terror anyway.

 **Anonymous reviewer, December 2** **nd** **:** Yeah, the Second seal kinda makes Donnel's Aptitude skill pointless. However, that's assuming you grind at all in the run instead of rushing into the next main chapter as is. The main advantage with Aptitude is that Donnel becomes a beast faster than anyone else. Also, he does have a few notable good stats. First is, of course, his Luck stat. The growth and cap basically makes him the perfect candidate for Armsthrift. His strength and Skill deserve mention as well, since they result in him being able to hit like a truck with consistent accuracy. In my experience, he does suffer from low speed and resistance, though, so Tricksters (with Levin swords) and Assassins tend to give him a lot of trouble when fighting on equal footing. Again, this is my own experience.

 **A guest:** Jack won't use the Kamehameha. One of the future Shepherds, however, will. After all, Jack can't hog all the spotlight.

 **.77770:** She'll learn it somewhere during the Valm campaign. As things stand, however, I've only planned for her to use the basic version. Adding an element to that technique is hard as h-ll, as has been explained by Kakashi and demonstrated by Naruto.

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 **Without further ado, allow me to present my early Christmas present to you all. Enjoy!**

 _If I were you, I'd stop ev'ry now and then and enjoy the view. –_ Hubba

* * *

 **Bonus chapter:**

 **Remnant's call**

It's been a few minutes since we entered through the Outrealm gate. You know… I didn't expect this place to look so…bland. It's all white and gray here.

"I thought this place would have more color…" I comment idly as I look around.

Hubba shrugs. "Eh. The powers that be didn't exactly put much stock in decoratin'. "Keep it simple" they said."

"I admit that this place looks a bit dull, but that's the nature of the passage between worlds." Anna explains.

I raise an eyebrow. "Passage?"

Old Hubba nods. "Yup. While this technically is a world of its own, the main purpose of this here place is to serve as a calibration o' sorts. Without this, the multiple worlds would be too close to each other and start affect each other in wacky ways."

"Kinda like a culture shock…times apocalyptic." Anna tacks on. "Trust me, you don't want to imagine it."

I'm not familiar enough with space-time theory to even begin to construct anything in my imagination, but it sounds freakish.

"Ah, here we are." Hubba remarks with a grin as we approach a glowing white ellipse hovering above the ground. "This portal'll take ya to the hub world."

"There's a hub world too?" I ask. "Huh. And here I imagined cross-world traveling to be more…direct."

Anna claps my shoulder. "Oh, you definitely don't wanna miss this, though. Any inter-world traveler worth their salt stops by a hub world every now and then." A bright smile lights up on her face. "These places are packed with all kinds of shops. Gear, food, weapons, healing items, crafting materials, you name it. It's like a giant multi-cultured market."

I give the redhead a flat look. "And I assume your relatives have set up at least a dozen shops in there."

Her smile grows even larger. "You know my family so well."

I shrug before I enter through the white portal with my two companions.

*Flash*

* * *

As my eyes finally recover from that sudden flash of light, I look around to find myself in a very familiar place.

"No way…"

 **BGM: Traverse Town, Kingdom Hearts music**

 **You have arrived at a hub world! Welcome to Traverse Town!**

The town around me is bustling with activity. Neon lights flash periodically to show the various establishments around town. Shops of all kinds are set up wherever I look. Signs indicate their specialty. Sundries, armor, magic. Heck, they even have a bank.

"Quite the sight, eh, sonny?" Hubba remarks and elbows me lightly in the side.

"I've forgotten how long I've been in the world of Awakening." I mutter as I take in the sights. If any of my fellow Shepherds saw this, they'd flip. It's like I went from the middle ages straight into Kingdom Hearts.

Hubba moves away from our group. "Well, I've got a few errands to run. See ya soon, youngsters."

Anna heads to one of the shops. "I need to make a few stops as well. Why don't we meet up here in half an hour or so? That way, you can explore the town a little on your own."

Some fiddling with my menu helps me find a map of the entire town. That's a relief. At least I can wander around without running the risk of getting lost. Like I've mentioned earlier, my sense of direction is bad. That goes double for a place like Traverse Town.

I nod to the inter-world merchant and set off on my own.

But, man, Traverse Town sure has a lot to offer. I mostly spend my time window shopping and checking out the merchandise, and what's in store baffles me. There's of course the classic Final Fantasy assortment of goods. Some shops offer a variety of modern firearms and bulletproof gear. And- Is that a Crazy Cap shop? With a replica of Speedwagon's bladed hat on display?! Dang, this place offers more than I imagined.

However, none of that really takes priority of my attention (even though the hats on sale look mighty impressive). No, there's something else in this place. It's almost like…I'm being drawn somewhere.

I follow the strange sensation and find myself at the town's clocktower plaza. The sensation's getting stronger.

After walking around the plaza for a while, I notice something out of place. There's a white portal in the middle of the place. Strange… I don't remember there being one in any of the Kingdom Hearts games that feature the iconic hub world. What's even weirder is that the strange pulling sensation I felt gets stronger the closer I get to that portal. This… This is what I was looking for. Whatever it is that's calling me, it's on the other side.

* * *

 **Warning! A powerful foe awaits beyond this point. Are you sure you want to enter?**

* * *

Huh? That's a surprise. Better doublecheck my gear to be safe.

Yep, I should be set for whatever awaits me. After I receive the same notification again, I select "Yes".

 **BGM ends.**

*Flash*

* * *

…

Strange… This place is all white with some gray in it, not unlike the passageway that led me to Traverse Town in the first place. Yet, unlike the passageway, this place is a single space. No exits or pathways to other places, just a big space of…nothing…

!

No. There _is_ something here. But whatever it is, it's not in a hurry to reveal itself.

Alright, calm down, Jack. Slow down your breathing. Sight probably won't help until I know what I'm up against, so I close my eyes and let Mind's eye take over.

A vaguely humanoid figure seems to flicker in and out of my mental field of perception. That would be strange enough on its own. However, what really catches my attention is that the strange tugging feeling I felt when I entered the hub world seems to come from this mysterious figure.

The figure comes to a stop on my left. As I open my eyes and look there, I finally get to take in their features in detail.

* * *

 **? Lvl: ?  
** _A mysterious figure with no discernable features. Though you can't figure out anything regarding this person, you feel a notable connection with them. How that works, however, is beyond your understanding._

* * *

Not that there's much to see. While this person (?) is taller than me, that's about what I can discern at the moment. Whoever it is who's standing in front of me doesn't want to reveal who they are. The face is covered under the hood of an honestly snazzy robe that covers everything from head to ankles. The only things not covered by the garment are the hands and feet, which are clad in gloves and boots, respectively. The whole ensemble is pitch-black, save for a few silver accessories adorning the robe.

" **Finally you answer my call. I have been waiting for you."**

The figure's voice is distinctly male, but that's everything I can figure out. The voice sounds…distorted. It's like he's talking through a device designed for that specific purpose.

I raise an eyebrow. "Waiting for me? For what purpose? And why here?"

And why the heck does it look like he's fading in and out of existence? It's almost like he's existing, and yet, _not_ existing at the same time.

The figure points his right hand forward. **"To test your strength."**

Sparks fly from the palm before the stranger grabs hold of a weapon. My eyes widen at what he's holding.

The black color, with silver at the center. The borderline demonic shape. The blue eye sitting where the guard meets the blade, staring right at me with an unyielding glare.

I draw my Windcleaver and crouch in a fighting stance in the blink of an eye. I know only of one man who has ever wielded that sinister weapon.

"Xehanort."

The very mention of the dark keyblade master's name tastes like acid on my tongue.

The figure lets his arm fall calmly to the side, keyblade still in hand.

" **Xehanort? That name rings familiar, though it is not mine."**

I narrow my eyes as I stack three layers of Reinforcement. Xehanort or not, this guy's threat level instantly jumped into final boss territory.

"What are you then?" I ask, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

The figure turns slightly sideways, standing with his left foot forward and holding the keyblade away from me. It's a battle stance, alright, but a very loose one.

" **Prove your worth, and I may deign to answer you."**

I don't know what it is with this guy, but there's something about him that's bugging me. Like we share some strange connection. Yet, for the life of me, I can't figure out how. Just like Observe told me. Worse yet, my cluelessness combined with his dismissive attitude is getting on my nerves.

"Fine then." I growl. "You're starting to piss me off, so I might as well beat the answers out of you."

 **BGM: Master, tell me the truth, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Final mix music**

I dash straight into melee range and bring my Windcleaver down.

*Clang!*

Our weapons lock together, neither of us giving any ground. What's bothering me is that he's holding the weapon lock with only one hand while I'm using both. Whoever he is, he's strong.

The figure breaks the lock with a flick of his weapon and sends me back in the process. I quickly skid to a halt and get ready to- Whoa!

*Clang!*

Son of a- He followed up right after he broke the weapon lock and struck while I barely had time to get in position! Only a hasty block that has me jump a few steps backwards saved me from getting stabbed in the shoulder. Correction: he's strong _and_ fast.

All right. Attacking this guy head-on is out of the question. That leaves flanking and range attacks. Range attacks may be too slow to hit him unless I can get him off-balance first. Okay, flanking it is.

I activate Gale step with barely a thought and start zipping around my opponent. I change directions at random, hoping to throw him off. Oddly enough, he's just standing in the same stance as when the fight started. Provoking me into attacking again, are you? Fine. Let's see if you can catch me at maximum speed!

Right, right, left, back, jump, zip down, rightleftstrike!

*Clang!*

I stare at my opponent in disbelief as I push my weapon against his again. Did he…read my angle of approach? I feinted at the last moment and struck at full speed, and the guy blocks me without even looking!

I'm swatted away again before I'm forced on the defensive as the figure in black attacks me with a dizzying flurry of slashes. For every slash I block, another slips past my guard. It's like my first fight against Lon'qu all over again, and I can hardly fight back here even when armed. Only liberal use of Mind's eye and the occasional retreat with Gale step saves me from suffering any serious injuries from the relentless assault. Not that it matters that much with how fast my wounds are piling up.

Come on… Come ON! There _has to be_ an opening somewhere – a weakness that I can exploit to turn the tides on this fight!

A particularly hard swing sends me flying backwards. Cr-p! My guard's blown wide open and he's closing in fast. No choice then.

"Za Warudo!"

The mana dome expands from my body, envelops my opponent and stops him in his tracks moments before his keyblade reaches me. I take the opportunity to step back and catch my breath. Alright, this should help me get in posi-

*Shing!* "Ungh!"

My shoulder! What just- No… There's no way!

I spin around and notice the figure standing behind me with his keyblade still stretched out from when he just slashed my shoulder. This guy just freakin' moved while I stopped time! What the actual-

*Clang!*

I deactivate Za Warudo as I'm forced back on the defensive. My mind's still reeling from what I just witnessed. I stopped time itself, and this guy still managed to move?! How the heck does that even work?!

My thoughts get interrupted as I move to block an overhead slash, only to realize too late that he just feinted me. I earn a kick in the gut for my mistake.

So I have seemingly my every move read, my ultimate trump card shut down like it doesn't even matter, and I'm barely keeping up with this guy as is. Come on, what other options have I not used in this battle yet? I'm getting cornered here!

Wait, that might work. If Robin finds out I used this tactic, she'd scold me like crazy. But desperate times call for desperate measures. It's all or nothing with this one.

My opponent rushes after me again. I get in a stance and exhale calmly. I'll need an opening to pull this off. That means I have to knock him at least off-balance with this clash. Focus…

There!

The sinister keyblade barely passes over my head as I crouch low and send a counter slash at my opponent just as he passes me.

*Shing!*

The retaliation makes him stumble as he tries to recover from the blow. Now's my chance!

I sheathe my Windcleaver and stretch my arms outwards.

"Trace on!"

My hands are covered in glowing mana before it disperses to reveal Tifa Lockhart's ultimate weapon: Premium Heart. These beauties grow more powerful the more damage I have sustained, and considering the hits I've taken in this fight, there's plenty of power stored inside them.

My opponent manages to recover from the blow and turns to face me. Judging by the slight sway backwards, he didn't expect me to pull these bad boys out of thin air. Before he can do anything else, I slam a fist into the ground. Sparks travel along it before several poles shoot out around him, effectively trapping him in an impromptu prison made of…whatever the ground's made of in this dimension.

With my opponent temporarily stunned, I rush him with my Traced weapon at the ready. To add more momentum, I summon a dozen clones around him, all equipped with copies of Premium Heart and ready to lay the smackdown on this guy.

Just as they reach striking distance, however, my opponent breaks out from his restraints and begins to slash around him at a frantic pace. The first few clones get hit and disperse within a second. Before I lose any more, I dive forward and make a handspring into the air. Before my hands leave the ground, I make a quick transmutation. The ground under my opponent's feet drops lower, making him lose his balance for a brief moment. That's all my clones need to finally get inside his guard and rain their fists on him. Even with all those advantages, however, he manages to not only block or dodge a lot of the punches – he even manages to slip a few slashes in between and destroys more clones in the process.

Good thing my plan finally worked. All I needed was for my opponent to stand still and not pay me any attention as I get close. I punch the ground as I land right in front of him and send him up in the air from the resulting shock wave.

"You're right where I want you!"

I finally begin to unleash my own punches on the black-clad figure. With the assistance of my remaining clones, I manage to split his attention enough to get a few clean hits on him. Even though they're few in number, this is Premium Heart we're talking about. Even a single clean hit is guaranteed to leave a mark.

My opponent, naturally, fights back. He manages to duck and weave in between several punches. At one point, I overextend a right hook, and suffer a swing at my mid-section in retaliation. But even as the damage registers, I smirk.

 **Limit energy: Maximum!**

Just what I was waiting for.

"Now!"

One of my clones throws a Rasengan at my opponent. He swats the spiraling sphere aside. In that precise moment, my other clones rush back into the fray. Instead of attacking him head-on, they all duck low this time. The clones in front are destroyed in a blindingly fast counterattack, but the remaining clone behind lands a double fist that sends him hurtling forward, right where I am.

My right fist is reared back as I concentrate all the energy stored within Premium Heart for a single attack. With my opponent flying towards me, I don't need to get into position. I already am.

"Final Heaven!" *KRA-BOOM!*

The robed figure flies away from me at breakneck speeds. After a few bounces on the ground, he rights himself in mid-air and stabs his keyblade into the ground to come to a stop.

I look at him in disbelief over recovering from a punch from Premium Heart at full power, until I notice his left arm hanging by his side limply. Drat! He must've blocked my punch with it at the last moment and had it absorb the brunt of the attack at the expense of no longer being able to use it for the rest of the battle. The bad news is that he may not even need it. He's powerful enough already with only his right arm and that keyblade of his!

My opponent rushes past my last clone, destroys it in the process, and is right in front of me in the blink of an eye. With no other options, I cross my arms in front of me.

*Krish!*

Guh! That one swing obliterated my Traced Premium Heart like it was made of glass! I can't let this go on. I have to finish it _now_!

I allow myself to fall backwards from the force of the blow. As I land on the ground, I channel a good chunk of my remaining MP into a massive Transmutation. The ground rumbles as my opponent is sent upwards and away on a spiked pillar that erupts from the ground. The only thing stopping him from getting impaled on it is once again his keyblade, held between him and the pillar like an unmoving shield.

He flips on top of the pillar and slides along with it, keyblade poised to slash me the moment he reaches striking distance. Alright, if that's what you want, then just try me!

I unsling the sheath of my Windcleaver from my back and hold it in a drawing stance. I exhale and grab hold of the hilt. Mimicry, go!

"One sword style…"

My opponent jumps off the pillar and lunges at me with his keyblade reared back. Time seemingly slows to a crawl as we stare each other down before the imminent clash.

"Shishi Sonson!" *SHING!*

The robed figure slides to a stop behind me. I flip my Windcleaver in a reverse grip with the edge facing upwards and slowly slide it back into its sheath.

"In your face." *Clink*

My opponent flinches back as the effect of my slash makes itself known across his chest. At the same time, the ground in front of the unknown figure cracks before a Shadow clone pops up with a mana sphere in hand.

"Rasengan!" *Shr-Boom!*

 **BGM ends**

Right. In. The. Face. My opponent flies over my head and lands on the ground with a heavy thud. That's when blood erupts from a diagonal slash mark across my chest.

"Ungh!"

I fall to my knees and use my sheathed Windcleaver as a crutch as I pant for air. That final clash resulted in both of us slashing the other. Despite the combination of Iron body and Reinforcement, the cut I suffered is deep. Well, at least _he's_ the one worse o-

Oh, come ON! The guy not only stands up after all that, the only indications that I hit him are a few tears in his clothes!

Ugh. It's no good. That move earlier was the last idea I had for defeating him. And even if I had more ideas, I've taken too many hits and my MP is almost at zero. I'm out of options, out of stamina, and, apparently, fresh out of luck.

I've lost – completely and utterly.

" **Impressive. Typical, but no less impressive."** the figure remarks. **"Perhaps you are the one to fulfill the prophecy."**

Before I can ask what he means, he zips right through me – as in, he literally zips _through_ me like I'm not even there.

PAIN! It feels like someone fired a nail gun at my head from pointblank range! The pain is so intense that I lose my grip on my Windcleaver and crash to the ground while clutching my head.

" **I have entrusted you with the memories of my final moments. However, they will remain sealed away in the depths of your mind until you are deemed worthy. Whether you achieve this or not is up to you."**

"What…the h-ll are you talking about?" I groan as I struggle to turn around and address him directly. "Who are you?"

" **I am merely…"**

Black tinted winds surround the robed figure as he slowly turns to me.

"… **a remnant from a past long gone."**

The hood of his robe flutters in the wind. My eyes widen as I get a glimpse of the face hidden underneath.

"Wait… But you're-"

*Whoosh!*

The winds pick up in strength and quickly turn into a gale. And yet, the figure stands in the middle of it all, completely unfazed.

" **The road ahead is fraught with danger. Tread carefully, but never stop moving forward."**

"W-wait…" I groan out as I try to lift myself off the ground, with little success.

" **When you next wake up, your body will bear no marks of our meeting. When you try to recall, your mind will be blank. But your heart will remember."**

With a final, massive gust of black wind, the figure vanishes, leaving no evidence that he was here in the first place.

"Ungh!"

I crash back down on the ground as my strength fails me. This is bad! My head's killing me. My HP's low and falls further due to my bleeding wounds. My MP is hardly any better. I have to get my Concoction from my bag and restore my HP, but the pain makes it hard for me to even figure out how I'm supposed to accomplish _that_.

My vision's starting to blacken around the edges. No! I can't afford to pass out now! I have to restore my health. I can't fall unconscious. Have to stay awake…

…Have to get…

…

* * *

Cobblestone.

My vision's filled with cobblestone.

Why is my vision filled with- Oh, wait. I'm lying face-down.

I gently place my palms on the ground and push myself up with a groan. Man, it was bad enough sleeping on a field. Sleeping on rock just plain sucks.

"Oh, awake at last, eh, sonny?"

I turn my head to the right and spot Old man Hubba and Anna stand a bit away from me. There are a few others present as well, but they're not important.

"You sure had us worried there for a minute." the redhead remarks concerned.

I look around myself a bit before I address my traveling companions. "What happened?"

"That's what we'd like to ask you!" Anna replies.

"There was an energy surge that half the town felt." Hubba explains. "Gave us all a good jump scare. We found out it came from the clocktower plaza."

Anna nods. "Imagine our surprise when we found you lying facedown on the ground unconscious, right where that energy surge came from. Jack, what did you do?"

I try to recall as I get up on my knees.

"Ungh!"

 **Error! Memory has been locked. Cannot access contents.**

What the heck?!

"I… I don't remember…" I pant out as I clutch my head. "Everything that happened after I got to this place is a blank."

It's strange. It feels like I was just in the hardest fight of my life. But that can't be right. My HP is full, and none of my clothes bear any tears that a rough fight would give. Even if I were involved in a fight, it must've been one-sided, since I don't have any injuries. But that only contradicts this weird feeling that I actually lost.

I shake my head. "Ugh… This is giving me a headache. I can't even begin to puzzle out what happened here."

"The Outrealms are a place where strange things happen almost all the time, youngster." Old man Hubba muses. Then he shrugs. "You'd do well to learn that now. Whatever happened here, you can chalk up as one o' those mystery thingies. Though it's rare for it to happen in a hub world."

You know what, I'm done with this matter. I'm not getting anywhere with it, so I might as well leave it be and move on. And the first step is to actually get on my feet.

That's when I notice something slip off my shoulders. It looks like a cloth of some sort.

"Hm? What's this?" I ask curiously.

Anna raises an eyebrow. "Wait, you don't know? That thing was lying on top of you when we found you here. We thought you picked it up in a store. Though I must say, I've never seen anything like it."

I gingerly pick the dark purple piece of fabric off the ground. Let's see…

* * *

 **Spirit Cloak, Consumable, ?  
** _A mysterious cloak of unknown origins. While it looks like an ordinary piece of cloth to the untrained eye, it's anything but. Every fiber woven into it is saturated in spiritual energy, giving the cloak an ethereal vibe and glow.  
Allows the user to change classes into Reaper. Vanishes after use._

* * *

This item will let me change my class? Hmm… This might be just what I needed. My Traveler class will do me little good against Valm and the Grimleal. I don't know what this "Reaper" class has to offer, but I'm certain it'll be a major step up. Decision made, I place the cloak around my shoulders.

 **Do you want to change your class to "Reaper"? Warning: Once changed, you cannot change back to your previous class unless you use the appropriate item.**

Alright, let's do it.

Winds whip up around me after I selected the affirmative. The moving air picks up dust from the ground and obscures me from view. Sparks of mana fly around me and into various directions as the wind grows more intense.

"Gracious me, sonny! Yer sure ya know what'cher doin'?!" Hubba shouts over the wind while shielding his eyes.

I'm about to answer when the wind curls into a small tornado with enough dust to completely hide me from view and drowns out whatever I wanted to say. The sparking mana becomes dozens of continuous currents that oscillate around me. Next thing I know, they all flow together on me, glow brightly, and then burst in a shockwave that disperses the miniature tornado. Stray sparks flicker in the air around me as the air finally settles.

 **Congratulations! Your class has changed to "Reaper"!**

I notice that the Spirit Cloak transformed into a robe that replaced my traveling cloak from earlier. While it looks a bit tattered around the edges, I'd say it looks pretty stylish. More importantly, I can already feel a significant change in my power, all for the better.

I clench my fist in approval. This… This is just what I'll need for the battles to come. Perfect.

"Well, been a long time since I saw someone change like that." Hubba muses as he inspects my new look. He gives an appreciative nod. "A bit dark an' edgy fer my tastes, but it seems ta suit ya, sonny."

"Thanks." I reply idly. Then I look into his eyes resolutely. "I'm ready to head out whenever possible."

"You sure about that?" Anna asks. "At least take some time to check this place out. And you could stock up on medicine while you're at it."

I shake my head. "As interesting as this place is, I have more important things to do. I've got a training trip to complete…" I clench my fist as I close my eyes and picture the smiling face of the love of my life. "…and a promise to keep."

Hubba shrugs and heads off in another direction than the one I came from.

"Well, it's yer call, sonny. Still, it ain't ev'ry day ya get ta travel the Outrealms. If I were you, I'd stop ev'ry now and then and enjoy the view."

The old dude glances at one of the townspeople gathered here. Specifically, his sights are set on her…ample figure.

"Hee hee hee… Enjoy the view, indeed."

Anna and I roll our eyes as we follow him. Yeesh. Just when I thought I'd make it through this trip without having the old fart sound like some ancient pervert.

"Whatever." I reply dismissively. "Let's just go."

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner:**

 **Premium Heart, Blunt weapon, Base damage: 79, Unique  
** _The most powerful fist weapon ever wielded by the busty martial arts heroine of Midgar, Tifa Lockhart. The knuckles on this weapon are actually materia crystals with the rare ability to store excess energy released whenever the wielder is in a fight. The more energy is released, be it from dealing damage or receiving it, the stronger the blows become. Should the crystals be filled to maximum capacity, the wielder can expel all the stored energy in a single titanic punch.  
Wielding this weapon counts as fighting unarmed.  
Skills available when wielded: Limit boost, Final Heaven_

* * *

 **Teaser trailer:**

The sounds of a quill scratching over paper can be heard in an abandoned old library. The decrepit building is dark, save for a lone candle sitting on a desk. A young, silver-haired woman in a pink and purple jester's outfit sits by the candle, writing in a book while talking out loud what she's writing.

"On that day, their names were carved into history. The battle they fought would determine the fate of the continent for centuries to come – and, in turn, the whole world. No longer were they known as a mere militia. They were an army, worthy of respect and fear on the battlefield. Yet, little did they know, their legend had only begun. Their strength would soon be put to the test again, against a foe unlike any they had faced before."

The sound of a door opening echoes through the dark room. A teenage boy in a Plegian Tactician's coat enters.

"I thought I would find you here." the young man remarks. "Lucina sent me to tell you everything is ready for the ritual."

The woman stretches her arms over her head and sighs in satisfaction as her joints pop.

"Oh, it's time for that already?"

With a snap of her fingers, she casts a spell that dries the ink in an instant. She gets up from the chair and puts her supplies away. The book she wrote in is closed and gently scooped up in her arms.

"Thanks for the reminder, Li'l Bro."

As she leaves, the Tactician-in-training follows suit while pinching the bridge of his nose. An exasperated sigh escapes his lips. "You're the elder, and therefore, _supposedly_ the more responsible sibling between the two of us. So please remind me why _I_ keep reminding _you_ of important stuff."

The woman whirls around with a cheerful smile and her book held behind her back. "Because family sticks together, no matter how much we annoy each other. That's what Dad used to tell us, Morgan."

Morgan rolls his eyes. "Honestly, I think Father had something else in mind when he said that."

His words fall to deaf ears, however, as his elder sister leaves without giving any sign of acknowledging them.

"Hey, listen when I have something important to tell you, Rose!"

* * *

 **BGM: Archangel, Two steps from hell**

 **Two years of peace,  
shattered in an instant.**

"Our western neighbors of Valm are no longer acting so neighborly." Riami explains. "The emperor, who they call the Conqueror, has launched warships against us."

Chrom scowls. "An invasion? Are you certain of this?"

"Walhart has conquered our continent and now seeks to conquer yours." Cherche warns.

* * *

 **A new foe arrives from beyond the sea.**

"The Conqueror himself, Emperor Walhart, claims dominion over these lands!" the Valmese captain declares. "Now, kneel! And swear fealty to the mighty Valmese Empire!"

Chrom scowls. "We must stand against evil, in all its forms, or there can be no peace!"

* * *

 **Generations will band together.**

"I do not need the name of the Hero-King any longer. I choose to fight as Lucina now." Lucina declares with a smile. "The name that reminds me of the strength in the man and woman who chose it."

"A strength shared by the woman who bears it." Chrom adds proudly.

* * *

 **Will their combined strength topple the empire…**

Panne smiles. "I am pleased to see you, my son. You represent a new hope for our race."

Yarne gives her a deadpan stare. "No pressure there…"

"I was talking about your tears." Nowi clarifies. "If you're sad, you can talk to me."

"No, I… I have to be strong." Nah protests. "Everyone expects me to. I can turn into a dragon, you know? And that's not…normal. So I have to put on a brave face to protect everyone, just like you do."

* * *

… **or will they crumble under the Conqueror's might?**

"Feroxi soldiers are the finest east of the long sea." Frederick remarks with a troubled frown. "If they are having trouble, we are ALL in trouble."

"That's not the half of it." Flavia points out. "This was just the vanguard – but a taste of the meal yet to come."

Basilio sighs tiredly. "And once it arrives, their host will wash over the whole continent in weeks."

Lissa's jaw hits the ground. "Um, Chrom? Did she just say he has a MILLION soldiers?!"

"So much for fortune favoring the bold." Basilio sighs in resignation. "This war was lost even before it began."

Chrom slams his fist against a wall. "All our struggles until now, and we've yet to so much as _dent_ the empire…"

* * *

 **How far will you go…**

… **to protect what you hold dear?**

Jack points his sword at the slavers. "You angered the wrong father." he declares darkly.

* * *

 **Blind loyalty?**

Pheros scoffs. "I need not concern myself with what my actions bring. So long as I follow in the Conqueror's lead, I need nothing else, even if it is merely in his shadow. Such is his greatness."

* * *

 **Deceit?**

Yen'fay scowls at Excellus. "I have no sister."

* * *

 **Murder?**

"Does a pegasus join with the flea on its back?" Walhart snarls. "A dragon, with a cow it eats?"

* * *

 **Blood will be spilled…**

"Damn you, Yen'fay!" Say'ri shouts. "If you refuse to say anything, I will make your sword answer for you! Draw your blade, and let it sing your final words!"

As Say'ri and Yen'fay clash, a boulder plunges into the lava and lights up the moment of battle in a timeless silhouette.

* * *

… **yet neither side will yield.**

* * *

Walhart growls. "I have an army!"

Jack grins. " _We_ have Donnel."

* * *

 **For when this war ends…**

The Ylissean League storms against the Valmese army, ready to put everything on the line for victory. Their battle cry washes over the imperial soldiers as the clash grows imminent.

* * *

… **there will only be**

* * *

 **ONE**

 **LEFT**

 **STANDING!**

* * *

Jack looks up to find the Conqueror in front of him with his axe raised.

"This is nature."

The axe comes down.

* * *

 **Gamer Emblem Awakening:**

 **Battle of Valm**

 **Coming in January 2019**

 **(BGM ends)**

* * *

 **Merry Christmas and a happy new year, everybody. VipeR out.**


	12. Chapter 11

The Outrealm gate opens with a loud, rumbling noise. Three figures step out from the shining pathway behind its stone door. The first is an elderly man with balding hair and an easygoing grin. The second is a cheerful redhead with mischief in her eyes. The third is a figure garbed in a dark purple robe covering everything from head to ankles. The cowl on the robe obscures the head, hiding the face from the rest of the world. Instead, what demands the most attention is the weapon on the figure's back – a double-edged great sword with the blade shaped like a bat's wing.

The robed figure calmly looks around the peaceful landscape. A distinctly male voice sounds from within the cowl.

"This place looks as tranquil as ever."

The elderly man chuckles. "Ya know how it is in this world, sonny. Doesn't see much change even in a thousand years."

The party of three begin leave the now closing Outrealm gate and head north.

"Even so, I would have expected at least _some_ notable change here." the robed figure muses. "Perhaps I will notice something once I reach a town. After all, this is the first time I am here in…how long has it been?"

The redhead places a finger on her chin in thought. "Hmm… By my estimates, it should be roughly nine months since you last set foot here."

The robed figures stops in place, to the confusion of his traveling companions.

"Nine months? It would seem this moment is long overdue. I need to return as soon as possible."

The figure places his hands together and bows to the elder. "You have my sincerest gratitude for guiding me for all this time."

The elder chuckles. "No need 'ta be so formal, youngster. Not after ya spent ev'ry night sayin' _her_ name over an' over again. Also, ya might wanna drop the whole stoic act soon. It doesn't suit'cha."

The figure rises form his bow and nods. "Very well. Until we meet again."

The robed figure vanishes in a purple blur. The only trace he left behind is a small swirling dust cloud at his previous position. The countryside falls silent, save for the chirping birds.

The redhead looks at the fading dust cloud with a sweatdrop. "Boy, he sure was in a hurry."

The elder chuckles in response. "Judgin' from goin' all lovey-dovey durin' the second half of the trip, can't say I'm surprised. Li'l whippersnapper's got it bad."

* * *

It's a calm day in the capital of Ylisstol. The peace that the halidom has come to enjoy since the end of the war against Plegia allowed the people to settle in an easy daily rhythm that spoke of joy, if a little boredom due to the lack of notable action. While some crave for excitement, most people are content with the tranquil peace that has settled over Ylisse. Among the more divided between these two opinions are the palace guards. With no notable threat against the halidom or the exalt, the guards and soldiers have found themselves with a duty that has more or less become obsolete.

It is right in this dull, harmless atmosphere that a figure completely garbed in purple walks up to the palace gates. The guard currently stationed at the gate yawns before he prepares himself to question the approaching person, when they suddenly vanish from sight. The guard blinks at the strange sight, wondering if he didn't just imagine it. He returns to his previous seated position with a groan. Ah, what he wouldn't give for a patrol mission right now. At least those missions allow for more movement than standing on the same spot the whole day.

The figure reappears on the other side of the gate and shakes his head as he continues his trek undeterred.

"Hmph. And here I expected more from the palace guard. Perhaps a talk with the guard captain will stir things up a bit here…"

The robed man turns to the right and soon reaches a three-story building that he looks at intently. At that moment, a young girl with green hair and a surprisingly small amount of clothing walks out from the building. Taking note of the newcomer, she happily skips up to him.

"Hi! You're a new face here." she greets enthusiastically. "What'cha doing?"

The figure turns to the little girl. "I wish to meet with the exalt and Prince Chrom. Are they in the palace at the moment?"

The figure goes down on a knee until he's at eye-level with the girl and lightly lifts his cowl. "It's a matter of great importance."

The girl gasps as she sees the face hidden underneath. A massive smile lights up on her face. Just before she can glomp the newcomer with a happy cheer, he places a finger on her mouth.

"Shh. It would not do let the whole palace know I am here yet." At seeing the girl pout, the figure rises back up and offers his hand. "How about you lead me there?"

The smile returns to the girl's face instantly. "Okay! Wow, everyone will be so happy!"

* * *

The palace staff look at Nowi happily skipping down the halls. While that is nothing new in itself, they've never seen the young manakete do it while leading a robed stranger through the palace. Knowing Nowi's…demandingly playful nature, the staff wisely keep away from the spectacle that will no doubt erupt within a few minutes.

Nowi soon reaches the doors to the throne room. She turns to her companion while pushing the doors open. "Wait here a bit, okay?"

The figure nods without a word.

Nowi jogs into the throne room until she stops in front of Emmeryn. The exalt gives her a kind smile.

"Hello, Nowi. How can I help you today?"

Nowi returns the smile with one of her own. "You have a visitor, Emmeryn. He really wants to meet you."

On the exalt's left, a stalwart Great Knight frowns at the young manakete.

"Nowi, what did I tell you about proper etiquette last week, regarding speaking to royalty? And for that matter, what have I told you about letting strangers into the palace? For all we know-"

"Oh, don't be such a stick in the mud, Frederick." Nowi interrupts with an exasperated huff. "If anything, you should be happy this person's come to visit."

Then she turns to the man standing on the exalt's right. "And you should be happy about this meeting too, Chrom."

The prince of Ylisse raises an eyebrow at the statement. "Really? Who is this visitor that you're talking about, Nowi?"

The manakete turns around and heads back to the doors. "You're about to find out." she declares cheerfully over her shoulder.

Nowi opens one of the double doors and nods to the waiting man outside. "Okay, you can come in now."

"Did you make sure to ask whether I am even allowed to enter?" the figure asks.

The manakete pauses as she realizes her oversight and leans back into the throne room. "He's allowed to come in, right?"

Emmeryn smiles fondly at Nowi's antics. "Of course he may. If he has already earned your trust, I am sure he will earn mine soon as well."

The captain of the royal guard frowns at the easy admittance. "Your Grace, I must advice against this-"

"It would not do to keep our guest waiting, now would it, Phila?" Emmeryn interrupts with her smile still in place. In contrast, she practically radiates a sinister aura that has the Falcon Knight break out in a cold sweat.

"N-no… Of course not."

With the coast clear, Nowi turns back to the robed man and nods happily. The man nods back and walks in together with the young manakete. As he reaches the exalt, he takes a knee.

"It is an honor to meet with you, Your Grace. Long have I awaited this day."

Emmeryn nods in reply. "And I, in turn, am honored that you would travel so far only to meet with me. Now, what is the purpose of your visit?"

Before the figure can answer, Fredrick steps forward with a scowl on his face. "I know not who you are, stranger, but I must ask that you lower your cowl if you wish to stay in the presence of the exalt any longer. It is very rude in Ylisse to hide your face while speaking with another person, especially royalty."

The robed man rises and turns to the Great Knight. "I am a bit disappointed, sir knight. You would talk to me like that, after all we have gone through?"

Chrom raises an eyebrow. "Wait, you know Frederick?"

The figure turns to Chrom and nods. "Indeed I do, my prince. In fact, we all know each other."

"And how is that possible?" Fredrick asks confrontationally.

The figure reaches for his cowl. "It has been nine months since any of you here last saw me."

The cowl falls back – and reveals the face of a Shepherd not seen in the halidom for a long time. Only, he looks significantly older than the elapsed time would suggest.

"For me, it's been three years."

Chrom gapes at his long-time ally. "J-Jack?!"

The Outrealmer gives the Ylissean prince a warm smile. "It's good to see you again, Chrom."

* * *

 **Gamer Emblem Awakening:**

 **Battle of Valm**

* * *

 **Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here. 2019 is here, and with it, the first chapter of the Valm arc. While I'm trying to keep the optimism at a realistic level, it** _ **is**_ **indeed a new year, with new possibilities. Me? I plan to stay where I am for the time being and grow where I can, be it as a writer, in my profession or as a person in general.**

 **Something that several people have asked me these past few months is if I will continue writing beyond Awakening's storyline and if Jack will visit other worlds. Here's my answer at the moment:  
I've entertained the idea of writing a sort-of sequel to this fic. I already have some ideas for a Fates fic, but not nearly enough for a fully fleshed out story. The big point is that Jack won't be the center of that fic – it's an entirely different person, with a build that will be very different from Jack's. Jack **_**will**_ **appear in that story, but only a few times at most. Whether this idea grows into a fic or not is something I can only decide in the future. Until then, I want to concentrate on this fic.**

 **Now, onto some reviews:**

 **warrior of six blades:** If you're referring to Maria the Grimm reaper from the RWBY series, then you're…quite spot on. Though I imagine Jack's garment to be a deeper shade of purple. Somewhere close to the color of the Reaper Cloth from the Pokémon series. As for the true identity of his opponent, weeell…  
That'll be revealed in a future chapter XD

 **Guest reviewer:** Thanks. Though, to be fair, that reference is probably one of Donnel's most famous memes.

 **Anonymous:** Boy, do I have plans for the future children. Jack's interactions with Lucina so far barely even scratches the surface of his relationship with the 2nd-gen Shepherds. And don't worry. I already have a travel route planned out that should go smoothly.

 **LegacySpellsword:** Heh. Jack won't learn the style of his mystery opponent – at least not the conventional way. Besides, he's busy learning a different fighting style, and it's closely tied to something revealed here.

 _Do you have any idea how insufferable life is without a mate once you come of age? You humans think you have it bad, spending less than a decade in the thing you call puberty. Try a hundred years. –_ Nowi

* * *

 **Chapter 11:**

 **A promise kept**

 **POV: Jack**

Ha! Their reactions are priceless! Frederick's gob smacked face in particular. Ah, what I wouldn't give for a camera right now…

"B-but how?" Chrom asks in a shaken voice.

"Hm? How, what?"

"You look so much older than when I saw you last time. What happened to you, Jack?"

I snap my fingers. "Oh, that. Well, turns out time flows at different rates within the Outrealms. Each world has its own pace. As it turns out, the flow of time in this world is slower than most worlds I've been to during my journey."

I indicate myself with a flourish. "As you can see, this resulted in me aging faster than you guys. The aging varied depending on which world I was in, of course, but all in all, I've technically traveled for three years before I returned here."

"Were you aware of this when you started your journey?" Fredrick asks.

I shake my head. "No. It came as a surprise for me when I first discovered this. In fact, the change in the flow of time threw off my own sense of time. I had to ask for references in order to learn how much time had passed in this realm when I returned."

"Speaking of which, how did your journey go?" Chrom interjects.

I place a hand on my flexing bicep with a grin. "It was awesome! I'm better than ever and ready for action. Speaking of which…" I take a knee once more. "Reporting for duty, Captain Chrom."

Chrom smiles fondly at my action. "At ease, Jack. And…it's good to have you back."

I barely have time to rise from my kneeling position when Nowi glomps me from behind.

"This is great! Just wait 'til you meet everyone else. We've missed you, Jack."

I laugh lightly as I pat her on the head. "And I've missed you too, Nowi. But there's one person that I've been looking forward to meet again more than anyone else."

Nowi tilts her head to the side curiously (still adorable). "Are you talking about who I _think_ you're talking about?"

I nod and face the people in front of me. "When did any of you last see Robin?"

"I believe she is in her office." Frederick replies. "Ever since the war against Plegia, Robin has been busy managing the soldiers in the Ylissean army. As should be expected. Her Grace herself promoted Robin to the title of grandmaster-at-arms in recognition for her efforts in the war."

I raise an eyebrow. "Huh. Guess congratulations are in order then. Anyone else I should be aware of?" Now that I take a closer look, Chrom's armor _does_ look fancier. A quick Observe tells me that, yep, he's been promoted to Great Lord. Though I wonder how well the Fire Emblem serves as a shield. I mean, it's a sacred artifact. That kind of stuff usually isn't meant for taking hits on the battlefield – or ever for that matter.

Phila nods at my question. "Most of the Shepherds have been promoted in recognition of their war efforts. Those who were not, typically declined on their own volition in favor of pursuing different avenues as soldiers."

So, in short, they settled for Second Seals. Gotta have a look for myself sometime soon. But enough about that. I've got a love life to manage.

I gently pry Nowi off my back and raise my cowl over my head again. "Well, speaking with you all has been most refreshing, but I have urgent business to take care of." I bow to everyone, Emmeryn in particular. "By your leave."

* * *

It takes some searching before I notice the familiar signature behind a door. There's no doubt about it. This is her office. I reach for the doorknob, only to hesitate just shy of grabbing it. It's been months since we last saw each other. Does she…still feel the same for me as she did when we parted ways?

I shake my head at my own cowardice. For crying out loud, she's the main reason I returned in the first place! Course of action decided, I knock on the door tentatively.

"Come in." is heard through the door. Alright, here goes nothing. I grab hold of the knob, twist, and push.

There she is. Seated by a desk and going through more documents than I have probably handled over the course of my education. I notice a few changes in her appearance. For one, her hair clips are gone in favor of tying her hair in a ponytail, save for two bangs hanging at the front and framing her face. Second, I notice that her coat is a lot more decorated than I remember – a telltale sign of her promotion to the Grandmaster class and a testament of her hard work.

Robin raises her head and looks at me curiously. Even as I appear calm on the surface while walking towards her, my insides feel like they're twisting into themselves from sheer nervousness.

 **BGM: Homecoming, Naruto Shippuden OST**

"Can I help you?" she asks.

"…I have come to retrieve a certain object and fulfill a promise I made long ago." I reply. "It's a most…personal matter."

The Grandmaster (Dang, I feel proud of her!) raises an eyebrow. "I fail to see how I can help you with that. Especially since I don't even know what you're referring to."

"Oh, but you do." I answer and point at her. "What I am referring to is the medallion hanging around your neck."

Robin's eyes widen. "Wait… How do you know about that? Who are you?" she asks as she gets up from her chair and circles her desk.

"Simple." I reply as I reach for my cowl. "I'm the one who gave you that medallion in the first place."

Robin stands stunned as the sight of my face. A few tentative seconds later, she clears the last few steps between us and hugs me.

"You're back…" she whispers with tears escaping her eyes. "You're finally back."

I smile as I return the hug. "I told you I would return."

Robin buries her face in my chest. "I've missed you _so_ much."

"As have I you. There were many times during my journey when I was close to give up. The only thing that kept me going was the knowledge that you were waiting for me."

I slip out from the embrace and take a step back. "The time has come for me to fulfill the promise I made to you all those months ago. I realized that I never got to do this properly."

I reach into my robe, pull out a small velvet box and take a knee before her. "So I wish to ask you clearly."

Robin gasps as she sees the contents of the box – a silver ring with a rose on top, fashioned from the same material, and with an emerald fitted into the petals.

"Robin, will you marry me?"

Robin pulls me into a deep kiss before she gives me a smile full of tears. "Yes! All of my yes!"

Seeing her cry so happily for my sake, and knowing her love for me has remained as unchanged as mine for her, makes tears of my own well up in my eyes. As they begin to fall, I bring Robin into an embrace and hold her tight.

"I'm home…" I declare with my voice cracking from emotion. "I'm _finally_ home…"

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Side quest: Outrealm traveler  
** _After a long and arduous period of time, you've finally completed your journey. You've grown stronger, wiser and, thankfully, your sanity is somehow still intact (debatable). Yet as great a many sights you've seen in your travels, there is truly no place like home. After all, that's where the heart is. Welcome home.  
_ **Objective:** _Travel the Outrealms  
_ **Objective cleared!  
** **Rewards:** _You gain 5 000 EXP! You gain 1 000 gold!_

* * *

My smile is goofy. I don't care. I just proposed to the love of my life (again), and she accepted wholeheartedly. We've just arrived back at the Shepherds' barracks to share the good news. Right as we arrive, we meet Sully. Her armor reveals her promotion to the Paladin class, and she wears it with obvious pride.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up." the Paladin greets with a grin upon seeing me.

I return the grin with my own. "Good to see you again, Sully. How have things been while I was away? By the way, congratulations on the promotion."

"Hey, you never congratulated me." Robin huffs from my right.

I give my fiancée (I'm the happiest man alive!) a flat stare. "In my defense, I was busy proposing and rejoicing over your acceptance to focus on that tidbit. And honestly, what matters to me is that you're still you. Promoted or not, I love you all the same."

Robin smiles at me. "Oh, you…"

Sully rolls her eyes at our interaction. "Well, looks like you two finally decided to tie the knot. About d-mn time. Robin's had her head among the clouds while you were off to who-knows-where whenever she wasn't busy bein' the head tactician and stuff."

I hug Robin and give her an affectionate smile. "You had it as bad as me? You never told me."

Robin's smile turns affectionate as well. "I tried, but then the whole proposal happened. But now you're here, and I'm _not_ letting you go."

Sully snaps her fingers near our faces. "Hey, lovebirds! I'm still here."

We turn our heads to her while still in the embrace.

"You two got it bad, I get it! But Jack, if you wanna catch up with everyone, you've gotta focus on stuff other than your fiancée."

"Speaking of which, where are the others?" I ask.

"You'll find 'em all over the place. Gettin' promoted ain't just fanfare and fancy parties. Many who got promoted also got an important station to manage, and that takes responsibility. Take Robin for example. Her promotion basically made her top dog in Ylisse's army."

Yeah, Robin's awesome.

"And how about you?" I ask the Paladin.

A smile with a hint of sadism grows on Sully's face. "Me? I've taken over Frederick's job of trainin' the new recruits in the army. Big guy still visits from time to time for his fanatical fitness hour." She shakes her head in exasperation. "D-mn bozos think they're hot stuff before I drag 'em through initiation. Eight outta ten quit after the first day. Buncha pansies, I tell ya."

I sweatdrop at hearing about Sully's new duty. It was bad enough when Frederick roped the standing army into his fanatical fitness hour during war times. Having the only Shepherd who genuinely enjoys that hellish workout routine train the new recruits means Sully will either turn the Ylissean army into the strongest in the world, or have it die out because no sane person can handle the strain.

I said _sane_. These are the Shepherds we're talking about. The only thing stopping us from being branded a bunch of madmen/women is the fact that we actually get stuff done, including ending an entire war and marching through a desert just to prevent the execution of the most benevolent ruler ever.

"Yyyeah… Cool…" I reply hesitant. "Any idea where I can find the others? I _do_ want to catch up, after all."

Before Sully can answer, we hear neighing of a horse. We turn to notice Stahl arrive. Unlike last time, the man in green has a lot more armor on his body. Heck, even his horse wears armor. All of it points towards the dude being promoted to Great Knight. Dang. Stahl takes hits like a tank and dishes out punishment like one too, and that's as a Cavalier. As a Great Knight? He's practically a mobile fortress equipped with battering rams!

"Heya, Stahl. Back already?" Sully greets.

The green Great Knight waves in return and approaches us with his horse in tow. "Hi, Sully. We managed to finish up early, so I got back to the capital faster than expected."

That's when he takes note of me.

"Well, looks who's back. It's great to see you again, Jack!"

I accept Stahl's offered hand. "Same here, Stahl. Looking good. Like the armor."

Before our conversation can take off, we're approached by Vaike.

"Stahl! About time ya got back! Panne's been antsy these last few days, and no one knows how to calm her down."

The green Great Knight's eyes widen when he hears that. "Oh no, she's in heat!"

I raise an eyebrow. "Heat?"

Stahl nods. "Panne is…very in tune with her instincts. Turns out taguel mate on a cycle based on the moon. That's one of the reasons why I wanted to get back to the capital so early – the full moon's coming up tonight. And when that happens, Panne needs me, or else she'll go stir crazy."

"And you know this because…?"

A smile grows on his face. "She's my wife. Of course I need to know this sort of thing."

With that, Stahl runs off from the palace grounds. "See you in a week!"

I'm pretty sure my jaw hangs loose after hearing that. Hoping to find answers, I turn back to Sully.

"Panne and Stahl are a thing?"

The Paladin nods. "Yup. Took us by surprise when Stahl dropped the news on us. I've never seen 'im as a man of initiative, but d-mn, if he wasn't driven when he changed the whole menu just so our resident rabbit could join us for supper. And then Stahl just up and proposes, only for Panne to accept."

Huh. Guess Stahl's one of those people who only get in gear when it's something they're passionate about.

"But seriously… A whole week?" I ask skeptically. "How do they even manage that?"

Sully shrugs. "Turns out Panne doesn't care about soldier's pay, so she's struck a deal with Chrom. Instead of being payed in gold, Panne and Stahl get extra leave every month so Stahl can keep her under wraps until the whole heat thing blows over." Sully chuckles fondly. "By the time they get back, Stahl always has bags under his eyes."

Yikes… That's gotta be one _wild_ week.

"Well, if it ain't our favorite Shepherd from another world!" Vaike greets as he reaches us. "Long time no see, Jack, buddy. This place has been too quiet without Teach's greatest student."

I roll my eyes at Vaike's greeting. Same old Vaike. "Happy to see you too, Vaike."

Hmm… His garb looks different, though. "If I remember correctly, that's a Barbarians clothing, right?"

The blond man nods. "Sure is. Felt like a good idea to explore axe wielding from another angle. Broaden your horizons, or what they call it nowadays."

"Huh. And here I thought you'd get promoted. I mean, you fought hard in the war too, didn't you?"

Vaike scratches the back of his head. "Yeah, sure, but I didn't want to leave the others in the dust. Gotta keep pace with everyone so they don't feel overwhelmed with the Vaike's greatness."

Sully snorts. "Pfft. As if. The only good things ya did in the war was take a few hits and return it twice over. Good for a soldier, but nowhere good enough in Chrom's book to get'cha promoted. So he had to settle for changing roles instead. Not that this one's any different from the last one."

A tic mark grows on Vaike's head. "Hey, back me up here, Sully! I thought you were on my side!"

"Well, tough luck, love. No husband of mine's gonna advance in the ranks until he's d-mn well earned it. Which reminds me; ten laps around the palace grounds-"

"Can do!" Vaike replies confidently.

"-with my horse chasin' after ya!" the Paladin finishes. Vaike doesn't looks so confident anymore.

"Uh… Can still do, but I might need some time to, you know, warm up…"

Sully nods with a knowing smirk. "Sure thing. Just make sure you finish up soon, or no supper for you."

"WHAT?! Sully, you can't do this to me!"

"If you have time to whine, you have time to run. Now, mush!"

I sweatdrop again as I see Vaike do a few stretches before he runs towards the walls surrounding the palace. Two seconds later, Sully's horse comes barreling out from the stables in full gallop. I'm genuinely impressed. I only got to witness it for a moment, but Vaike looked like he kept pace with that horse before both vanished out of sight.

"So… You and Vaike, huh?" I ask Sully after I get over my momentary shock.

The red Paladin nods with a smile. "Yep. Didn't even see it coming first, but, h-ll, after all he did to earn my respect, I figured he'd be the only man around that I could even consider marrying. So, I accepted."

My word… With parents like those, Kjelle will hit like a truck. Also, those two actually form a cool couple.

"I suppose congratulations are in order."

"Thanks."

"By the way, any idea where I can find the others?"

Sully shrugs. "They've spread out, last time I checked. We generally stay within the palace grounds, but, well, this is a big place. Ya might wanna search thoroughly if you wanna find everyone."

I nod. "Yeah, I'll do just that – after I've settled back in my room."

"I suppose this is where we part ways then." Robin comments. "I've still got my duties as grandmaster to fulfill."

I turn and smile at Robin. "I'll see you later then. How does supper together sound?"

My fiancée smiles back. "That sounds lovely."

She leans in for a quick kiss on my cheek before she departs. "Love you."

I wave back as my smile turns goofy. "Love you back…"

…

"D-mn." Sully comments. "I'd tell you two to get a room, but I guess that's outta the question until the wedding."

I nod at her remark. "Yeah. As much as I want her, I'd like to hold back on the physical part until we're officially husband and wife."

I turn to the barracks. "Well, I'm getting settled back in my old room before I look for the others. Was nice talking with you again, Sully."

"Don't mention it. If anything, we're happy to have ya back. Oh, and you might notice that the place is more or less spotless. Frederick made it a point to clean your room every day in waiting for your return."

The guy cleaned my room everyday for nine months straight? Dang. And here I thought he couldn't get any more dedicated.

* * *

As I enter my room and look around, I notice that it looks exactly the same as I remember it on the day I departed for the Outrealms. The furniture sits in the exact same position, everything's as empty as when I left, and, as Sully told me, the place is practically spotless. I'd better make a note to thank Frederick for his hard work. Adding cleaning of my room into the endless mix of his daily tasks sounds more tiring than his routine already is.

Seeing as I'm checking my closet (which I don't even seem to need due to my slim selection of clothing), I get the chance to take in my appearance for the first time since I returned to Ylisse.

For starters, I've grown significantly taller. Whereas before I stood at 167 cm (or 5 ft 6 inches), I now stand at a solid 175 cm (or 5 ft 9 inches). While I managed to retain a slim build, the muscles on my body are tight and distinct, giving me the body of an athlete.

As for clothing, most of my body is covered in the purple robe I picked up during my travels. I still wear chain mail underneath it for extra protection. For my hands, I've settled for a pair of fingerless gray gloves with metal plates on the back. The boots on my feet have been switched out for a new pair. These new boots are meant to handle my fast-paced movements in battle, since continuous use of Gale step is murder on any pair of conventional boots.

My hair's grown significantly as well. Not only does it reach almost to my shoulders, it's grown spiky in the process. Thankfully, my hair consistently grows backwards and stays out of my face.

If I didn't know any better, one look in the mirror would make me think Axel from Kingdom Hearts decided to color his hair black and wear brown contact lenses. And just for the heck of it, I tap my temple with a smirk.

"The name's Jack. Got it memorized?"

I bet that'll make for a good first introduction. Or an embarrassing one. Better work on my entrance first.

Ugh… And I'm planning this even before we recruit Cynthia.

* * *

The air itself feels sinister when I open the door to Tharja's workshop. Every window in the room is sealed shut, letting only the candles inside provide light. My eyes eventually adjust to the dim lighting. That's when I notice Tharja sitting at a desk and reading a thick tome. Our resident expert on dark magic takes note of me and rises from her seat with a (by her standards) happy smile.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes. It's been _far_ too long, Jack."

I scratch the back of my head. "Um, yeah… Likewise, Tharja."

I had hoped to avoid this conversation, but Tharja's one of us. That means she deserves to know of my return just as much as the next Shepherd.

A quick look at her clothing shows that she's been promoted to Sorcerer. In a way, it's fitting. The only Shepherd – present and future – who would delve deeper into the dark arts than her would be Henry, and that guy's probably off having fun times with the crows right about now.

"You know, things have been awfully dull ever since you left." Tharja tells me as she approaches with a subtle sway in her hips. Great. She's got it as bad for me as always. And I doubt telling her that I'm engaged to Robin will actually dissuade her from trying anything.

"Oh? Care to share?" I ask, hoping for anything to distract her.

The Sorcerer shrugs. "Nothing much, really. Most of the Shepherds got promoted, some got married, including me."

That makes my thoughts screech to a halt. "Hold on. You're married? To whom?"

"That would be me, Buttercup."

Gaius seemingly melts out of the shadows in the room, clothed in an Assassin's cloak and with his ever-present lollipop sticking out from his mouth.

"'Sup. Been awhile. Looking good there."

"I could say the same to you." I reply with a smile. "So, how exactly did the two of you end up together?"

The Assassin shrugs. "Funny story there. Tharja here tries some hexes, I dodge 'em like the pro I am. She tries a few more, I still dodge them. Then she switches it up by casting a hex that makes me see her as attractive. She lifts the spell, and I _still_ find her attractive. So I popped the question, and we got hitched."

He just summarized their support conversations in less than a minute. Seems legit.

"You're no Jack, and you're certainly no Robin, but you've become a man I can appreciate." Tharja comments. "I suppose that's good enough for me. Even I realize finding a man who sees me for me and genuinely cares for me is difficult at best." A small, genuinely affectionate smile grows on her lips as she caresses Gaius's cheek. "That's what I love the most about you, Gaius."

Gaius smiles back as he leans his face ever so slightly against Tharja's palm. "Hey, you're the one who made me realize how much I like you. I'm still trying to figure this whole marriage thing out, but I do know the most important part is showing that I love you."

"I feel the same…" Tharja replies. "I'd better make sure to return the favor tonight. Candles or hexes?"

The Assassin's smile turns into a smirk. "Why not both?"

Tharja's smile turns sultry as she cups his other cheek and brings their faces close. "Oh, you tease."

I feel like I'm intruding on one of their moments. And it might just be my imagination, but it sounds like they're into some pretty kinky stuff. Better vacate the room ASAP. Before I do, however, Gaius slips from his wife's hands and faces me.

"So, I take it you're going around and catching up to everybody, Buttercup?"

I nod. "Yeah. Tharja's workshop was the closest, so I decided to check here first."

"Aw, that's so sweet of you, paying little ol' me a visit first." Tharja purrs. "But it would be such a shame for you to leave so soon. Why not stay a little longer? I promise to be a _very_ good hostess."

I slowly back away from the Sorcerer and towards the door. "Well, as generous as that sounds, I think I'll pass. Was nice seeing you again, Tharja. Hey, Gaius, think you can help me find some of the other Shepherds?

Gaius nods. "Sure thing. Follow me. See you later, honey."

Tharja sends me a look that should honestly be for bedchambers only. "You know where to find me, Jack. I'll _always_ have time for you."

* * *

After Gaius and I left the Sorcerer's workshop and made sure we're well out of earshot, I turn to the Assassin with freaked out eyes.

"What the heck!? She married you, for crying out loud! Why does she still sound like she's after me?!"

Gaius shrugs. "Guess she never really got over it. Trust me, it's not as bad as it used to be. At this point, it's mostly force of habit."

Deciding to leave that creepy topic be, I direct my attention to Gaius's garb.

"So, I noticed you and your wife got promoted. Congrats on that."

Gaius idly pops a bonbon into his mouth. "Thanks. I'm still kinda surprised with how it turned out. See, Tharja and I don't exactly dab into… _clean_ stuff. My work entails espionage, scouting, and, if necessary, assassination. As for Tharja… Well, Ylisse has never been known to teach much about the dark arts. That may change with her in charge."

"Tharja's teaching dark magic?" I ask surprised.

"She's more like the leading authority. You won't find anyone else in the halidom who knows more about that dark stuff than her, so Emmeryn allowed her to keep up her research as much as she likes – within reasonable limits, of course." A fond smile grows on his face. "You should've seen the fit she threw when she learned there's something called "ethical guidelines" when you conduct research."

Yep, sounds like Tharja, all right.

"Specs had to show her the ropes regarding that. Took about a month or two before Tharja got it down. A funny side effect is that she gotten nicer in the process. A little bit."

I raise an eyebrow. "Specs?"

"You know, the redhead who experiments on just about everything. Really good with magic, too. Emotional like a rock."

"Oh, you mean Miriel?"

"Got it in one. Speaking of which, this is her workshop."

Whereas Tharja's workshop felt sinister and creepy, Miriel's feel focused – like walking into a library. The only sounds we hear is the bubbling from a few beakers containing Naga-knows-what kinds of liquids, as well as the telltale sounds of a quiver gliding over parchment.

A little further in, we spot our resident scientist in all her academic glory, writing in a notebook with enough focus to block out all else around her.

That is, until she blinks and looks up to see me and Gaius. A small smile shows on her face.

"Ah, back at last. I take it your journey taught you much, Jack."

"Sure did." I answer with a matching smile. "And it looks like I'm far from the only one who learned more during my absence. I take it you were promoted to Sage." Well, Miriel's new robes kind of give it away.

"Indeed I was." the redhead replies. "I was granted the title of head researcher upon my promotion. With my new title, I can oversee the research of scholars from across the halidom while contributing with my own." Her smile returns, this time a bit wider. "A heavy responsibility, but one I find most fulfilling."

I raise an eyebrow. "Hold on, I thought Tharja was the lead researcher on dark magic."

"Let me explain, Buttercup." Gaius interjects. "It's true that Tharja's the biggest expert on dark magic in Ylisse, but that's because that's _her_ field. What Specs here does is organize everything that Tharja and her fellow researchers find in their work and put everything together. Did I get that right, Specs?"

Miriel nods. "Yes. As such, it is of utmost importance that I keep continuous correspondence with my fellow researchers, so that we may be able to cross-reference each other's work and determine which studies yield valid results and which that do not."

At that moment, the Sage reaches out and seemingly pulls a stack of papers out of thin air.

"Thank you, Kellam." Miriel says smiling.

I blink. Kellam's here? Where-

"*Ahem!* I said: It's good to see you Jack."

"Yikes! Kellam?! When did you get here?!"

Seriously! One moment he's not there, the next moment: Boom! He's right in front of me! How? He wasn't _this_ stealthy when I last saw him!

Wait… His clothes are different. He hardly wears any armor. In fact, his clothing more leans towards…

"Kellam? Did you change to become a Thief?" I ask.

The newly minted Thief nods. "Yes. I did so after discussing things with Miriel."

Miriel, in turn, adjusts her glasses. "While studying Kellam's uncanny ability to vanish from everyone's perception and remain undetected, even when he wishes to be seen, I entertained the thought of what would happen, should Kellam take on a role that specializes in stealth."

Gaius nods. "And that's where I come into the picture. Specs asked me to train Ghost in stealth some time after you left." The Assassin chews on the stick of his lollipop in mild agitation. "Imagine my surprise at how good he got at hiding after just a couple of lessons. I've honed my skills for years, but this guy? He's a natural."

I raise an eyebrow and turn to Kellam (at least, I _think_ he's standing in that direction). "Let me get this straight. Miriel and Gaius helped you turn the strangest part of your skillset into your greatest asset."

The Thief nods with a smile. "Yes. Instead of trying to be seen, now I'm trying to remain hidden from everyone. Once I started trying, I found it to be much easier than trying to be noticed."

"But I thought you wanted help in being easier to spot because you didn't like being missed." I counter concerned.

Kellam shakes his head. "Not anymore. I now know that if anyone truly cares for me, they'll learn to spot the signs of when I'm nearby. Miriel helped me realize that."

A small blush spreads over his face. "And when I did, I also realized how much she means to me. We eventually got married."

Huh… Well, color me surprised. I knew they'd get along well, but things might've gone smoother between them than I thought.

"Well, congratulations. For both of you, that is."

"Why, thank you." Miriel replies. "It may have been an unforeseen side effect, but a bond developed between Kellam and I while I studied him – a bond that led up to his proposal. It might be too early to make this statement, but our marriage may be the greatest scientific undertaking that I will engage in during my entire life." A blushing smile grows on the Sage's face. "One that I will carry out happily."

Yeah, these two are great together. They just…fit.

* * *

After parting with Miriel and Kellam, I decided to walk around the palace grounds some more, just to kill some time. Let's see… I've met up with Nowi, Emmeryn, Chrom, Frederick, Phila, Robin, Sully, Vaike, Stahl, Tharja, Gaius, Miriel and Kellam. That still leaves quite a few Shepherds left on my list. Heck, some meetings were so short, I hardly had any time to catch up with them properly. I might need another day or so before I'm done reconnecting with everyone.

"Hup! Hyah! Yah!"

Hm? That came from the sparring area near the Shepherds' barracks.

As I reach said area, the first thing I note is Frederick sparring with a young Fighter. Not only is that guy quite buff, he wields his training axe with surprising skill. Wait a minute… I only know of one person in the entire halidom who runs around with a brass pot on his head!

"Donnel? Is that you?"

The Fighter turns in my direction and reveals that, yep, it's Donnel.

Dear Naga, that guy's grown like a weed while I was away. He was a scrawny kid when I left, but now? The former Villager can easily compete with Chrom in sheer muscle mass, and it looks like he's not even done growing!

"Howdy, Jack! Boy, am I glad ta see you back here again!" the village boy greets.

"Um… Hi. Uh… You've grown…stronger."

"Ya think?" Donnel asks while looking at his arms. Dang, Vaike better step it up if he still wants to brag about his muscles. Donnel's becoming serious competition.

I give Donnel a flat stare. "Yes. Yes, I do. Seriously, what kind of training did you go through while I was away?"

"I can answer that question." Frederick interjects. "As per our agreement prior to your departure, I oversaw Donnel's training. While somewhat lacking in skill and strength at first, Donnel was quickly brought up to speed and met the qualifications for being promoted to a proper soldier. What you see here is the fruit of his hard work these last nine months."

I direct my flat stare towards the Great Knight. "Tell me, Frederick. How many rounds of your fanatical fitness hour did you drag this poor guy through before he got like this?"

"About a dozen." Frederick replies with a straight face. "It took some work, but once Donnel came into his own, his aptitude as a soldier shone through. I have never trained a more capable protégé." The last sentence was said with some pride leaking through.

"Aw, thanks, Frederick, sir." Donnel replies with a happy smile. "I first thought I wasn't cut out fer this whole soldier thingy. Heck, if it wasn't for Nowi, I'd have given up long ago."

I sigh exasperated. "Frederick, _this_ is why Chrom and the others insist you should hold back on your training program. Not everyone can survive your fanatical fitness hour."

"I fail to see how that is a valid point." the Great Knight replies. "In fact, I've recently considered making a double extravaganza version of my fitness hour. Double the time, double the exercises, twice the intensity."

"Pass." both me and Donnel reply with twin deadpan stares.

Frederick almost looks offended. "Come now, the results should speak for themselves. Did you two not grow significantly stronger after a few sessions of my training regimen?"

I shake my head. "Frederick, you only grow stronger from training if you actually survive it. Trust me, that extravaganza thing would send us to an early grave."

If I didn't know any better, I could swear Frederick's pouting. "Mark my words, Jack. This is an opportunity neither of you want to pass up. As you can see, Donnel training under my watch has yielded tremendous results."

At that moment, Nowi glomps the new Fighter from behind. "And now my hubby's all big and buff. Thanks, Frederick!"

Frederick nods. "It pleases me that at least _someone_ here appreciates my efforts. Of course, I shall bring up this proposal with milord first."

Come to think of it… Frederick's here. But where's his other half?

"Oh, you're finally back!"

We turn our heads to see Sumia run to us. Huh. Her armor's darker than I remember. Is that- Yep, she's been promoted to Dark Flier. Though…I wonder why.

"Whoops!"

Just when it looks like she's going to trip, Frederick's there in the blink of an eye and catches her.

"Oh, thank you, Frederick." the Dark Flier tells him with a smile of adoration.

Frederick shakes his head with a fond smile of his own.

"Honestly, Sumia, it amazes me how you are still prone to tripping. Perhaps we should take up your running training again."

Sumia nods. "That sounds like a good idea. I could use some extra running."

Then she turns to me. "More importantly, I'm so happy to see you again, Jack."

I smile back at her. "The feeling's mutual, Sumia. How have things been since I left?"

Sumia responds by reaching behind her breastplate and shows me a ring around a thin necklace.

"Frederick proposed to me a few days after my promotion. We've been married for around four months, and it's wonderful!"

"Nice. By the way, did you get assigned some duty upon that promotion?"

Sumia nods happily. "Yes. I'm in charge of taking care of the stables together with Ricken. Taking care of all those animals together is so much fun." A contemplative look forms on her face. "I just don't understand why people would shy away from such a duty. I love it, and so does Ricken."

Leave it to the resident animal lovers to take care of the stables. Though I wonder how they'll handle things when Minerva moves in. Based on Ricken's supports with Cherche, the little guy might be in trouble if left alone with the wyvern.

"That's nice and all… Except I never pegged you for a Dark Flier." I comment.

Sumia fidgets and averts her eyes. "Well… About that…"

"It should not come as a surprise once you get to know her more intimately." Frederick interjects. "She may not look like it, but Sumia has some…slightly violent tendencies. Heavily repressed, of course."

Sumia sends her husband a betrayed look. "Frederick, how could you?!"

"It is only for the good of everyone that we let them know, my love. I really should have known better than to let you finish that final volume of "Tales of a bloodthirsty Falcon Knight"."

Sumia pouts with tears forming in her eyes. "You can be really mean when you want to, you know that?"

"I do what I must."

While the Great Knight and the Dark Flier have their brief marital spat, I turn to Nowi and Donnel.

"So, I see you got promoted to Fighter." I remark while looking at Donnel's gear.

The former farmboy nods. "Yup. Outta the options I was given, this just felt right. Helps that I'm good with an axe."

Nowi gives a bright smile. "And as an added bonus, my Donnel shows a lot of skin. All those muscles, fully on display!"

Donnel blushes while I sweatdrop at Nowi's comment. _This_ is my adorable sister figure from nine months ago?

" _That's_ what you're concerned about?" I ask the manakete with a flat look.

"Of course it is." Nowi huffs. "Do you have any idea how insufferable life is without a mate once you come of age? You humans think you have it bad, spending less than a decade in the thing you call puberty. Try a hundred years."

A hundred- Okay, when she puts it that way, it kind of makes sense.

"Dang…"

"Exactly."

* * *

Seeing as Frederick and Sumia will be busy with their squabble for a while longer and Nowi will be busy snuggling up to Donnel, I decide to check the stables next. Just as I thought, I find Ricken in there, tending to Stahl's horse.

"There you go, boy. Now, off with you and get some fodder."

The horse snorts before he obeys the boy and walks to his part of the stables.

"Looking good, Ricken." I greet the little guy.

Ricken turns around and smiles upon seeing me.

"Jack! You're finally back. This is great!"

"Heard from Sumia you're taking care of the stables together with her."

Ricken nods. "Yep. I've always been good with forest animals, so stable duty felt like a natural choice."

A nearby horse starts to nuzzle the little guy.

"Hey, cut that out, Reinhardt." Ricken protests laughing.

"Hold on… Whose horse is that?" I ask. "And why in the world is it named "Reinhardt"?"

"Oh, he's mine." Ricken replies. "After I got promoted, I knew I'd need a good horse. Finding him was pretty much a stroke of good luck."

Now that I take a closer look, Ricken's definitely promoted to a Dark Knight. So, he named his horse after one of the most powerful Dark Knights to ever live in this world? In a way, I suppose it's fitting.

"What made you choose the path of a Dark Knight?" I ask him. "I know you're good with animals, but I never pegged you for a person who rides with them into battle."

Ricken scratches the back of his head. "Eh heh heh… It was mostly so I don't have to hitch a ride on L'Arachel if I want to stay close to Maribelle. Gotta make sure my wife is safe and all that."

"Oh, you're married now? Congrats."

"Thanks."

"Ricken? Who are you talking to- Oh!"

Ricken and I turn and find Maribelle at the stable entrance. Wouldn't you know it, she's promoted to Valkyrie.

"Nice seeing you again Maribelle." I greet the blonde. "Congratulations on getting married."

"Why, thank you, Jack." Maribelle replies with a curtsy. "I see you have changed significantly during the course of your journey as well."

I nod. "Oh, definitely. I'm ready for action whenever."

"Please don't say that." Maribelle replies frowning. "As Shepherds, our first and foremost duty is to protect the people of Ylisse. There will be no fighting unless an outside party makes the first strike. Do I make myself clear?!"

I wave off her answer. "Yeah, got it."

Maribelle sighs. "Well, I suppose I should feel reassured that you're at the very least motivated. While the peace has been enjoyable, I feel like morale just isn't what it was back during the war. Some people around here almost seem…slothful. Like they have lost the fire that comes with battling against hardship."

"I thought that's what we have Frederick for." I counter with a raised eyebrow.

"Indeed we do, but he cannot oversee the _entire_ halidom."

"Shh! Don't give him any ideas!"

The Valkyrie rolls her eyes. "Oh, come now. Surely you don't believe Frederick would actually attempt to steward the entire halidom, just because someone suggested that the people are growing complace-" A look of horror grows on Maribelle's face. "Oh gods… Oh gods, he would."

Just to be safe, I pulse a quick Mind's eye. Nope, the Great Knight is somewhere else. Probably still with Sumia.

"It's okay. He's out of earshot." I assure the married couple. All three of us take a moment to release a relieved sigh.

"So, I take it you were appointed some important duty upon your promotion?" I ask Maribelle after everyone's heartrate stabilized.

"Well, sort of." Maribelle answers. "As the heiress of the duke of Themis and Ricken's wife, our houses will no doubt share very close ties in the future. In fact, this may help me immensely in the pursuit of my goal."

"Which is…?"

"I wish to become a magistrate, Jack. One who brings justice and equality to all, irrespectively of the circumstances of their birth. Of course, reaching such an esteemed title is no small feat. I have much work ahead of me if I ever wish to attain that goal. Thankfully, my chances of reaching it will grow, if I am backed by Ricken's family."

"And I'd be more than happy to support her." Ricken adds smiling. "Maribelle has what it takes to become a great magistrate, I just know it."

"Thank you, my love."

Considering the social gaps between commoners and nobles in these kinds of societies, Maribelle's vision might be just what the people needs. Emmeryn may be a benevolent ruler, but she can't handle everything at once.

"Well, for what it's worth, you have my backing too." I state. "Sure, we got off on the wrong foot when we first met, but I know now that you're a genuinely kind and earnest person. Just remember: Power corrupts. So long as you remember your time with us Shepherds, I think you'll do great."

"I am well aware of that statement, Jack." Maribelle replies in a no-nonsense tone. "And, thank you. Your advice and support are most appreciated."

The soft neighing of another horse reaches our ears. That's when Virion walks in with a horse in tow. Bow Knight? Yep.

"Ah, greetings. Truly, it is a joyous day to be reunited with a long-lost comrade once more."

"Happy to see you too, Virion." I greet back. "So, you got a horse too?"

"Indeed." The Bow Knight answers. "Allow me to introduce my faithful companion on the battlefield, the steadiest of steeds: Innes."

The horse itself snorts and seems to stand as proudly as his master. Seeing those two stand side by side looks oddly comical. Like master, like mare.

"Innes, huh? After the Sniper prince from the theocracy of Rausten?" I ask.

"The very same." Virion replies with a proud smile and pats his horse. "Only the name of one of the noblest of archers in history fits my dear companion. He wears the name with pride, and I can assure you, I will do the noble prince justice with my own archery."

"That's an ambitious goal you've set for yourself, Virion." I remark.

"And mark my words, it is one I will fulfill." The Bow Knight counters confidently. "Before that, however, my foremost duty would be securing the happiness of my beloved Olivia."

I raise an eyebrow. "Olivia? The Dancer who helped us during the Plegian war?"

"The very same. She is not only a dancer of marvelous skill, she is also my fiancée."

"What do you know… Congratulations."

"Thank you, my friend. Our wedding is scheduled within two months. You are more than welcome to attend."

"But not in that outfit, Jack." Maribelle interjects. "Those robes are ill-suited for a wedding, and I'll never allow such scandalous garb be seen on my darling Olivia's big day."

I roll my eyes. "Hey, it's not that ba-"

I suddenly find myself staring down the tip of Maribelle's parasol.

"You _will_ submit to my command in this matter. Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?"

"Yes, ma'am." I answer meekly.

* * *

After making a quick escape from the wrathful demoness (read: barely let off the hook after a vicious tongue lashing from Maribelle), I made a return to the palace interior.

No, it doesn't have anything to do with me wanting to get away from the irate Valkyrie.

…

Okay, maybe _a little_.

The shuffling of someone stepping over grass catches my attention as I wander the palace gardens. Curious, I take a closer look and discover Olivia, immersed in a dance. While quite different from the dance I saw her perform during our final battle against Gangrel, it's no less mesmerizing.

Hey, this might be a great time to catch up to her (for as little as we interacted).

"Hello, Olivia."

"EEP!"

Wow. She ran…very fast. Yeesh. I know social anxiety can be crippling, but this is just absurd.

"Ah, I see you've met up with my beloved." I hear Virion remark.

I turn to my left and spot the Bow Knight walk up to me.

"Yes, and I somehow scared her away a second later." I reply.

"Ah, that might be because she has yet to grow comfortable with your presence, I believe. After all, when the subject of you came up while you were off traveling, my dear Olivia confessed that she hardly got to know you."

I nod. "I suppose. Still, her running away from me the moment I try to talk with her could get troublesome, since we'll work together in the future and all that. She _is_ still a member of the Shepherds, right?"

"She is." Virion confirms. "Hold a moment. I'll get her here, if you wish to speak with her."

"Please do."

A few minutes later, Virion returns with the shy Dancer.

"So, uh… Hello…" I begin tentatively.

"H-hello. You're…Jack, if I remember correctly." Olivia replies carefully.

I nod with an easy smile. "That's me. We fought side by side during the battle against Gangrel roughly a year ago, remember?"

Olivia nods. "Yes, I recognize you now. You and Lon'qu fought so well together. I've seen his swordsmanship before, and it amazed me that there was someone who could work with him in tandem so easily." A smile grows on her face. "And then there was the time you danced with Robin. It was beautiful."

I scratch the back of my head. "Thanks. Though, honestly, that was mostly me flying by the seat of my pants. I'm still amazed we managed to pull it off so smoothly."

"Yes, Robin told me the same thing. But that only made it more beautiful. Two lovers taking the dancefloor in the spur of the moment and putting on a marvelous display of partner dancing. I sure wouldn't dare do that."

I take a quick glance at Virion and give the Dancer a knowing smile. "Oh, I think you might. At least if your dance partner is a skilled dancer himself. Wouldn't you agree, Virion?"

The Bow Knight catches on and returns my smile. "Why, I agree wholeheartedly. The world deserves to know of your dancing prowess, my love, solo or paired up."

A blush spreads along Olivia's cheeks. "What?! But- But I-"

"Now, now, dear. No need for your usual modesty. Dancing is your forte, and no one may tell you otherwise."

"Oh, thank you, Virion."

D'aaw. Seeing those two interact is the perfect recipe for warm, fuzzy feelings. Virion may be a womanizer until he settles down, but he's also a true gentleman, making him among the best men at making Olivia feel comfortable when talking. Their S-support hits that feeling home.

Well, seeing as the Dancer finally feels comfortable with me around, I might finally get the answer of a question that's been bothering me ever since I first saw her.

"Say, there's something that I've been meaning to ask you for a long time, Olivia."

Olivia blinks as she exits her romantic moment with her fiancée. "Oh? What do you want to ask?"

I point at the air around her. "Why do you sparkle so much?"

 **AN: No, really. Have any of you noticed how much Olivia's Dancer model sparkles in the battle/dancing screens?**

Olivia blinks a few times. "Well, I'm not so sure myself. According to my mother, it's a trait that's been passed down among women in my family for generations."

My eyes widen at her choice of words. There's no way… "Uh, you last name wouldn't happen to be "Armstrong", would it?"

Olivia shakes her head. "No. I wasn't born in a noble family, so I have no family name to speak of." She smiles a few moments later. "Though it does have a nice ring to it. How about it, Virion? If we ever pick up a family name, maybe we should settle for that one?"

Virion rubs his chin in thought. "Well, the idea certainly has merit."

Did I just help in founding the Armstrong family? Does this mean Ylisse will become Amestris in the future? Or…maybe I'm just overthinking it.

* * *

Some small talk later, we go our separate ways. I've wandered the palace halls for a few minutes when I meet up with two people I'd hardly considered would stand so close to each other.

"Hey! There you are! I'm so happy to see you again, Jack!" Lissa shouts as she jogs up to me.

"Nice to see you too, Lissa." A quick glance shows that her dress has gotten armored parts on various parts of her body. All points towards the young princess being promoted to War Cleric. "And congratulations on your promotion."

Then I direct my attention to the other person. "Same to you Lon'qu. Looks like you've kept up your training, just like you told me you would. And don't worry. I've trained hard during my journey."

The Myrmidon-turned-Swordmaster nods with a hint of approval. Yup, same old Lon'qu, but now with a whole new degree of badass.

"By the way, you seem unusually comfortable being around Lissa." I remark. "Last time I saw you, women still made you uncomfortable."

Lon'qu scowls and looks away.

"That's because Chrom made him my bodyguard upon promoting him." Lissa explains.

"You need a bodyguard?" I ask surprised.

The War Cleric huffs. "Ever since Gaius caught wind of an assassination plot on me and my siblings, Frederick and Chrom have practically armed themselves to the teeth and made sure both me and Emm are protected at all times. Chrom appointed Lon'qu to be my bodyguard until this whole mess is resolved. The worst part was that neither of us wanted this, but my brother wouldn't have any of that, so we had to stick around each other."

Lon'qu nods. "As uncomfortable as it was at first, this bodyguard duty had the unexpected side effect of helping me grow comfortable around women again."

"Except it only works around me." Lissa counters. "When Maribelle walked up and told you to keep me safe, you almost freaked out."

"She stood too close!" Lon'qu protests indignant.

The princess rolls her eyes. "Oh, please. You _always_ think women stand too close."

"It's not so bad anymore."

"Yeah, with a difference of three inches compared to last month."

I look back and forth as the two continue their banter. A sweatdrop forms on my head as they trade arguments like it's some kind of spar. Huh. Not only does this look like great exposure therapy for Lon'qu, Lissa may well have met her match in banter. Chrom may have thought this arrangement through more than Lissa gives him credit for.

"Well, unless you two are done arguing like an old married couple, I think I'll go look for someone else to catch up with." I tell them flatly.

"Wait, you can't just leave like that!" Lissa shouts indignant. "You didn't JUST train while traveling, right? You must have seen all sorts of places on your journey."

I nod with a smile. "Sure did. Not even an hour into my journey, and I had already reached a place that neither of you could even imagined existed. And that was just the first day."

"Wow! That sounds incredible! I wish I could make a journey like that too!" Lissa gushes happily. Then she blinks and points at something. "By the way, is that a new sword on your back?"

Huh. I was wondering when someone would point it out. I mean, it's pretty big (And not compensation!).

I draw the weapon on my back and present it to the pair. "Lissa, Lon'qu, allow me to present my new go-to weapon; Harvest Moon."

Lon'qu looks at my weapon with visible interest while Lissa practically has stars in her eyes.

"Wow! I've never seen a sword like that."

I smirk and twirl the sword a few times. While in motion, the hilt elongates until it becomes as long as the shaft of a spear and the blade shifts at a 90-degree angle. I place my transformed weapon over my shoulders, now holding it with my left hand instead of my right.

"It's also a scythe." I state proudly.

Lon'qu's interest increases markedly (by his standards) while Lissa gapes in open shock.

"Holy crow! Did your sword just transform?!"

I shrug. "More or less. That's the thing with Harvest Moon. This weapon is designed to be able to shift between being a sword and a scythe whenever I want."

Ah, yes. Harvest Moon, my very own go-to weapon. Maybe not a masterpiece on the same level as divine weapons like Falchion, but I dare say that this weapon is in a league of its own. It took me months to come up with the design, gather the materials needed, and work out the kinks in the transformation mechanisms before it was complete. The hardest part was forging the weapon, due to the amount of detail that went into designing each specific part on the inside to slide into place correctly whenever it transforms. I have no idea how Qrow even got the idea to make a weapon like this himself, while still being able to integrate a gun into the design, but I now have no doubt that the man is at least as much of an engineer as an accomplished huntsman and unrepentant drunk.

On the other hand, gathering the materials was the easy part.

* * *

 _ **Flashback**_

 _MUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDA-_

 _ **Flashback ends**_

* * *

Lynel hunting. Good times…

Lissa raises an eyebrow. "I get the sword part, but how does the scythe part work?"

I twirl Harvest Moon a few times to shift it back to its sword form and replace it behind my back. "That's for real combat only. Scythes aren't meant for fighting – they're meant for killing." The last part was said with a slight edge. Thankfully, both Lissa and Lon'qu pick up on it.

A smirk grows on Lissa's lips. "Well, you're not the only one who got a new weapon."

That piques my curiosity. "Oh? Do tell."

Lissa reaches behind her back and- Holy dragonstones, that's a big Hammer! As in: the mallet head alone is almost as big as Lissa herself! Where did something that big- Don't tell me she picked up that mallet space trick from Frederick. That's just weird.

What? At least I can explain _my_ case with an enchanted bag. Frederick's mallet space is just pure animé logic!

"Cool, huh?" Lissa asks proudly. "I had this thing custom made after training with Libra and Frederick on how to wield a hammer. I call it: Betty."

I give the War Cleric a flat look. "Betty? Really?"

Lon'qu shakes his head. "Don't ask. Just don't."

I blink as I look at Betty one more time. "Please explain to me why Chrom thinks you need a bodyguard when you've trained to swing _that_ thing around."

"Because Chrom and Frederick are paranoid mother hens who always raise a fuss the moment they think me or Emm are threatened." Lissa huffs. "And by threatened, I mean as little as getting scraped against a branch while walking through a peaceful forest."

Lon'qu nods. "It's true. It actually happened once. Chrom cut down the tree before I could even blink. We later used it to make a new door for the Shepherds' barracks."

Oh, so _that's_ why the door to the barracks seemed to be in such nice condition.

I raise an eyebrow. "Overreact much?"

Lissa sighs. "You don't even know half of it."

One thing that I took note of when with Lissa was that there wasn't any ring around her ring finger. I know the whole assassin thing happens in her supports with Lon'qu, but it doesn't look like they've grown that close. Hmm…

* * *

"What's this? Friend is back from traveling?"

I turn around and spot Gregor approach me. Old man looks better than ever. He even wears the signature armor of the Hero class.

"Hey, nice to see you again, Gregor. How have things been while I was away?"

"Gregor do much training. Also, side jobs for filling of purse. Merriment very expensive."

"You've basically been busy training and partying for the last nine months?"

"Yes, very busy training of wee one."

That makes me raise an eyebrow. "I didn't take you for the teaching type."

The middle-aged Hero nods. "Gregor busy with the juggling of training self and training wee Ricken. Young boy want to learn wielding sword."

Oh yeah. Dark Knights use swords as their secondary weapons.

"Ricken show good talent." Gregor states proudly. "He follow Gregor closely and learn from watching. Feels nice for having admiring boy."

"Sounds like you've gotten more generous in my absence." I remark smiling. "Had this been before I left, I would've expected you to charge him a small training fee."

"Oi! Do not be giving wee ones ideas!" Gregor exclaims nervously. "True, Gregor train Ricken for free as acting from kindness, but only one-timing-thing. If always give freebie, Gregor's purse grow empty."

"Yeah, I see what you mean. Guess that explains your side jobs."

As Gregor nods, I notice one of the few Shepherds that I've yet to catch up with – and hardly talked with, for that matter.

"Hey, Libra. You seem well."

"Ah, Jack, how good to see you back again." the War Monk greets back. "When Her Grace told me the news, I had hoped to speak with you as soon as possible. I never _did_ thank you for what you did to save her during the war against Plegia."

I wave it off. "You're welcome. While appreciated, it's not like people haven't thanked me for that before. I mean, I'm apparently a folk hero in Ylisse for accomplishing that feat. There's no shortage of people who appreciate it."

Libra shakes his head. "Yes, you are indeed considered a hero in Ylisse for that, but that is not the entire reason for why I wish to thank you. My reasons are more…personal."

"How personal are we talking here?"

"It is quite simple, really. As a member of the Shepherds, I found that I have more liberty in speaking with Her Grace more often than had I never joined. After the war, the two of us ended up speaking quite often. In time, this developed into friendship." Libra explains happily. "Had you not intervened, I never may have found such a kind friend in Exalt Emmeryn."

"Well, you're welcome, then, Libra."

I address the two of them at the same time. "So, anything else happening while I was gone?"

A grin forms on Gregor's face. "Libra not entirely truthful with befriending. Is very fond of exalt, yes? VERY fond."

A small blush appears on Libra's face as he looks at Gregor indignant. "Wh- Do you even realize what it is you are talking about, Gregor?! I mean- I…"

"I don't hear you deny it, Libra." I comment smirking. "So… You and Emmeryn, huh?"

The blush grows. "Ah, well… I do not deny that Exalt Emmeryn is as beautiful as she is kind… And during the talks we've had, I have indeed grown fonder of her." Libra shakes his head. "But pursuing such a relationship would be foolish. My station is far too low for me to even _ask_ about courting her."

"Friend should not worry over station, no?" Gregor replies with an encouraging smile. "Libra very fond of Emmeryn, and Emmeryn very fond of Libra. Is worthy of trying, yes?"

"I agree with Gregor." I chime in. "Think about it, Libra. The royal family of Ylisse isn't known to put that much weight regarding stations. If they did, many of the current Shepherds wouldn't even be here due to their background, including any of us three. Chrom and Lissa accepted us with open arms, and Emmeryn, in turn, did the same."

Libra shakes his head. "I appreciate you two trying to encourage me, but I still believe it would be an exercise in futility. I mean; me? A simple priest? What chances do I even have with Exalt Emmeryn?"

I smile and indicate behind the War Monk. "Why don't you just ask her?"

Libra freezes up before he slowly turns around – and finds Emmeryn standing behind him, as regal looking as ever and with Phila standing nearby like usual.

"Hello, Libra. I could not help but overhear a bit of the conversation you had with Gregor and Jack, and I believe I heard my name mentioned. Is there something I should know about?"

I may have seen the Libra in a hurry before, but I've never seen him outright frightened.

I lightly clap him on the shoulder (which makes him almost jump in fright). "You've got this. Just ask." I whisper in his ear. I then address Gregor. "Gregor, how about you show me some of those moves you used during the war? I've been trying to recreate them during my travels, but it feels like I'm missing something important.

Gregor quickly picks up on my plan and plays along. "Gregor would be happy, but only if friend is paying of fee."

I roll my eyes. "Oh, fine. But no more than 100 gold pieces."

"No no no. Too little. Jack need at least 300 gold pieces for paying of fee, yes?"

"Unacceptable! That's way too high! If you're so intent on twisting my arm, I'm willing to pay you 120, but not a single gold piece higher than that."

"Oi! Friend being cheapskate is bad for business relationship, no? Gregor's purse not as heavy as needing to be. Needs gold for food, yes? Can give small discount, but not lower than 280. Jack in agreement, yes?"

"No, Jack NOT in agreement! You might as well rent a room at the closest tavern in the capital for that amount of money. 140!"

"Friend really make with twisting of Gregor's arm! Any lower, and Gregor too poor for supper! 260!"

And so our haggling act continues until I'm sure we're out of earshot. Now, if only Emmeryn had a way of telling Phila that she's having a private conversation with Libra…

* * *

"Think you can have that arranged within three hours?" I ask the kitchen staff.

"Of course! Just leave it to me, young man." the kitchen matron replies cheerfully.

After me and Gregor had finished our little wingman act, we went our separate ways. Gregor had some errands to run in town. As for me, I went to the palace kitchens for some supper arrangements. Even though I've lived within the palace grounds for some time and even visited the kitchens once (while fighting off an assassin), I've never had time to get to know the staff working here. Most importantly, I've never met with the kitchen matron until now; a motherly woman in her early 50's who conducts her work with passion that I normally only see when Gaius and sugar are involved.

I nod at her reply. "Thank you. And I apologize for putting this request in on such short notice."

The middle-aged woman waves off my concerns. "Oh, don't think too much of it, son. I'm more than happy to help arrange this little supper surprise of yours. I can tell this girl means a lot to you." She stares into space dreamily. "*Sigh* To be young again."

Will me and Robin get like that when we reach our 50's? Eh, better leave those thoughts untouched.

"Well… I'll leave it to you, then." I answer and make a hasty exit from the palace kitchens.

Passionate she might be, but being close to her makes it feel like I'm in the presence of a doting mother to the point that it makes me uncomfortable. Sure, she's the kind of woman any home would love to have, but the amount of care she puts into everything she does sometimes feels a bit…overwhelming.

Uncomfortably doting mother figures aside, the arrangements mean I have about three hours to kill before my appointed supper with Robin. What to do, what to do…?

"Ah, so here is where you are."

I turn around and find Chrom in the company of the one who called me. The last of the Shepherds that I've yet to catch up with: Cordelia.

"Good to see you again, Cordelia. How have things been for you?"

"It's been wonderful, Jack." Cordelia replies smiling. "I've had the joy of living together with the royal family, and it always feels like a warm home. I truly have Chrom to thank for this opportunity."

A quick glance on her outfit reveals that she's been promoted as well. Falcon Knight, by the looks of it.

"Looks like a promotion came along the way." I remark.

Cordelia scratches her cheek. "Yes. I was promoted in recognition of my efforts during the war. Still, it feels a bit…shallow somehow."

I raise an eyebrow. "How come? You fought just as hard as everyone else."

The Falcon Knight nods. "Yes, but my promotion mainly concerned me landing the killing blow on Gangrel. Honestly, I never could have done it without you, Jack. You're the one who gave me the courage I needed to fight, and you also distracted him long enough for me to land that killing blow. I feel like I stole the honor of facing down the Mad King from you."

I wave off her concerns. "I don't mind. To be fair, I'm not sure if I would've walked away from that battle alive if you hadn't been there. Taking down Gangrel was a team effort, and let no one tell you otherwise. Besides, I think you deserve that promotion. The fact that you can wield Gradivus speaks volumes about your combat prowess. Speaking of which, were you appointed any specific duty upon promotion?"

Cordelia nods. "Yes, in a way. Captain Phila has personally taken me under her wing. I am to become the next wing commander of the Ylissean Pegasus Knights."

"You don't seem particularly excited about it. Why the dejected face?"

"Jack, do you remember where I served in Ylisse's army before I joined the Shepherds?"

I mull it over before I remember. "Yeah, it was the Ylissean…Pegasus...Knights…" Oh… Ooooh!

Cordelia nods. "Jack, this isn't just about me taking command of some haphazardly picked unit. Captain Phila is asking me to command the very unit that had once been my family." Her face grows somber, despite Chrom's reassuring embrace. "I… Am I truly worthy of taking up such a duty?"

I walk up to the Falcon Knight and gently place a hand on her shoulder. "Cordelia, look at me." As we make eye contact, I continue. "I believe there's a bigger purpose behind this decision than just giving you a responsibility. Do you remember when Phila told you about keeping the legacy of your late knight-sisters alive?"

At Cordelia nodding, I nod back. "Guess it's almost time. I don't know what it takes to be the commander of an entire squad, but I think that's what Phila wants you to gain with your new position. You have finally moved on from the death of your knight-sisters, and as you walk forward, you'll lead the Pegasus Knights to greatness."

A tear forms in Cordelia's right eye before she hugs me with a smile. "Thank you, Jack. I think…I finally understand. I will not fail Captain Phila's expectations."

"I fail to see how you ever could." I reply jokingly.

The married couple laughs along with my joke.

* * *

 _ **Time skip: Three hours later**_

I arrive at Robin's office right as she exits and stretches her arms upwards. A satisfied sigh escapes her lips as a few joints pop.

"Finished for today?" I ask my fiancée as I greet her.

Robin turns in my direction and smiles at seeing me.

"Yes. I can finally relax for the day."

I grin and show her the whicker basket in my left hand. "Great! That means we can have that supper I proposed."

Robin raises an eyebrow while eyeing the basket. "Are we doing what I think we're going to do?"

"Yep. I had the kitchen staff prepare our supper as a picnic. There's a tree growing on top of a hill outside the capital with a nice view of the landscape and the horizon. I figured we could sit there and enjoy our meal."

Robin's smile brightens as she sidles up next to me. "Well, aren't you quite the romantic? What brought this on?"

"It's been nine months since we last saw each other, so I thought it would be nice if we could have some time alone again, just the two of us."

"I'm all for it."

Our walk is done in comfortable silence. Neither of us have much to say and simply prefer to stay with the other. As we arrive at the spot outside the capital that I mentioned, I unfold the cloth on top of the basket and place it near the base of the tree. We make ourselves comfortable on the cloth and finally start to dig into the contents inside the basket. Bread, fruit, small salads, a meat pie, a bottle of milk with complimentary cups. Wow. The kitchen matron went all-out in her preparations.

"I've looked forward to this all day, Jack." Robin tells me as we get started on our meal. "Honestly, I first thought we would eat in the palace, but this is a pleasant surprise."

"That's what I was aiming for." I reply. "Hopefully, you'll be able to relax more by eating somewhere far away from all the duty."

A tired smile escapes her lips. "Oh, I definitely will. You'd be surprised how much work being the lead tactician of an entire country's army can be."

My thoughts return to the sight of seeing Robin's desk covered with documents. "I think I have an idea."

The entirety of the basket's contents are eventually eaten, leaving only the now empty containers where all the food lay. Man, that was one awesome supper. I'm about to address Robin when she stands up. I only have time to raise my eyebrow before she sits back down right in front of me, leans back against my chest and releases a satisfied sigh.

Robin looks back at me with a smile. "This supper was wonderful, Jack. I needed this more than I thought."

I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her closer. "I'm just happy I get to spend this moment with you, Robin. Even with companions on my journey in the Outrealms, I always felt lonely without you. I hope we never have to separated for so long ever again."

"Me neither." she replies as we watch the setting sun. "It's strange." she muses as she places her hands on top of mine.

"Hm? What is?"

"How our lives turned out the way they did. About a year ago, I woke up on a field with no memories of my past, and the first person I met was someone who seemed as lost as I was." She turns her head and smiles at me. "But look at us now. We became part of a militia that protects the people of this country, fought our way through an entire war, decided to marry each other, and now we sit here, just the two of us, enjoying the sunset together without a care in the world."

I smile back at my fiancée. "And I wouldn't have it any other way. Without you, I might've ended up wandering this world completely lost. By meeting you, I feel like I found a purpose with my life – a place in this world. And that place is right by your side."

"I feel the same."

No more words are necessary. Our lips meet in a tender kiss. That's how we stay until the sun sets completely; cuddled up under the tree and enjoying the simple pleasure of being with each other.

* * *

We return to the palace some time after it's gotten dark. I had a clone return the basket to the kitchen while I accompanied Robin back to her room.

"Well, here we are." I remark as we stand by the door.

Robin nods smiling. "Thank you for the time I got to spend with you, Jack. I'm so happy to have you back here – that you kept your promise."

I smile back. "And I'm happy that you waited all this time for me. But I haven't fulfilled my promise just yet."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "There's more?"

"I promised that I would make myself worth the wait. I still need to fulfill that promise as well."

Robin giggles. "You already have, silly."

"No, I haven't. We're not even married yet."

Robin brings me into a hug. "You're missing the point, Jack. Just having you return to me made every day I spent waiting worth it. Everything you do after that is more than you promised to me."

"Well, I _did_ promise myself that I would make you the happiest woman in the world." I reply as I bring my forehead against hers. "And I'll devote every day we spend together to reach that goal."

There we stand, losing ourselves in each other's gazes. Our lips join together in a kiss, which grows deeper and more passionate as time goes on. In turn, our desire for each other grows, which further fuels our mutual passion and results in a positive feedback loop of-

Robin quickly places her hands on my shoulders and pushes me away. I stare with a mix of longing and confusion as we both breathe heavily from our make out session. Why would she- Oh…

"Too soon?" I ask between breaths.

Robin nods her head. "Too soon."

I think she made the right call. Had neither of us stopped, we'd most likely get more intimate than we intended before our wedding. That being said, a major part of me screams in frustration over being _this_ close to join with the love of my life in the most intimate manner possible. Down, libido! Your time will come, but it is not now!

"I, uh… I think I'll go cool off somewhere." I say while trying to avert my eyes – keyword being _trying_ – knowing that the more I look, the greater the temptation will grow. Easier said than done, though. The sight of my fiancée panting with her face flushed and a look of barely restrained desire for me turns me on like nobody's business! "A barrel of ice cold water sounds handy right about now."

Robin does her best to avert her gaze as well, though she _does_ sneak a few glances at me every now and then, only to quickly look away again. "Y-yeah. And I should retire early for the evening. Head to bed and get some rest. But feel free to come here again if you need anything." Her face lights up like a lamp. "N-not in my bed, though! I meant _outside_ my room! Ah, I mean, you're free to enter my room! Just-"

"No, it's okay!" I interrupt with a matching blush. Mental images of me and Robin getting naked and performing all kinds of bedroom activities flood my mind, pushing my restraint to the breaking point. Back, lustful thoughts! Back, I say! "I'd better leave now! See you in the morning! Love you!"

Robin nods. "Yeah! Love you back!"

She quickly dashes into her room and slams the door shut a moment later – a motion that let me glimpse her tantalizing hips swing seductively once before she vanished from my sight.

Forget the water barrel! I'll need to pull an all-nighter in an ID to blow off all the steam in my head right now! An army of Icy Lizalfos should do the trick.

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

 **Jack:** You want me to what?

 **Frederick:** Command a unit as part of the Ylissean army.

 **Chrom:** Think of this as your assigned duty as part of your promotion.

 **Jack:** But I haven't even been officially promoted yet.

*Emmeryn places a brooch on the coat of a kneeling Jack*

 **Emmeryn:** Done.

 **Jack:** That was fast…

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Forever, my heart is yours. Gathering the 100 allies.**

 **Jack:** I have a feeling that this will be…wonderful.

 **Robin:** Not as wonderful as what awaits the two of us.

* * *

 **Omake: Bountiful protection**

Being a high-profile figure in Ylisse means being expected to attend parties hosted by the various noble houses across the halidom – something Jack got to discover only weeks after returning.

At the moment, the Outrealmer is at one such party, dressed in a more decorated version of his usual outfit.

"Typical." Jack mutters while looking around. "If you've been to one of these noble house parties, you've been to them all."

"Oh, isn't that Jack, the folk-hero of Ylisse? Such a handsome man."

Jack turns his head and finds a trio of female aristocrats. The alarming part is that all of them give him blatantly flirting looks.

"Handsome doesn't even begin to describe him, darling." the middle one giggles.

"Oh, I think I can see some of his muscles under those clothes." the third whispers none-too-conspicuously. "Mama like."

"Kill me now…" Jack mutters behind a facepalm while trying to back away from the gaggle of airheaded women. An attempt that gets foiled by the very same women approaching him faster than he can back off discreetly.

Just as they're about to reach him, Robin runs in, hugs Jack's arm and glares at the three women. "Mine!"

The aristocrats stop abruptly in shock before they leave in a huff.

While the gesture had the intended effect, it also resulted in Jack's arm getting trapped against a certain part of Robin's anatomy. And judging by the sensations traveling straight to Jack's brain, there is no doubt that Robin is…well…a grown woman.

"That should take care of them." Robin remarks smiling and turns to Jack – only to find her fiancée stare off into space with an empty look. And is that steam pouring out of his ears?

"Jack? What's wrong?"

"Dang. Never took you for the bold type, Bubbles." Gaius comments as he arrives at the scene. "If you want Buttercup that badly, you should tell him first."

Robin follows where the Assassin indicates, and notices where she and Jack made contact.

"Eep! I'm so sorry!"

"Bleuraghlrgh…"

* * *

Gaius pokes Jack on the cheek multiple times. No response.

"Yup, he's definitely broken." the Assassin concludes.

Libra raises an eyebrow. "How strange. He seemed perfectly fine when we arrived here. What could have placed him in such a state?"

Meanwhile, Robin is a bit off to the side, blushing deep red and trying her hardest in averting her eyes from her fiancée.

Libra leans in for a closer look. "There has to be some hint on how we can help him."

"I've got this." Gaius replies and snaps his fingers in front of Jack's face a few times. The action soon pays off, as the glassy-eyed look vanishes from Jack's face.

"Uh…Wha?"

"Glad to have you back, Buttercup." Gaius greets smiling. "Had us worried there for a sec."

"Gaius? Libra? What happened?" Jack asks confused.

"That is what we would like to ask you, Jack." the War Monk replies. "What can you remember?"

Jack scratches his head. "Uh, let's see. I think I remember being hunted by a pack of hyenas… Then, right as they had me cornered, an angel descended from heaven and enveloped me into her protection." After scratching his chin a bit, the Outrealmer continues. "And I remember there being comfort. Soft…bountiful comfort."

By this point, steam pours out from Robin's ears.

Gaius looks between the engaged couple a few times before giving a knowing smile. "Close enough."

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **Reaper, Class  
** _The avatar of death. With blade in hand, this silent warrior strives only to bring its enemies to the ultimate fate that all living creatures head towards. And where the blade itself cannot reach, the wind shall bend to the Reaper's will, slicing through all within sight and prove the futility of running from death. However, be warned. While the Reaper possesses great offensive abilities, it has little to offer in the way of defense. Such is the burden of this bladed master; walking on a razor's edge, while bringing all who awaken its wrath along the same journey.  
Attack power and attack speed increase by 15 % when attacking with a bladed weapon. Wind-element spells do 10 % more damage. The cost of wind-element spells is reduced by 5 %. Damage taken from all physical sources increases by 15 %._

 **Harvest Moon, Sword, Base damage: 100, Unique  
** _A broadsword forged in the shape of a huge bat wing and Jack's first original weapon. Its striking power comes from its core being forged from smelted Lynel weapons. The surface has been covered with the bone from Lynel horns to reinforce the structure to the point that a conventional sword cannot even scratch the surface. However, the greatest secret lies within the sword's internal structure. With a few precise movements, this weapon can shift into a massive scythe, allowing the wielder to swap between at least two different fighting styles on the fly.  
This weapon can shift into a scythe form at any point in battle. Should this happen, this weapon counts as a polearm._

 **Elixir, Consumable, Very rare  
** _Through refined brewing techniques, the healing agents from the Concoction were distilled into this clear blue liquid. This increases the restorative effects of the medicine several times over. However, the compounds of the Elixir have been proven to spoil easily if not contained properly. To prevent this from happening, it is poured into special glass flasks to be carried around. The advanced brewing methods and the glass containers result in giving Elixirs a steep price. On the plus side, one sip of this potent liquid can heal almost any wound and replenish any mana reserve, no matter how exhausted.  
Restores all HP and MP. Each flask can hold up to three rations._

 **Betty, Blunt weapon, Base damage: 90, Unique  
** _Lissa's personal war hammer and definitive proof that she can no longer be called delicate. This custom-made Hammer is far bigger than its average counterpart, offering far more weight to every swing. It's more than just an extra big piece of metal on a pole, however. Spell runes are carved into the surface of this weapon, allowing the wielder to channel mana through it with greater ease than with run-of-the-mill weapons._

* * *

 **And there you have it. We won't see Jack in action just yet. There's some interlude stuff I want to finish first, chief among them being Jack's and Robin's wedding.**

 **If you're curious about Harvest Moon's shape, imagine Riku's Soul Eater sword. Remove the eye, recolor the whole thing bone-white and scale it up to Buster Sword proportions, minus a foot or so on the blade length. The idea of Harvest Moon is that it works similarly to the Sparda devil arm from DMC4, which is also a greatsword that can transform into a giant scythe.**

 **Harvest Moon as Jack's weapon was an idea that had to be hatched gradually. I originally planned on giving Jack a replica of Cloud's Fusion Sword from Advent Children, but later scrapped the idea when I went with the idea of changing his class to Reaper. I wanted a weapon that can act both as a polearm and a sword at the same time. The first solution could be a glaive, but it sounded too simple. Then I watched Qrow Branwen in action, and the pieces fell into place.**

 **Oh, and one more thing. I posted an extra chapter that contains Jack's character sheet after chapter 11. For those who are curious about how powerful he's grown over the course of his journey (and the course of this entire fic, really), the information is right there. However, I've decided to omit any new skills he's gained during the timeskip. Those will be revealed as the story progresses in order to limit the info dump and prevent spoilers.**

 **That's all for now. Please rate and review. VipeR out.**


	13. Stat sheet

**Well, here it is; the promised bonus chapter containing Jack's status sheet after Chapter 11. Let me tell you: keeping track of all the passive multipliers for his stats was hard work. And if Jack feels overpowered, that's because of those very multipliers. Jack's trained for three years with the assistance of Shadow clones. You'd better believe he's been busy grinding or even maxing many of his skills. Well, enjoy!**

* * *

 **Jack's character sheet, Post Ch. 11**

 **Name: Jack Lvl: 60 EXP: 15 000 / 186 000**

 **Class: Reaper  
(+15 % damage and speed with bladed weapon, +10 % damage from wind magic, -5 % cost of wind magic, +15 % physical damage taken)**

 **Titles:**  
 **The Gamer (grants Gamer´s body and Gamer´s mind)  
Self-aware observer (+5 % INT, gains (Base INT) EXP for new observations)  
Ylissean folk hero (+15 % CHAR in Ylisse)  
The Reaper (+4 % crit rate, +44 % crit damage)**

 **HP: 9 600 / 9 600  
HPR: 237.1 (96 * 2.47) / minute**

 **MP: 6 533 / 6 533 (5 025 * 1.3)  
MPR: 82.4 (50.25 * 1.64) / minute**

 **STR: 187.5 (75 * 2 * 1.25)  
VIT: 180 (72 * 2 * 1.25)  
DEX: 96,3 (77 * 1.25)  
INT: 85,1 (81 * 1.05)  
WIS: 128 (64 * 2)  
LCK: 5  
CHAR: 30**

 **POINTS: 567**

* * *

 **Gear:**

 **Mysterious medallion  
Spirit robe  
Leather armor  
Chainmail  
Dimensional pocket bag (infinite inventory space)  
Hiker boots**

 **Items:**

 **Harvest Moon (equipped)**

* * *

 **Current relationships:**

 **Robin:** Lovers  
 **Chrom:** Allies  
 **Lissa:** Trusted  
 **Frederick:** Trusted  
 **Sully:** Neutral  
 **Virion:** Neutral  
 **Stahl:** Neutral  
 **Kellam:** Neutral  
 **Vaike:** Neutral  
 **Sumia:** Neutral  
 **Miriel:** Neutral  
 **Lon'qu:** Allies (Rivals)  
 **Ricken:** Neutral  
 **Maribelle:** Trusted  
 **Gaius:** Neutral  
 **Panne:** Neutral  
 **Cordelia:** Allies  
 **Nowi:** Allies  
 **Gregor:** Neutral  
 **Donnel:** Neutral

 **National standings:**  
 **Ylisse:** Hero  
 **Regna Ferox:** Neutral

 **Union strikes:  
Robin:** Final gambit

* * *

 **Skills:**

 **Gamer's body, Lvl MAX, Passive**  
 _You have the body of a video game character. Eating, training, meeting with people, everything has been translated into game mechanics for you.  
Allows the user of this skill to interact with the world as if they were playing a video game. Sleeping in a bed restores all HP and MP and removes all negative status ailments. Sleeping on a bed roll restores HP and MP by 50 % of their maximum value and removes all negative status ailments. Other sleeping arrangements restore HP and MP by 10 % of their maximum value._

 **Gamer's mind, Lvl MAX, Passive**  
 _You perceive everything in the world as if it were part of a videogame. This allows you to see things others don't see, like all the menus, alerts and whatnot.  
Gives total immunity to all negative mental status ailments. _

**Bro, do U lift?, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _Muscle head or not, there's no denying that your strength is the real deal. The raw power behind your muscles allows you to hit harder than before and even lift heavy objects with significantly increased ease. Time to show off at the gym!  
Increases all melee attack damage by 15 %._

 **Iron body, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _There's being tough, and then there's being so resilient that you can just pat some dust off your shoulder after taking a hit. The amount of resilience that you've built up has reached a point where you don't even get hurt from minor attacks. So long as the enemy can't surpass this wall, you stand untouchable.  
Reduces all damage taken from physical attacks by a certain value. This value is equal to the sum of your STR and VIT stats. If the value is higher than the damage inflicted, you take no damage at all. Note: This value increases in the same manner as your other stats when using Reinforcement._

 **Monkey moves, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _Monkeys are known to be agile little critters, and occasionally real jerks. You may not be a monkey, but you too are now agile (and possess the potential to be a real jerk). Your ability to move your body has gained grace and efficiency most acrobats would kill for. It not only looks awesome, you can actually apply it in combat as well.  
Increases maximum movement speed by 15 %. Decreases the hit-rate of all incoming attacks by 5 %._

 **Telekinesis, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 1 MP = 140 Newtons of force**  
 _An ability only available to those with a strong mind. By using the energy known as mana, the user can manipulate anything that has substance and mass by using their mind as if it were an extension of their body. The cost of this skill depends on how much force the user exerts on an object. The higher the skill level, the more force can be exerted for the same amount of mana._

 **Basic mana manipulation, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _Harnessing the power of mana is an essential skill for anyone who wishes to practice the art of magic. This skill allows the bearer to manipulate the mana in their body to suit their needs.  
Enables creation and use of magic based skills._

 **Intermediate mana manipulation, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _Mages who ascend beyond mere apprenticeship and find themselves masters in their own right consider this skill to be a mark of their experience. By gaining an intimate understanding of the flow of mana, those who practice the arcane arts are capable of channeling their mana with efficiency they could only dream of during their apprentice days.  
Passively reduces the MP cost of all active skills by 10 %._

 **Mana savant, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _A skill only found among a select few who have gained a great understanding of the workings of the world. It is said that a great sage who reached this point had the ability to tap into his natural source of mana on a level previously believed impossible.  
Passively increases maximum MP by 30 %. All magic based skills deal 10 % more damage._

 **Kissing, Lvl 3 [66 %], Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _Lip contact is one of the most intimate acts two people can share together. This skill represents how skilled you are at using your lips in these intimate moments. When sufficiently skilled, a single kiss can light a passion so hot, you won't escape the bedchamber for a long time. Or, you know, you can just use this skill as a simple sign of affection. It's not like this is a hentai or anything._

 **Dancing, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _The art of moving your body to the beat of music has been practiced by mankind for centuries. With various types of music in various parts of the world, many different dancing styles have developed over the course of history. While different aspects, such as speed, posture and the number of participants, vary among different styles, skill is a common factor among all of them. The greater your level in this skill, the better you can perform according to a learned style, whether you're dancing solo or with a partner.  
Current dancing styles: Waltz_

 **Observe** , **Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 0 MP**  
 _The ability to analyze just about anything and anyone you see. The better you are with this skill, the more information you can gather from a single observation. A master can glean myriads of info with just a single glance._

 **Animal tongue, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _Communicating with animals has been a vital part of developing human civilization. Few humans, however, truly understand what an animal says unless they share a deep bond. Your bond, however, is on a whole other level, allowing you to understand what an animal says, word for word. All those lessons with Chopper finally payed off.  
Allows the user to communicate with animals as though they were speaking with a human. Current languages: Squirrel._

 **Detect bloodlust, Lvl 85 [48.0 %], Passive**  
 _Not everything in the world greets you with good intentions. This skill allows you to detect when someone approaches you with a genuine desire to harm or even kill you.  
Range: 30.2 meters._

 **Stealth** , **Lvl 31 [33.0 %], Passive**  
 _The art of staying undetected is a vital skill for any thief or assassin. After all, if no one knows you´re there, they can´t prepare any defense in time. Passively reduces an enemy´s range of detection by 48 %. Reduces the likelihood of an enemy spotting you by 48 % when sneaking or hiding. Performing a successful sneak attack guarantees a critical hit. Additionally, any damage dealt increases by 160 % and ignores all defense._

 **Blunt weapon mastery** , **Lvl 50 [68.3 %], Passive**  
 _Weapons don't need to be sharp and pointy to be dangerous. Wielding a blunt, weighty weapon can reduce even the toughest fighters to mush with a heavy enough blow.  
Increases attack speed and attack power by 250 % when attacking with a blunt weapon such as a hammer or any object with a dull impact surface._

 **Sword mastery** , **Lvl MAX, Passive**  
 _The sword is quite possibly the most well-known weapon in history, often being depicted as the weapon of choice by hero and villain alike or even as a symbol of power. While swords generally deal less damage than other weapons, they make up for it by being easier to wield.  
Increases attack speed and attack power by 500 % when attacking with a sword or dagger of any kind._

 **Keyblade mastery, Lvl 60 [51 %], Passive  
** _The keyblade is a weapon surrounded in mystery and legend. Some believe it to be the crucial piece to unlock ultimate power. Some believe it to be the most retarded weapon ever. Some say it's an instrument of light, others an instrument of darkness. The only thing everyone agrees on is that the keyblade grants its wielder a plethora of abilities, both physical and magic.  
Passively increases damage dealt by magic of any element by 35 %_ _. Increases attack speed and movement speed by 300 %_ _when attacking with a keyblade. This skill does not stack with "Sword mastery"._

 **Polearm mastery, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _The spear is believed to be the first weapon man ever wielded, mainly for the purpose of hunting. Long and slim, polearms are easy to use but difficult to master due to their length and rigidity. Those who master these weapons not only gain an advantage in range – they can also attack in more ways than many other weapons offer. It has the added benefit of looking awesome AF too.  
Increases attack speed and attack power by 500 % when attacking with a polearm of any kind._

 **Axe mastery, Lvl 36 [37.5 %], Passive  
** _The axe was originally a tool meant for cutting wood. With war, however, came the weaponization of any tool available, including this one. Axes hold most of their weight as well as the bladed edge at the end of the shaft. With so much of their power concentrated at a small space, axes can deal more damage than most other melee weapons at the tradeoff of being among the most difficult to wield.  
Increases attack speed and attack power by 180 % when attacking with an axe._

 **Dual wielding, Lvl 85 [56.8 %], Passive  
** _The art of wielding a weapon in each hand is a skill that many have tried to attain, but few have succeeded in. And among those few, fewer still have managed to reach its full potential. Wielding two weapons simultaneously allows you to use the abilities of both at the same time (provided they have any) and generally gives you more offensive options than if you only wield one weapon. It also looks awesome when done right.  
Attack speed and attack power is 220 % of the average of both weapons wielded. This skill only applies when wielding two weapons of the same category._

 **Archery mastery, Lvl 30 [26.3 %], Passive  
** _Building on the ranged options that the spear offered, man eventually engineered a weapon designed exclusively for attacking at range. The result was the bow. Handling a bow requires great commitment and dedication, as the user needs to take factors such as wind direction and the target's movements into account when lining up a shot – let alone having a clear line of sight in order to even aim properly. Those who can master this weapon, however, can send death from afar before most enemies even have the chance to react.  
Increases attack speed and accuracy by 150 % when attacking with a bow._

 **Martial arts mastery, Lvl 42 [12.3 %], Passive  
** _There are those who train with a weapon until they can wield it like an extension of their bodies. Then there are those who train their bodies until they can wield it like a weapon. This skill falls into the latter category. While martial artists usually fight at a disadvantage in terms of range, they make up for it with techniques most weapon wielders could only dream of. Underestimating a foe due to their lack of weapons can be a fatal mistake.  
Passively increases STR, VIT and DEX by 25 %_ _. Increases attack speed and attack power by 210 % when attacking unarmed._

 **Taunt** , **Lvl 10 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 0 MP**  
 _A sharp tongue can have just as much effect as a sharp blade. Hurling insults at someone can make them angry, and angry people make rash decisions and ultimately decisive mistakes.  
Has a chance of inflicting an enemy with the "enraged" debuff. Chance of success: 10 * (your total CHAR – enemy´s total CHAR) %._

 **Mana soles, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 5 MP/ second  
** _A skill derived from Basic mana manipulation. Originally created by an apprentice mage living in a desert who was bored and wanted to try something new with his skills. By channeling his mana into the shape of a disk beneath his feet, the apprentice spread his weight over a greater area, thus allowing him to traverse the desert with ease so long as he could hold his concentration. His teacher became so impressed with the innovation that it soon became standard procedure to train every apprentice mage in this skill.  
Allows the caster to walk on loose terrain like sand or snow as if it were solid. Should the user be a mounted unit, the mount can be used as a medium to achieve the same effect._

 **Elemental mana manipulation, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _A skill originally created by a great sage who had learned much about the works of nature. By combining this knowledge with his mastery over mana, the sage gained the ability to bend the elements to his will.  
Allows the holder of this skill to add elemental properties to their skills. This increases both their cost and potency. Some skills gain unique properties when infused with the right element._

 **Wind mastery, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _Air bending, wind-style jutsus, aeromancy, call it whatever the heck you want. Air is the element of freedom. It surrounds all living beings (above sea level) and travels where nothing else reaches. Many take it for granted because of its constant presence, never realizing the implications. Those who master the element of wind become legends in their own right, performing feats with just skill and the very air they breathe. A wind master is never out of their element, making them dangerous to fight just about anywhere.  
Passively increases damage dealt with wind-element magic by 500 %. The cost of all wind-element skills is reduced by 25 %._

 _Mastered spells:  
Wind  
Elwind  
Arcwind  
Rexcalibur  
Gale step_

 **Gale step, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 5 MP per step** **  
** _A skill created by combining two separate skills with the element of wind. By creating a platform of mana to place the feet on, the caster can kick off these solid footholds with wind-elemental mana to quickly accelerate in that direction. The higher the skill level, the longer the maximum distance the caster can travel in a single step. Can also be used in mid-air.  
Element: Wind. Maximum distance per step: 55 meters._

 **Mimicry, Lvl 73 [37.5 %], Active, Cost: 52 MP** **  
** _It is said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. A practitioner of this skill has the ability to mimic the mannerisms and skills of another person, so long as the user is knowledgeable enough. A master of this skill can even alter their physiology to become an exact physical replica of another person.  
Grants the ability to mimic another person's speech patterns, voice and reactions. Any new skill used while in a mimicking state is added to the user's skill set. Should the caster will it, they can alter their physiology and voice to match that of another creature._

 **Meditation, Lvl MAX, Passive/Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _The art of relaxing and focusing the mind has been practiced in certain cultures for millennia, enabling the user to sharpen their focus and clear the mind from distracting elements. This kind of focus allows you to draw out strength in ways that were previously unavailable to you.  
Passively increases STR, VIT and WIS by 100 %. While active, increases HPR and MPR by 600 %. This skill cannot be active during combat._

 **Reinforcement, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 30 MP  
** _A skill where the user circulates mana through the body to strengthen it. A master of this skill can achieve physical feats that bely their seemingly inappropriate physique.  
Increases STR, VIT, DEX and movement speed by 100 %. Duration: 130 sec. Can be stacked up to three times._

 **Mind's eye, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 1 MP  
** _The human body is said to perceive the world through five separate senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. There are even rumors of a sixth sense, separate from the other five. But this one is none of the above mentioned. By using your ability to project a mental force on objects outside yourself, you can use that very mental contact to perceive the objects as if you used your sense of touch, except there's no need for physical contact. The Byakugan ain't got s-it on this!  
Range: 53 meters_

 **ID Create, Lvl 4 [50.0 %], Active, Cost: 50 MP  
** _The ability to create an ID (which is short for "Instant Dungeon") is now in your hands! Having your very own parallel dimension opens up for plenty of possibilities, but most casters use it as their private training grounds. It's a useful trick, since any damage done in here doesn't happen in the real world. You're technically somewhere else, after all.  
Creates an ID that only the caster can enter. Any creature or object that the caster is in contact with when this skill is used is taken into the ID as well. Any change that is done in the ID does not affect the outside dimension._

 _Current ID:s available:  
Lv 0: Empty  
Lv 1: Bokoblins  
Lv 2: Moblins  
Lv 3: Lizalfos  
Lv 4: Yiga_

 **ID Escape, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _A skill used to exit an ID. Any objects in the caster's inventory is taken out of the ID as well. This skill can only be used outside of combat._

 **Shadow clone, Lvl max, Active, Cost: 50 MP / clone  
** _A skill originating from the world of Naruto. Uses the caster's mana to make a physical replica of themselves. Each clone can act and think independently of the caster and can use any skill that the caster can use.  
The stats of each clone is 80 % of the caster's own stats. A clone will dispel if its HP or MP reaches 0. Any information, EXP, new skills and leveling of already existing skills that the clone gained will automatically be transferred to the caster upon dispelling._

 **Unlimited Blade Works, Lvl 60 [2.0 %], Active, Cost: 350 MP** **  
** _A skill originally created by the heroic spirit Shirou Emiya. Creates a reality marble; a manifestation of the caster's own soul in the shape of a separate dimension. Within this reality marble, any weapon that the caster has traced can be used at their will.  
Maintenance cost: 56 MP / minute_ _  
Synchronization effect: Any weapon that the caster analyses with Trace on is automatically added to UBW._

 **Trace on, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 20 MP  
** _A skill originally created by the heroic spirit Shirou Emiya while he was still a magus-in-training. By using Observe while channeling mana through an object, the caster can analyze the object's structure on a molecular level, as well as its history from the moment of making until the present day. Any weapon that has been traced can be recreated and wielded as the caster's own weapon by using this skill again. Should a traced weapon enable use of a skill, the caster can use that skill while wielding the weapon.  
Maintenance cost: 4 MP / minute  
Synchronization effect: When this skill is used while UBW is active, all costs related to this skill is reduced to 0._

 **Rasengan, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 75 MP  
** _A skill originally created by the fourth hokage, Minato Namikaze. Performed by concentrating a high amount of mana and rotating it in multiple directions simultaneously while containing it in a spherical shell.  
Base damage: 5 000 % of the caster's INT stat. Can only be used at melee range._

 **Rasengan fastball, Lvl 80 [35.0 %], Active, Cost: 120 MP** **  
** _A skill originally created by Boruto Uzumaki, the son of the seventh Hokage. Whereas a normal Rasengan only works at close range, this version of the spiraling sphere can be thrown to hit enemies at range. Bear in mind, however, that it loses power as it travels.  
Base damage: 2 045 % of the caster's INT stat __Element: none. Maximum range: 17 meters_ _._

 **The snake, Lvl 83 [81.0 %], Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _The fighting style of the high school teacher under cover, Souichirou Kuzuki. A martial arts style practiced by assassins who are sent undercover by an unknown organization. The style mainly focuses on crippling blows to vulnerable areas like joints as well as grapples. Like a real snake, the practitioner strikes with blinding speed the moment they spot an opening. This style is not meant for combat – it's meant for disabling a target or outright killing them. Using this style while unarmed increases attack speed by 210 %. Attacks on joints and vital areas deal 255 % more damage._

 **Rodoh rollah da!, Lvl 40 [61.0 %], Active, Cost: 320 MP  
** _One of the signature moves of the undead Stand user, Dio Brando. A massive steamroller is pulled out of…nowhere… and slammed on top of the user's victim. The victim is then further crushed by repeatedly punching the steamroller in typical JoJo's fashion. The ultimate technique for literally steamrolling the competition while reminding them of the futility of their resistance. This particular variant comes with a massive explosion at the end. Clear the area before detonation or suffer the consequences.  
Base damage: Steamroller: 4 000 + 500 % of the user's STR. Punches: 140 % of the user's STR per hit (62 hit combo). Explosion: 6 000. Note: the explosion deals fire-elemental damage._

 **Soul drain, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 10 MP per second  
** _A skill that lets the caster drain the life force of their target through direct contact. There is no defense against this technique, other than keeping your distance. There are few things as agonizing as the feeling of having you soul drained out of your body, so expect anyone afflicted with this skill to fight back.  
Base damage: 600 % of the caster's INT. Restores HP equal to half the damage dealt. Element: none. This skill ignores all defenses. Can only be used through direct contact. If the target is killed by use of this skill, the caster can rip their soul out of the body, allowing the caster to view that target's memories._

 **Alchemic transmutation, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: Varies**  
 _Nothing can be gained without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. This is the law of equivalent exchange, the fundamental principle of all alchemy. Your understanding of how matter is built and how it works is now at your fingertips. Thus, you can also reconstruct matter as you see fit, so long as the amount remains constant. Just make sure no one tries to entice you with a red stone. That only leads to trouble.  
Allows the caster to freely manipulate any matter they touch. The cost of this skill is proportional to the mass of the matter manipulated._

 **Za Warudo!, Lvl 40 [12 %], Active, Cost: 120 MP per second  
** _The most powerful signature ability of the undead Stand user, Dio Brando. When unleashed, the world itself bends to your will as the flow of time stops within the space of your power. Of course, you yourself are fully capable of moving within this stopped space and affect anyone frozen in time. Need a better battle position? Want to set up for a devastating ambush? Maybe you just want to punch someone really hard in their face without them seeing it coming? All of this and more is possible with Za Warudo. And when you're done, strike a cool pose as you declare time to move once again. It's not complete without a cool pose!  
Stops time around the caster upon activation. All damage dealt will come into effect the moment this skill is deactivated._


	14. Chapter 12

**SNOOOOOW!**

 **Yeah, it's gotten really snowy where I live right now. A colleague of mine told me that our town lies at a high altitude, so heavy snowfall is common whenever the white weather passes by. Maybe not "American blizzard" level, but there's a lot of white.**

 **Anyway, welcome, dear readers, to the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening. There were some rough patches here and there, but I finally managed to get everything I wanted done in this chapter written down. You need only read, get the BGM:s ready, and enjoy.**

 **Before that, let's get to some reviews.**

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark:** Yeah, Walhart is just ridiculous on the power scale. He's my favorite antagonist in the Fire Emblem series and one of my favorite antagonists overall. I have every intention to do him justice in this fic, right up to his insane stats.

 **thepowerfullkira:** Who knows… I'm not telling XD

 **Ace6151:** Some of the pairings in this fic are favorites of mine from a gameplay perspective. For example, pairing Sumia with Frederick doesn't just give either character a partner that complement each other in almost every way with the support boosts, it gives Cynthia the potential to become a flying tank. However, I mainly based the pairings on how the characters interact with each other and how they'll interact with their respective children. Oftentimes this also affects how each child interacts with Jack.

 **warrior of six blades:** I think Tiki handles her puberty just fine. She's busy sleeping most of the time, so she might actually sleep right through most of it.  
Good eye on the name of Jack's weapon. Harvest Moon is indeed a reference to the famous farm game franchise.  
As for Stahl, the guy has a good reason for his massive appetite, now that he's Panne's husband. All those calories that he stuffs into his mouth all month will be burned during that one week under the moon. Rabbits in heat are known to be very…active.

 **Hashirama 1710:** Owain _might_ do that once or twice in this fic, but with the plans I have for him, he may do it mostly for kicks.

 **Blazing heart frigid soul:** Considering Sora's form changes in KH3, I suppose it's reasonable that the Keyblade mastery could stack with other masteries, depending on which keyblade is wielded. However, that's an avenue I'm leaving alone in this fic, as going into that topic would be way too complex for me and would require more research than I'm motivated to putting into this fic (more than I already have).

 **Owain:** Calm your sword hand, man. I have great plans for you, but they shall only be revealed when you enter the stage. However, know this; the hand will be sated.

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 ** **Also, a word of warning; There is a sex scene in this chapter. While I tried to keep it mild, keep in mind that it's there. I will add an AN when it comes up and when it ends.****

 _Plebians, all of you! –_ Virion

* * *

 **Chapter 12:**

 **Forever, my heart is yours.  
** **Gathering the 100 allies.**

I raise an eyebrow at Emmeryn. "I'm sorry, Your Grace, could you repeat that?"

"Like I said…" the exalt replies. "…I have decided to promote you to the rank of captain."

"Yeah, I understand that part. What I don't understand is _why_."

"I have been told of your various exploits during the war against Plegia a year ago, Jack." Emmeryn explains. "While reckless, many of your comrades told me of how they shifted the battles in their favor. In recognition of these efforts, I have decided to formally promote you."

Phila steps up at this point. "Allow me to explain what this promotion entails. As captain, you are tasked with training a group of soldiers placed under your command and lead them in battle against enemies of the halidom. The size of your company is largely up to your preference, though your rank will not allow any more than one hundred subordinates under your command at a time."

I nod as I process the information. Commanding my own unit sounds challenging, as I'm used to fighting alone or spontaneously teaming up with my fellow Shepherds. Which leads me to another important question.

"What about my allegiance with the Shepherds? I'm already a member there, which means I fight under Chrom's command."

Phila nods. "While that is true, we have already spoken with Prince Chrom on this matter. In times of peace like these, your position will have you operate independently of the Shepherds. You are free to join with them in case mission objectives between your units overlap, but that will be temporary alliances at most. Should war break out, the Shepherds will join the rest of Ylisse's standing army, as will your company."

Which means I'll only fight with Chrom and the others when Valm eventually drops in and lay claim on the continent. Well, that will probably be the only time when they'll need my help anyway. Now to figure out how to train and lead an entire unit.

I might have an idea that works – and mainly because I can abuse Shadow clones to my heart's content.

I take a knee in front of the exalt. "All right, Your Grace. I accept the promotion, and the responsibility that they entail."

Emmeryn smiles upon hearing my answer. "Wonderful." Then her face instantly gets serious. "While I would normally prefer not to appoint anyone with military command in peace times, the war against Plegia made it clear that our standing army is not properly prepared in case of another invasion. Should an enemy stronger than Plegia emerge, Ylisse, as it stands now, is ill prepared to fend them off. I'm grateful that you accept this responsibility, Jack. Truly, I am."

With a hand gesture, Emmeryn commands for a badge to be brought to her on top of a small velvet cushion. The exalt picks it up and walks down the steps towards me.

"This badge will signify your rank in the army of Ylisse. Wear it with pride as you lead the soldiers."

"I have one request, however." I interject before she can place it on me.

"What is that?"

"If I'm going to command a group of soldiers, I will need a second-in-command. One that I pick myself."

Phila nods. "As a captain, that much is expected from you. Do you have anyone in mind?"

I smirk in reply. "One of my most reliable allies among the Shepherds."

* * *

Lon'qu raises an eyebrow. "Run that by me again."

"It's simple." I explain. "As the leader of a military unit, I will need a lieutenant to help me lead the soldiers under my command. And among all the people I know who could shoulder that role, you're the one I want the most to be my second-in-command."

The Swordmaster shakes his head. "I understand that much, but why me?"

"Because, among the available Shepherds, you're the one I trust the most, Lon'qu."

"I'm not experienced in leading soldiers in battle. I prefer fighting on my own terms."

"So do I. *Sigh* Look, I'm still trying to figure out this whole captain thing, but it's something that I think I will learn in time. I think you can accomplish the same."

"I'm not even interested. Is there really no one else?"

"I've given it a lot of thought, and the answer is "no". Robin out-ranks me in war times and is too busy managing the army as a whole. Chrom already leads the Shepherds. Cordelia is busy training under Phila. Frederick refuses to leave Chrom's side. And let's be honest; can you even imagine _Nowi_ leading soldiers on the battlefield?"

Lon'qu pauses and considers my reply before he nods. "Fair enough. I accept. However, if this hinders me from mastering the blade, I will resign immediately."

I roll my eyes at his single-minded response. "I wouldn't worry about that. Since we'll be working together, we'll have plenty of time for training and sparring together as well. If anything, you can use your training to inspire our subordinates to train harder themselves."

"That sounds acceptable." A smirk grows on Lon'qu's lips. "After all, I am still curious of how much stronger you've gotten during your journey."

I return the smirk and bump fists with him. "Same to you. I wouldn't consider our rivalry as ongoing unless you kept sharpening your skills. Here's to us leading the unit to victory, partner."

"By your command…partner. Or is it "Captain" now?"

"In public; yes."

* * *

A grand total of 99 soldiers are gathered on the training grounds outside the palace. Most of them look around curiously, with the occasional hushed conversation going on among their ranks.

I should know. I'm standing right among them as a squirrel, trying to get a feel for my future company.

"Did you hear? We're supposedly gathered here today because we're being put under the command of a captain." one of them whispers.

"Yeah. What's more, I heard he was promoted recently." another whispers back. "I wonder what he's like."

A third one scoffs. "Meh, if he's just promoted, he can't be that big of a deal."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Lash. Word has it, he's a member of the famous Shepherds."

"I heard that too, Sasha. I also hear he's got strange powers that allow him to fight unlike any other soldier in the world. Some say he can summon weapons out of thin air. Others say he can copy himself and be in two places at the same time."

"I wouldn't take too much stock in rumors like those, Collin. For all we know, they are just tall tales spun among soldiers."

Heh. Been awhile since I heard _that_ kind of dismissal. Boy, are they in for the surprise of their lives once I get going.

"Hey, do you think that's him?" Collin whispers and points at Lon'qu.

Sasha nods in agreement. "He certainly has the presence of a warrior. Though his appearance does not seem to match the description I heard."

Lon'qu looks among the gathered soldiers before he sighs in exasperation. "How long do you intend to hide among your subordinates, Jack? You're supposed to face them properly as their leader."

Confused looks spread among the gathered soldiers as they hear the odd choice of words. That's when I make my entrance – by scurrying out from their ranks in squirrel form and standing beside Lon'qu.

"Sorry." I squeak. "I just wanted to listen in on their conversations to get to know them a bit better. With a company of this size, getting to know each and every soldier can be a hassle."

Lon'qu rolls his eyes. "I thought you had other ways to get to know several people at the same time. Isn't it about time they got to know you as well, Captain?"

Hah! Most of my company make a great fish impression!

"No way. Our captain is a SQUIRREL!?"

"You mean a _talking_ squirrel! That's it! I'm swearing off drinking!"

"Hold up!" I squeak to get their attention. "Well, seeing as you're all here, allow me to introduce myself."

In a puff of smoke, I stand before my subordinates in my real form, to the continued shock of them.

"My name is Jack, and as of today, I'm the captain of this company. Nice to meet you all." I greet them with a big smile.

"No way! Those rumors were true after all?"

While my company is busy freaking out over my skills, I take the opportunity to memorize their names and faces. It certainly helps that Gamer's body lets me see every individual name hovering above their heads. Some liberal use of Observe certainly helps out.

It probably would've felt normal if it wasn't for the fact that a lot of my subordinates have the same names as characters from various video games…

"How are things going, Jack? Getting comfortable with your new soldiers?"

Our attention turns to the one who asked; Robin.

"Wow, it's Lady Robin, in the flesh!"

"I never thought I'd see the day when I see her in person!"

"I can't believe she's the chief tactician of the entire army. Take that, men! Women are on their way up the social ladder!"

"As well as things could go, I suppose." I reply.

Robin walks up to me and takes a look over the gathered soldiers.

"So, these are your subordinates?"

I nod. "Yep. Starting today, they're my responsibility."

"Hold on." one in the crowd interjects. "You know Lady Robin personally, Captain?"

I nod with a cheerful smile and hug Robin to my side with one arm. "Sure do. You may have already heard about her, everyone, but allow me to introduce Robin; head tactician of the Ylissean army, one of Prince Chrom's closest allies and, best of all, my fiancée."

"What?!"

"I had no idea!"

"Drat! And here I thought I had a chance with her!"

A sinister aura surrounds me. "Care to repeat that, Ringabel?"

"No, sir!"

"Well, I won't take any more of your time." Robin says while she slips out of my embrace. "I'm sure you'll be busy training these soldiers, so I'll leave you to it. I wish you the best of luck."

"Oh, I won't be _that_ busy." I reply and summon a Shadow clone, further shocking my company. "I can have a small army of me taking care of training while I can take the time to do whatever else is on my list."

Robin shakes her head in good nature. "It still baffles me how you use all these outlandish methods to solve your problems. Though I won't deny the results."

I grin at her. "I'm just that awesome. Normal solutions are overrated."

Lon'qu rolls his eyes. "You're the only one who could ever say that without sounding like a madman."

I direct my grin to the Swordmaster. "I know, right? Doesn't it feel great to be under my command?"

"That's up for discussion."

"Hey, that's just rude!"

"Um… Sir?" a meek voice speaks up from among the soldiers.

I look at where it came from. "Yes?"

"I was just wondering. How exactly will you train us?"

"I'm glad you asked." I reply smiling. "What I had in mind was that this unit will focus on teamwork. The idea is that you always team up and fight as one at all times. I may be your captain, but I want to lead you as your equal right on the frontlines instead of pulling rank all the time. It's quite similar to how Prince Chrom commands the Shepherds."

My smile turns a _teensy_ bit sadistic. "That being said, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. That means you will go through some harsh training alongside teamwork exercises before I deem you ready for battle."

Maya, the one who spoke, gulps.

"Hold on! You can't just shove some hellish training regimen on us and expect us to comply!" another in the crowd shouts. Elliot. Figures.

 **[Fun fact: Elliot Hooker is Wonder Blue's real name. No, his name is NOT an indication of his profession! He's a detective!]**

I rub my chin in thought. "Well, you do bring up a good point. How about a demonstration, then?"

"Sure, I'm all for it." Elliot answers confidently.

I turn to Lon'qu. "Hey, Lon'qu. How about that spar we were talking about earlier? We can use that to show them what level of combat prowess I'm expecting from them."

Lon'qu nods without a word.

"Aren't you setting the bar a little high?" Robin asks with a sweatdrop. "Lon'qu was already much stronger than the average soldier before you departed for your journey, and he's only gotten better since."

"Which is why I'm using him as the benchmark." I reply. "Unless the others can keep up with him, chances are Lon'qu and I will end up pulling most of the weight, and I don't want that with these people under my command."

We're soon gathered near a sparring area, with Lon'qu and me standing in the ring with a training sword each in our hands. Robin volunteered to proctor our match.

"All right. Are both fighters ready?"

I take a basic stance. "Ready."

Lon'qu does the same and nods an affirmative.

Robin looks between us one last time before she brings down her arm in a chopping motion.

"Begin!"

*Shing!* *Plonk. Plonk.*

Blink. Blink.

I glance at my now significantly shorter training sword. Then I redirect my gaze back at my opponent.

"Lon'qu?"

"Yes?"

"What just happened to our swords?"

Lon'qu glances at his training sword and finds the exact same result as mine.

"I think they snapped."

I throw my training sword away with a shaking head. "This won't do. We'll need another pair and do this again."

Robin clears her throat. "Jack, I think that's not the prob-"

"Nonsense." I wave her off. "So what if we ended up with two faulty training swords? We'll just try again with a fresh pair."

My fiancée looks like she wants to protest, but ultimately shakes her head. "*Sigh* Oh, fine. Have it your way."

What did she mean by that?

Lon'qu and I retake our positions with new training swords in hand.

"Ready."

"Mm."

"Begin!"

*Shing!* *Plonk. Plonk.*

I look at our newest pair of shortened training swords with a twitching eyebrow.

"Oh, come on! Is there not a single pair of training swords around here that can take more than a single clash?!" I shout exasperated.

"I think you should take a closer look at the tip, Jack." Lon'qu replies while inspecting his own.

With a huff, I listen to his advice. Huh. I'm surprised it snapped so cleanly. The surface is surprisingly smooth. Almost as if-

"This is what I tried to tell you earlier." Robin tells me flatly. "As unbelievable as it might sound, you and Lon'qu managed to slice each other's training swords apart in a single clash. You won't be able to spar with training weapons."

I look at Robin incredulously. It sounds crazy, all right. Still… That would explain the smooth surface.

I shrug and extend my hand to Lon'qu. "Should we call it a tie?"

Lon'qu takes my hand and nods. A smile grows on his face. "It pleases me that you've kept up your training while traveling. While I still don't know how well you'll fare as my commander, I know that you're at least a capable warrior that I have the utmost respect for. No matter the enemy you face down, you can count on me to aid you in any way I can."

A matching smile grows on my own face. "I knew I made the right call to pick you as my second-in-command, Lon'qu. I know I'll fail along the way, and when I do, I can trust you to be the voice of reason to help me get back up and learn from those failures. You're a major reason I got this good with a blade in the first place. I'm not sure how we'll handle this whole rivalry thing at this point, but you'll always be my partner – one of my closest allies."

"Right back at you…partner."

* * *

 **Your relationship with Lon'qu has advanced! Your relationship with Lon'qu is now "Friends"!**

 **The bond you've nurtured has given birth to a new ability! You can now perform the Union strike "Swords Dance" with Lon'qu!**

* * *

With that out of the way, I turn to face my gathered subordinates, while paying especially close attention to Elliot.

"While it didn't go exactly as planned, I believe this shows what I'll expect from all of you in the future. Sure, you don't have to get good enough to slice a wooden training sword in half with another wooden training sword, but this should show the level of combat prowess Lon'qu and I possess. And with the training I have prepared for you, you will be able to keep up with that level in time."

I notice mixed reactions within the crowd. Some seem excited, while the majority looks nervous.

"Look, it might get easier if I explain why I plan to train you like this in the first place. What I envision with this unit is a team of fighters who are always ready to protect Ylisse from any threat, no matter how big or small. This isn't your usual military unit that I aim to train. I don't want a group of soldiers. I want to make us a team – a group where everyone has each other's backs and unite to take on threats and challenges together. No one is supposed to fight alone. We may be many, but we always fight as one. Our united strength will be greater than the sum of its parts."

At hearing my words, the gathered soldiers look at each other. Any apprehension that may have shown on their faces slowly shifts into hope and determination. This is exactly what I wanted to see. We haven't even started training yet, and they're already bonding with each other. I smile proudly at my subordinates. No, not subordinates. My _team_.

"Looks like you're getting the idea. I know training will be hard, but it's something that we'll go through _together_." The smile morphs into a grin. "As of today, we are known as…"

* * *

Frederick raises an eyebrow skeptically. "The wonderful 101?"

I nod proudly. "Exactly. 100 soldiers fighting as one, led by their captain in battle."

"While I admit that the idea has some novelty – as does the name – I fail to see how this will work." Chrom interjects. "Commanding a unit even half the number of yours in a coherent way is challenging, even for a veteran field commander. How do you intend to succeed, Jack?"

"You're right in that it won't be easy, Chrom. The first step is getting everyone used to the training regimen I have prepared for them. That includes the exercises that are specifically for the sake of building teamwork. I know that most of my teammates will work better with some in the team than others, but I want everyone to at least trust each other on the battlefield."

"You do realize that there is much that they can only learn by taking part in actual combat, do you not?" Frederick asks.

I nod. "I'm well aware. That's why I plan on taking them on some missions in about a month or so. Start small, if you will. Look, I know there's a lot of work ahead of me and my team if we want to become what I envisioned. Heck, it's only recently that they've started embracing that same vision. Even so, that will be the foundation that we'll build our teamwork on."

Chrom smiles. "Well, if nothing else, I can tell that you and your team are determined to succeed. And, no offense, but I think "The wonderful 101" doesn't exactly sound very intimidating."

I roll my eyes. "Oh, please. Like "Shepherds" is any more terrifying."

"We never meant it to frighten anyone." Frederick answers promptly. "Our primary objective has always been the protection of the people. A reputation that scares off brigands and whatever else that may threaten the realm came with time as we kept fulfilling our duty."

I point at the Great Knight. "Exactly, Frederick. That's what I intend to do with my team as well. I admit that I didn't choose a name that strikes fear in the hearts of potential enemies, but that's not my aim here. Like with the Shepherds, I want my team to build such a good rapport that their name will become famous across the lands. Heck, maybe even beyond the sea."

Chrom scratches his head. "Beyond the sea? That's sounds a bit too ambitious."

"Yeah, you may be right. My point still stands, though. We may not be famous yet, but we will be in time. Count on it."

 **You gained a new title! You gained "Commander of 100"!**

Frederick frowns. "Speaking of which, if you are so certain that your subordinates need so much training, why are you not overseeing it?"

I wave it off. "Oh, technically, I am. You know about my ability to essentially make copies of myself, right?" When the two men nod, a grin forms on my face. "I have so much mana at my disposal at this point that I can have a copy to oversee the training for each and every one of my _teammates_ personally."

Chrom and Frederick stare at me in shock before the prince rubs his temples. "That _has_ to be the most blatant instance of real-life cheating that I've ever heard of."

I grin back. "You have no idea, Chrom. To tell you the truth, I'm not the real Jack."

"You're not?"

"Nope! Boss is with Robin right now. She said she wanted to show him something. Well, I think I'd better let the others know about this. Bye!"

*Poof!*

* * *

I'm right now with Robin by some water throughs close to the Shepherds' stables.

"All right, what did you want to show me, Robin?" I ask.

Robin gives me a smile and walks inside the stables. "You'll see."

She soon emerges with a bucket in hand. The wooden container is filled with water and held on top of her palm, clearly visible from above where I stand.

Wait… Is she gonna do what I think she's gonna do?

"Watch this, Jack." Robin tells me with some excitement slipping into her voice.

Her face furrows in concentration as she glares at the water in the bucket. I notice the water level slowly lowering inside. And yet, not a single drop escapes its confines. In short order, the water level is about a third of when Robin started.

"You might want to step back a bit." Robin warns me. I notice some strain in her voice and comply immediately.

*SPLASH!*

The water shoots straight into the air, high enough to easily clear the palace walls, before it falls back down and splashes everywhere on the ground.

Barely a second later, I run up to Robin, scoop her up in a hug and twirl her around.

"You did it!" I shout proudly. "You mastered the second step of the Rasengan!"

"All right, I get it!" Robin replies. "Now put me down, already!"

I comply and give her a massive grin. "You have no idea how proud I am of you right now."

My fiancée rolls her eyes. "Oh, I think I do."

"So, I guess you were hard at work mastering the second step."

Robin nods. "I've trained on compressing my mana for months now. It took a while, but I eventually realized that the trick for compressing the mana works similarly to when I concentrate mana for a lightning spell. The potency of those spells depends on how well I can concentrate the mana after I convert it into an electric charge. That's why high-level lightning spells require so much focus – without it, the spell flies out of control."

I rub my chin in thought. "Huh… I'm impressed you managed to apply another kind of spellcasting to figure out how to perform the power step." I smile at Robin. "If we were married right now, I'd hold you tight and kiss you silly to show you how proud I am."

Robin pouts. "Did you have to tell me that?! I have a hard-enough time holding myself back as is right now. I do _not_ need that image in my head!"

"Sorry about that…" I apologize awkwardly. "So… How about we head straight for the third step?"

Robin huffs. "Anything to get my mind off that image."

"Um… Yeah… *Ahem*"

I slap a hand on the ground and transmute some of the dirt. A few seconds later, I pick up a sphere made of the material we're standing on.

"This sphere is made of tightly packed dirt. The most important part is that it's hollow."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "And how will I train the third step of the Rasengan with that?"

"You remember the shape of the Rasengan, don't you?" At Robin's nod, I smile and lift my other hand, so it is level with the hand holding the sphere. "This is what it looks like on the inside."

A Rasengan whirls to life in my palm. The size more or less matches the size of the sphere. Robin alternates between staring at my Rasengan in one hand and the sphere on the other in shock.

"Wha- How do you do that?!"

"This is the third and final step of the Rasengan: containment." I explain. "Up until now, you've trained in the aspects of the Rasengan that give it its destructive capabilities. The rotation, which chips and tears away at any defense. The power, to let that very rotation unleash its true potency. But neither of those aspects will do you any good unless you release all that mana at the exact moment of impact. That's why you need to learn how to contain the mana within the sphere."

Robin nods. "I suppose that makes sense. There's no point in learning how to cast spells unless you can channel the mana properly and unleash it when it's concentrated sufficiently."

"Exactly. And now, the time has come for you to learn how to contain the swirling mana of the Rasengan and effectively tame its destructive power."

Robin looks at my hands nervously. "What happens if I fail to contain it?"

I take a few steps back and dispel the Rasengan in one hand while I lift up the dirt sphere. " _This_."

The dirt sphere shakes briefly in my hand before it explodes violently in all directions. Robin yelps as some dirt flies in her direction.

"I think this shows you what happens if you can't control the Rasengan properly." I comment. "Instead of directing all that power at your opponent, it blows up in your face, kind of like a badly cast fire spell."

Robin gulps as the implications sink in. "Does that mean I'll put myself in danger every time I fail to contain the mana?"

"Nah. We'll take it easy."

I pick up the bucket and refill it with some water. Robin raises an eyebrow when I return.

"The bucket again?"

I shrug. "Hey, if it's not broken, don't fix it."

I show her the insides of the filled bucket. "The secret to containing the Rasengan is to give it a limited space where the mana is allowed to rotate. The outline of that space is marked by a thin shell made of mana. So long as you can concentrate your mana and keep up the rotation within this shell, you'll be able to contain it."

I place my free hand on the water surface and concentrate my mana. After I get the shape I want, I lift the hand back up again – with the water sticking to the palm in a bubble shape.

Robin looks at the water bubble in wonder. "Wow…"

I smile as I lift the bubble. "What you see here is how this mana shell works. First, I spread my mana until it envelops all the water. When the shell is complete, I lift up my hand, and give the shell the shape I want in the process. Once you learn how to form the shell and make it firm enough to hold the water, you can do all sorts of fun stuff with it."

I place the bucket on the ground and then start to pass the water bubble between my hands, while giving the shell various shapes. First a cube, then a cone, pyramid, prism and lastly, a cylinder.

"Jack, that's amazing…"

"And something you'll be able to do with enough practice." I assure my fiancée. "So long as you keep the shell firm, you can shape it any way you want."

I let the shell return to its spherical form. "Though your first task is mastering this shape. Once you do, you'll have all the skills needed to perform the Rasengan."

Robin looks at the bubble one more time before her face sets in the same determination that she's displayed ever since she started training in learning the Rasengan.

"I'll master this step before you know it, Jack. Count on it."

I smile. "I'm sure you will. And I look forward to that day."

"Aha! There you are!"

Robin and I turn and spot Maribelle and Lissa approach us.

"Maribelle? Lissa? How can I help you?" Robin asks.

Maribelle scowls and points her parasol at Robin's face. " _You_ are coming with us, Robin."

"W-what?! Why?"

"You're telling me you and Jack are finally getting married, and you expect us to _not_ get involved?" Lissa asks. "Nu-uh. We're going to help plan your wedding, and it'll be awesome!"

My mind flashes back to when the two blondes practically kidnapped Cordelia to prepare for the redhead's wedding after the war against Plegia ended.

Robin pales upon reliving similar memories. Oh, that's right. She got roped into the whole thing, because Maribelle and Lissa needed someone to organize every extravagant idea they could concoct.

"Uh… There's no way I could plan this wedding with…say, Miriel?" the Grandmaster asks while trying to back away.

The attempt is instantly foiled when Lissa grabs her around the wrist with a smile that's equal parts sweet and absolutely terrifying.

"Nope. We're in this together, and there's nothing you can do to stop us, buster."

Robin struggles to wriggle out of the War Cleric's grip, to no avail. As they near the door where Maribelle and Lissa came from, she turns to me with fear in her eyes.

"Jack! Help!"

I shrug. "I shall pray for your safe return, Robin."

"You traitor! I thought you loved me!" *Slam!*

Forgive me, Robin. I _do_ love you, but my instincts tell me that following you now will only result in a terrible fate beyond description.

* * *

And so, the days pass. Between training my team into the ground with a regimen that Frederick would approve of, teaching the meaning of teamwork, making sure that Robin survives the wedding planning and getting dragged into the occasional playtime with Nowi, I have my hands full. As hectic as my daily life turned into, though, I felt like I could get used to it. It's hectic, but it's an established rhythm. No sudden wars, no looming threat over the horizon (yet), just a peaceful everyday life with friends, the love of my life, and tortu- I mean, healthily training my teammates while getting to know them.

A month in, I finally decided to check on their progress. The perfect opportunity presented itself in the form of news that a group of bandits were lurking in the eastern parts of Ylisse, attacking caravans that traveled those roads. I immediately jumped at the opportunity and had my team set up within half an hour.

To make a long story short, we finished the mission with passable results. The individual training showed immediate results in that everyone was more than enough conditioned to take on at least three bandits on their own. We could've easily won with just our superior numbers and training alone. As for teamwork, it was passable. It was there, but it was still rough around the edges. From that day forward, I decided to change the training schedule to emphasize teamwork more (much to the relief of many of my team members).

We've just returned to the capital from that very mission. We've assembled in the castle courtyard, where I address my team with a proud smile.

"Well done, team. The results of your hard work and training were plain to see when we took care of those bandits. While our teamwork needs more attention, that can be rectified over time. For our first mission, you met my expectations, and then some. Now, take the rest of the day off to relax and take care of whatever errand that may be waiting. Dismissed!"

My teammates groan relieved before they scatter. Yeah, letting them get a day off was definitely the right call. Well, seeing as I have the rest of the day for myself, I might check up on Robin. Maribelle and Lissa have spent an entire month effectively keeping her hostage by planning for our wedding.

Speaking of which, there she is! And, uh… Judging from her slouched posture, she seems quite tired.

"Robin? How are you feeling?" I ask concerned.

A red glow flashes from behind her bangs. She's in front of me in the blink of an eye.

"Jaaaack…" she drones in a disturbing monotone. "How long has it been?"

I take a step back. "Uh… A month, I think?"

Robin takes a step forward in perfect sync. "Yeeesss… One entire month, where I was dragged through gods-know-how-many places by Maribelle and Lissa, all in the name of wedding preparations."

I keep backing away from my (frightening) fiancée, only to freeze as I notice my back bump against a wall. "Um, wow… Well, I was just going to look for you. You know, to check up on how things have been since we last saw each other."

Robin's shoulders shake. Moments later, I realize the shaking comes from her laughter. A laughter so eerie, it feels like the air around her is turning dark.

"Uh hee hee hee hee… And I was looking for you, Jack."

Robin straightens up. My blood freezes upon seeing the crazed grin on her face.

"Because now I can drag you with me for my return to that hell!"

Before I can react, Robin grabs me by the collar, pulls me in and smashes her lips against mine. She's not letting go and TOOONguuee~~…

…

* * *

"Ah, finally awake, I see."

I blink my eyes as I slowly return to consciousness. Virion stands in front of me with a measuring tape in hand. I slowly look around. We're in a room with fabric in every color of the rainbow in rolls, hanging on racks along the walls. The tables are half covered on sewing implements. And, is it just me, or is the Bow Knight shorter than I remember?

Oh, wait. I'm standing on a footstool.

…Why am I standing on a footstool?

"Jack back among living, yes?" I hear Gregor ask as he rounds a corner with a wooden box. Virion opens it to reveal a sewing kit, and threads some blue string on a needle.

"Gregor?" I ask confused. "What happened?"

"Bubbles brought you here about half an hour ago." Gaius explains from behind me. "Her face was all red while you had this empty look in your eyes. Since it's been a pain getting ahold of you these past few weeks, we decided to put you up as you were and get started on your wedding garments right away."

I look down on my body. Huh. My usual attire is gone. Instead, I have navy blue fabric draped over my upper body. Ricken sits by a nearby mannequin and works on what seems to be the beginning stages of a pair of pants of the same color.

"Wedding garments?" I ask confused.

"Yep. Maribelle explicitly told me and Robin she wouldn't settle for anything less than a proper wedding garb to match Robin's wedding dress." the Dark Knight replies. "Maribelle won't let me see the design, but she's given me a rough outline for how your wedding attire should match Robin's."

Virion picks up where Ricken left off. "Of course, making such an attire requires the aid of many, and only fabric of the highest quality will suffice. Now, please stand still. The shoulder measurements are especially important."

A quick pulse with Mind's eye tells me that several more of the male Shepherds are gathered in the room. Lon'qu is busy cutting fabric as per Virion's instructions. Stahl and Vaike do the heavy lifting with all the fabric rolls. And- Is that mirror floating? Oh, wait. That's just Kellam.

"Ah' sure hope Frederick won't throw a fit when he finds out so many o' us dropped our duties ta help make this here weddin' garb." Donnel mumbles nervously while he brings in another box of thread.

"Oh, I'm sure he'll understand." Stahl replies. "Just mention that Maribelle ordered the garb be made to meet her standards, and he'll let it slide."

"What did I miss in my absence?" I ask the green Great Knight curiously.

"Long story short, Butler tried to convince Twinkles that duty goes before making your wedding clothes." Gaius explains. "It didn't end well. Last I checked, Stumbles is still busy patching him up. I never even knew you could dent armor with a _parasol_ , of all things."

A shudder runs down my spine. Somehow, I can relate to Frederick's plight. As stalwart and strong as he may be, even he is powerless in the face of an enraged Maribelle. Naga forbid the day she discovers the power of Frying pans.

"There we go." Virion declares proudly. "These measurements should fit the garb on your body like the cape on the shoulders of our noble captain and prince." He writes something down on a note and passes it to Lon'qu. "Here are the measurements for the jacket, sir Lon'qu. Make sure to follow them to the letter. Er, number."

Lon'qu accepts the note with a stoic grunt before he gets back to cutting fabric. Man, that's some precision cutting, right there.

Gaius and Virion help me get off the experimental garb as I get off the footstool. Some assistance from Donnel lets me find my robes quick enough. I'm about to exit the room with some thanks to my fellow Shepherds when Virion steps in my way.

"Hold, my friend. Surely you did not think that we were done yet, did you?"

I raise an eyebrow. "You pretty much have all the measurements you need for my wedding clothes, right? What more do you need from me until they're finished?"

"A number of things, actually. First and foremost, however, is the concern about your hair."

I rub the top of my scalp with a confused expression. "Hey, I like my hair. What's so bad about it?"

"While I do not mind the way your hair is in normal circumstances, this is your wedding we are talking about. It is imperative that you look your best. We all know your beloved bride will do the same."

I nod sagely. "Can't argue with that."

"Splendid! Seeing as we are in agreement, let us cut to the chase immediately."

Virion walks to a crate and rummages through it before he shows me some of its contents in his hands.

"Wigs?" I ask flabbergasted.

The Bow Knight nods smiling. "Indeed, wigs. I mean no offense, Jack, but your current hairstyle is an absolute fashion disaster for weddings, more so since you are the bridegroom."

"Hey, that's just mean!"

He continues without pause. "While it is possible to simply have a few servants style your hair in preparation for the wedding, I highly doubt you would like the result beyond the ceremony. Hence, I came up with the idea to let you wear a wig, for the sole purpose of letting you find a matching hairstyle for your garb. Fear not, these accessories are designed to fit on any head and remain there, even in case of riding a mad steed. Yet, with a few deft movements, they come off as easily as removing a glove from your hand."

I take one more look at the wigs in Virion's hands. I can't decide which one looks gaudier. And I'll be damned before I'm caught wearing something _that_ garish on my head. Following this line of reasoning, I choose the only sensible option.

"Nope!" *Whoosh! Crash!*

I jump out through the nearest window and make my escape from the palace grounds. If I can just lay low in the capital for a few days, I should be able to stay safe until that harebrained idea dies out and I can prepare for the wedding with my dignity intact. I-

*Whish!* "Yipes!"

Where in the world did this snare come from?! The gates are _right there_! I'm so close!

"I thought you'd try to escape through here." I hear my fiancée remark. I rotate in the trap just enough to have her right in my field of vision. "So I had Donnel prepare a few traps near the most probable points of exit to halt your escape long enough for the rest of us to catch up to you."

"Robin?"

"When I told you I would drag you through the same hell I went through, I meant every word, Jack." the Grandmaster tells me smugly while she crosses her arms. "So, you either comply and cooperate with us willingly, or you can try to fight it, only for me to foil you at every step. The choice is yours."

"I never took you for the cruel type, Robin."

"It's called "payback", my love."

"*Sigh* Can't they just let us have the final say in the wedding preparations while merely providing, oh, I don't know, _suggestions_?"

Robin rolls her eyes. "Yeah, try telling Maribelle that."

My mind flashes back to what Gaius told me about what happened to Frederick. A resigned groan escapes my lips. "There's no way out of this, is there?"

"Not peacefully, no."

I raise my hands in surrender. Or, do I lower them, considering my position? Whatever.

" _Fine_. You win. I'll play along with Maribelle's little dress up."

" _WHAT_ did you call my careful wedding planning, Jack?!" a venomous voice hisses from my left. Well, speak of the devil. Maribelle approaches, and every step rings like a funeral bell.

I gulp and turn back to Robin with a silent plea for help in my eyes. "I just signed my own death sentence, didn't I?"

Robin pinches the bridge of her nose. "Yes, Jack, you did."

* * *

"Ow ow ow ow ow!"

Robin rolls her eyes. "Oh, quit whining. You only have yourself to blame for drawing Maribelle's ire like that."

We're currently sitting on Robin's bed, where she's wrapping bandage around my arm. If I didn't know any better, I'd think Maribelle managed to figure out the Raging Demon – parasol edition.

"Well, at least it got me down." I mutter. "Ow!"

"Only you would consider suffering an assault, that even put Frederick on medical leave, a means to escape a trap, Jack." Robin comments flatly.

"I appreciate that you take some of your time to dress my wounds, but do you have to wrap the bandages so tightly? That stings, Robin!"

"Then let the pain be a reminder of where your recklessness gets you. Don't you use a similar method to train your subordinates?"

"Teammates." I correct.

"Fine. Teammates."

"Well, you're not wrong. Frederick might've rubbed off on me more than I thought."

Robin ties the bandage a few more times around my arm before she fastens it. She nods, satisfied with her handiwork.

"There, that should do it. Make sure to take it easy for a few days, and you should be right as rain."

I move my arm a little. There's still some pain, but nothing I can't handle.

"Thank you. By the way, if you wanted to get me involved in the wedding preparations, you could've just told me instead of shoving your lips onto mine. How did you even learn that thing with the tongue?"

Robin's face turns pink as she averts her eyes. "Well, I figured that it might be a good idea to, ah, prepare for when we're married, so I borrowed one of Cordelia's books. It's named "Make him fall for you in a fortnight"."

I give my fiancée a flat stare. "Oh, sure. I'm not allowed to put any intimate images in your head before our wedding, but it's completely appropriate and fine for you to read Cordelia's adult romance books and melt my mind with a knockout kiss. Yeah, real fair, Robin."

A smug smile grows on her face, though the blush remains. "Oh, you think I'm a knockout kisser?"

I gingerly touch my lips where Robin delivered the devastating move. My face heats up until its color matches Robin's. "This isn't over Robin. When we get married, I _will_ pay you back for this."

Robin laughs at my answer. "Are we really using intimate acts as a means to get back at each other in some petty lover's spat? We're an odd couple, aren't we?"

I smile at her. "Well, I can think of worse ways we could handle this. At least this way, our little conflict can still bring us closer." I avert my eyes while trying to find my robe. "Though we should probably go our separate ways for now. We're dangerously close to crossing the line prematurely – again."

Robin nods as her face starts glowing. "Y-yeah. I guess I'll see you later?"

Not trusting my own voice, I simply nod and cast her one last glance before I exit her room. I close the door, lean against it and let out a shuddering breath. Naga above, I want her so badly! The tight feeling in my pants tells me how close I am to my breaking point. According to what Maribelle mentioned while going berserk on me, we're approximately two months away from the wedding if everything goes smoothly. My restraints are straining even after _one_. The next two months will be torture! TORTURE!

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: The big day**_

I give my reflection a flat look. "I look ridiculous."

"Nonsense, my friend!" Virion protests form my left. "Your wedding garb is the very epitome of formal wear. Every inch of fabric, every accessory and decoration, every seam has been handpicked and applied with such mastery that the bards will sing of the marvelous execution and craftsmanship."

We're currently in a room adjacent to the main hall in the capital's cathedral. Our topic of conversation is said garb, which I'm currently wearing. It's mainly navy blue with some yellow accents at the end of the sleeves and on the collar. The shoulders are decorated with red tassels, and a gold chain runs from my left shoulder to a breast pocket, for no reason other than aesthetics. Pants of a matching shade of blue cover my legs. To top it all off, I wear shoes of polished black leather and white gloves.

I look like some military commander who wanted a civilian version of his uniform, not a man who's about to be married!

"The only reason you're singing such high praises about the work is because you orchestrated the main portion of it. I can smell the self-praise from leagues away." I tell Virion.

Said Bow Knight places a hand on his chest in mock hurt. "You wound me, good sir! I did this all for your sake! Who do you even take me for?"

"Master archer, drama queen, philanderer, snob." I answer without missing a beat.

Stahl rubs his chin. "Sounds about right."

Ricken shrugs. "Can't argue with that."

Gaius smirks. "He's got you there, Ruffles."

Virion huffs. "Plebians, all of you! Is there no one here who appreciates a work of art when they see it?"

I adjust the collar one last time. "Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, Virion. Still, I have little choice but to accept this as it is. It's not like we have enough time to make another wedding suit."

Virion nods proudly. "Yes, putting everything together took much work indeed. At the very least, I should be happy that you accept the fruit of our hard work. Now, since the garb is ready, how about we try finding you a fitting wi-"

The Bow Knight stops abruptly as he finds a Traced 3rd Kitetsu against his throat.

"Put. Away. The wigs." I tell him coldly.

Virion gulps. "Ah, very well. I suppose that concludes your final wedding preparations."

I raise an eyebrow. "Speaking of which, I'm amazed you managed to have _your_ wedding right on schedule while helping in preparing mine."

The Bow Knight waves off my concerns. "Oh, there was no reason to worry. Among my dear Olivia's many talents, careful planning and good work ethic are two of them. In fact, we more or less completed the preparations for our wedding shortly after I was involved in preparing for yours."

I smirk. "So, does that mean Olivia's the only reason anything gets done between the two of you?"

Virion looks at me in offended shock. "I beg your pardon?!"

I laugh it off. "Ah, it's just a jest, Virion. In all seriousness, though, I'm impressed with the amount of forethought you and Olivia put into your wedding preparations."

"Why, of course." the Bow Knight replies with a proud smile. "It _was_ our big day, after all. Nothing short of a comprehensive list of arrangements, completed well before the set date, will do."

The rest of us roll our eyes.

"Sure. Whatever you say, Virion." Ricken replies in a bored tone.

Lon'qu walks in through the dressing room's door, garbed in custom tailored clothes for the event. Lissa wouldn't leave him alone until he agreed on having them made, since I decided that he'll be my best man.

"If you five are done with your banter, I suggest you head for the main hall. It's almost time."

I nod at the Swordmaster. "All right, lead the way."

* * *

 **Lugia's song, Pokémon the movie 2 000: the power of one OST**

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Breeeaathe…

"If I knew you'd be such a nervous wreck, I would've brought a training sword to smack you around before getting up to the altar with you." Lon'qu tells me flatly from my left.

"I can't help it, okay?!" I snap at my best man. "Yeesh. All this waiting, and now that I'm here, it feels just like before I confessed to her."

The Swordmaster rolls his eyes. "Will you quit with the drama already? Seeing you this jittery for a mere ceremony is just embarrassing, especially since I know you're made of sturdier stuff than this."

"He is right, Jack." Libra comments. "As nerve-wracking as this may be for you, remember that this is your wedding day. It is a day of celebration."

"Easy for you two to say." I mutter. "Neither of you are at the center of attention and giving marital vows here."

Libra is about to retort when the cathedral bells ring. The entire hall falls silent. I can feel my heart beat like a war drum inside my chest. She'll be here any second now. Deep breaths, Jack. Keep it cool.

The moment I hear the gates creak open, I snap my head towards the entrance.

Oh my…

Oh my…GOODNESS!

The entire wedding dress is made of white cloth with silver woven into the fabric, to the point that its color almost matches Robin's hair. Heck, with her hair falling free, I can't tell where it ends and where the dress begins! The top half fits her like a glove, while the bottom half seems to wave and billow like waves as she walks down the aisle. And despite wearing a thin veil, I can tell she's looking at me.

My word… She almost looks ethereal in that dress. _This_ is the woman that I fell in love with? She looks out of this world! The only thing reminding me that she's still a physical being is the clicking sound of her shoes on the stone floor as Chrom leads her to the altar. We agreed that Chrom would do it, seeing as Robin has no memory of, nor any contact with, her family. Chrom was simply the next best choice we could think of.

Robin ascends the steps slowly. At the top, Chrom walks off to the side to stand beside Lon'qu as Robin comes to a stop in front of me. It's only now that I can see through her veil – and her smile melts away my nervousness.

I release the breath I didn't even know I was holding. "Wow…"

"Glad you approve." Robin whispers back.

Libra clears his throat and opens his tome.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness these two people unite in holy matrimony. Though I have only known them for a short time, I have had the honor of seeing their friendship blossom into love. A love, pure and true. There are times when life becomes difficult. Accidents occur that may rob us of what we hold dear. Disagreements lead to bickering that cause a rift between us. Sickness strikes when we least expect it. But none of that should ever make us forget the happiness that we share together. The days where we smile should give us strength for the days when those smiles vanish. Our laughter brings light when all seems dark. It is true that nothing is perfect. _This world_ is not perfect. But it is there for us, trying its best it can. And that is what makes it so beautiful. So it is with marriage as well. The sorrowful days come with the happy ones, but it is only when we share both that the love it is built on attains its true beauty."

The War Monk turns to Robin. "So I ask you, Robin; Do you take Jack as your lawfully wedded husband? To love him in health, as in sickness? In wealth, as in poverty? Through happy times, as in sad times, until death do you apart?"

"I do."

Even though her words were quiet, I could hear them loud and clear. As could I hear the raw emotion in her voice. You might as well skip asking me Libra, because I know exactly how I'll answer!

"And I ask you, Jack; Do you take Robin as your lawfully wedded wife? To love her in health as in sickness? In wealth, as in poverty? Through happy times, as in sad times, until death do you apart?"

I reach forward and grasp Robin's hands gently. "More than anything in the world."

Libra smiles at our acceptance before he faces the audience. "If anyone objects to these two being wed, then speak now, or forever hold your peace."

You could hear a pin drop in the hall. After letting the silence hang for a few moments, Libra speaks up again.

"Then by the power vested in me, and the grace of Naga, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife!" He turns to me. "You may kiss the bride."

I slowly lift the veil in front of Robin's face. A lone tear has escaped her eye. I bring her into an embrace and place my forehead against hers.

"My heart is yours – forever." I whisper.

Our lips meet among the cheers filling the cathedral hall.

 **Your relationship with Robin has gained a new aspect! You and Robin are now "Husband and Wife"!**

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: 'Til Game Over do us apart**  
 _Not only did the woman you love return your feelings, you've taken it to the point that you've exchanged marital vows in front of the altar! Life is filled with both laughter and tears, joy and hardship. Come what may, make sure that you share those moments_ _together_ _. That's what marriage is about. Now, get a room! The sexual tension between you two is so thick, you could cut it with a butter knife!_  
 **Objective:** _Get married._  
 **Objective cleared!  
Rewards: **_You gain 3 000 EXP! Happy honeymoon!_

* * *

After the customary congratulations coming from every conceivable direction, we moved on to our wedding reception. Robin and I decided pretty early that we want to keep it a simple affair, with only our closest friends and comrades invited. As such, we're now gathered in front of the Shepherds' barracks, where tables have been lined up in rows for everyone to sit. For our wedding reception, we only invited the Shepherds, Emmeryn, Phila and my team. Still, that's over a hundred people gathered among those tables. Needless to say, the guys had to bring _a lot_ of tables and chairs.

It all worked out in the end, though. There's plenty of food to go around, and everyone found a seat without any table getting cramped. Of course, Robin and I have our own table in front of everyone else.

The fact that both the table and the chairs are extra decorated hints at how detailed Lissa's and Maribelle's planning was. The attention to detail has Frederick's name written all over it.

Everyone's finally seated. That's when Virion rises up with a cup in hand.

"A toast! For our dear comrades and newlyweds, Jack and Robin!"

Cheers rise from everyone gathered in response. From that point on, toasts are proposed for all manner of reasons (most of them coming from Vaike).

Me? I'm busy sitting at my table and enjoying a delicious meal with Robin while observing the growing spectacle among the tables. The toasting has pretty much spiraled into half a drinking game between the more adventurous Shepherds and my rowdier teammates. Frederick and Phila desperately try to contain the ensuing chaos, to little effect. Stahl and Panne are attacking the food with gusto (with Panne sticking strictly to the vegetarian dishes).

Robin's laughter at watching everyone party rings in my ears through it all. This is the reason we wanted to keep things simple. It's easier to enjoy the celebration this way, rather than some stuffy banquet with dozens of snobs that neither me nor Robin know of, like how Chrom and Cordelia did for their wedding reception.

"Phew! Here at last."

Everyone stops partying as they turn to where the familiar voice came from.

Wouldn't you know it – it's Anna. That is, Anna from the capital, alongside another Anna. This particular Anna is much lighter clothed than any other Anna I've met in this world.

"Wait a minute." I say as I rise from my seat. "I remember you. You're the Anna I met when I went to the weapons capital during my travels."

Said lightly clothed Anna points at me triumphantly. "Aha! Finally found you. And in the nick of time too!"

Robin raises an eyebrow. "Jack, what's going on?"

"Well, one of the places I visited during my travels was a town that specializes in forging weapons." I explain. "That's where I had Harvest Moon made."

The Anna nods happily. "Yup. Me and my sisters have forged many weapons during our career, but yours was just insane! If it wasn't for you introducing us to those adorable little fluffy merchants, we never would've managed to figure out where to even start."

"And you practically ripped a hole in my purse in the process." I tell the Outrealm blacksmith bluntly. Seriously, the fee they charged for making Harvest Moon was astronomical! It's only because I ended up farming so much gold that I didn't end up broke by the time the payment was made.

If there's one thing I regret (aside from not realizing my love for Robin sooner), it's letting the redheaded family meet up with those blasted Moogle merchants. The two groups formed an unholy alliance that's already spreading their wicked business ways all across the universe. I have unleashed a terrible existence in the Anna-Moogle merchant union.

Ylisstol's Anna smiles cheerfully. "I certainly don't complain. Those Moogles are the best business partners us girls could ask for!"

I sigh and rub my head. "Well, you didn't travel all the way here just to congratulate me on the wedding, did you?"

Outrealm Anna snaps her fingers. "Oh, yeah, I almost forgot! I never got to thank you for what you did for my family! You were just another traveler passing through our town, but when news reached that my sisters were trapped with those red-eyed monsters, you ran straight up the mountain and saved them."

I scratch my cheek. "Yeah, I remember that incident. I just couldn't leave them hanging like that. Not when I saw how horrified you got over the thought of losing them."

The blacksmith smiles somberly. "Well, family has to stick together. If there's one thing I love more than money, it's my sisters. They mean the world to me."

She rummages in her backpack and hands me two golden pieces of paper. I raise an eyebrow.

"And those are…?"

"I never got to thank you properly for saving my sisters. So when I heard you're getting married, I knew just the thing to give you."

The Anna from Ylisstol nods. "See, one of our third-removed cousins runs a vacation resort in the Outrealms. We pulled some strings, and arranged these tickets for your honeymoon. Two weeks on the beach, with food and lodging included. You're free to visit her shop, but you'll have to pay from your own pockets if you're buying anything there."

I look at the golden tickets in a whole new light. Considering how much the Annas can charge for their business, a two-week vacation on a tropical resort makes these tickets worth their weight in gold, and then some. There might be a problem, though. I turn to Chrom.

"Hey, Chrom. You wouldn't mind if Robin and I go on leave for two weeks, would you?"

The prince scratches his head. "That…might be tough. Both of you have heavy responsibilities to fulfill."

"Oh, let them, Chrom." Emmeryn says. "I remember your and Cordelia's honeymoon effectively lasted about as long as that, and the halidom was completely fine, even in your absence."

"Actually, you might not need that much time." Outrealm Anna interjects. "See, one of the perks with that particular Outrealm is that time moves much faster there. It's so that visitors can enjoy their vacations in full without worrying about being away for too long."

Ylisstol Anna nods. "Yup. If my calculations are still up to speed, I'd say a week on that resort equals roughly…one day here."

I nod in thought before I turn back to Chrom. "All right. How about three days' leave, then?"

Chrom nods with a smile. "That sounds acceptable. We'll do our best to cover for you in the meantime."

"Great! It's settled then." Outrealm Anna declares. "I'll let our cousin by the gate know, so she can pick you two up. When do you leave?"

I turn to Robin. "What do you say? Does tomorrow sound good?"

She nods smiling. "Tomorrow sounds great. Two weeks, just the two of us. I've never been to this "beach" before, so I'm excited about what we'll find there."

"All right, it's a date." Ylisstol Anna declares. "Tomorrow it is."

* * *

Robin laughs merrily as I carry her over the threshold of our new room in a princess carry. This room could be considered our wedding gift from the royal siblings. It's basically a guest room that's been refurnished for me and Robin to take up a more permanent residence in. Most of Robin's stuff was brought here from her old room, making about half of it her personal study. The room otherwise came with plenty of comforts reserved for visiting dignitaries, including a plush four-post bed with more than enough room for the both of us, as well as its own bathroom.

I let my wife down on the floor while using some Telekinesis to close and lock the door. As the lock clicks shut, Robin brings me into an embrace. Her eyes are full of affection and longing, all directed towards me.

"I have waited for this moment for a _long_ time, Jack." Robin tells me. "It's just the two of us now."

I return the embrace and smile back. "You have no idea how agonizing the wait was. Seeing you every day for these past three months, pining for your touch where no one has touched me before."

Robin slowly unbuttons my jacket. "Why don't you tell me all about it over at the bed? I'd be happy to hear your every thought, expressed in any way you like."

I reach behind her and search carefully until I find the buttons holding up her dress. The buttons come off one by one. "I would, but I have a feeling that you're eager to tell me something as well. I'll hear what you have to say first."

"Only two words." Robin leans in to whisper. "Take me."

Our lips crash together with desire that we've pent up for three long months. A few seconds later, we fall down on the bed. Clothes fly everywhere.

* * *

 **AN: The following scene may be inappropriate for anyone under the age of 18. If you've yet to reach that age, please proceed to the next AN.**

* * *

"Yes! Oh~ yes! Jack! More!"

How long have we been at it? I lost track of the time way back. The only thing I can think about is that I _don't. Want. This. To. END!_

"If only…" I grunt. "…this moment could last…forever!"

"Yes! Oh gods, YEEESS~~!"

Robin tenses up underneath me before clinging everywhere to my body – even where we're joined by the hip. At the same time, a feeling akin to a lightning bolt pierces through my entire being, only to be replaced a few seconds later with the most intense feeling of pleasure I've ever felt.

I take a few moments to catch my breath. By the blessings of Ashera, that was crazy! Now I finally understand why people my age back home kept hyping up the whole "getting it on" thing.

By the time my heart stops beating like a subwoofer on a techno rave, I finally take the time to check how Robin is holding up.

She's gasping for air like she just finished one of Frederick's fanatical fitness hours. Her hair is matted with sweat. Her eyes show a curious mix of affection, desire, satisfaction and pride.

It's the single most beautiful sight I've ever seen in my life.

As Robin's breathing calms down, she finally loosens up on her clinging to my body. A tired, but happy sigh escapes her lips as she relaxes completely underneath me. I kiss her on the lips tenderly.

"I had no idea it felt this good." I whisper.

"Me neither." she whispers back. "No wonder Chrom and Cordelia do it so often."

"If this is what marriage is like, I look forward to every night where we'll share a bed together."

"So do I. Though I don't think I want every night to be as intense as this one."

"You need only give the word. I _did_ promise to make you the happiest woman in the world, and this looks like one of the ways I'll fulfill that promise."

"I'm amazed at how dedicated you are at going that extra mile for me, Jack." Robin caresses my cheek gently. "Promise me you won't overdo it. I don't want you to sacrifice yourself for my happiness. If you really want to go that far, then let me walk _with_ you."

I smile and place my forehead against hers. "I will. Thank you, Robin. For everything you've done for me, and everything you _will_ do for me."

I get ready to pull out when I notice something strange. Little-me is still raring to go, even though I reached the peak of ecstasy less than two minutes ago. Huh. Must be one of those strange hidden perks that come with having the body of a videogame character.

Well, who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?

I wiggle my hips, which makes the breath hitch in Robin's throat upon feeling little-me move around inside of her, still at full size.

"Wanna do it again?" I ask her with a big grin.

Robin's breathing quickly turns to hyperventilating. Her pupils shrink and start shaking.

I raise an eyebrow in concern. "Uh, are you all right, Ro- Mm-mmph!"

I'll just assume "searing lip lock" equals "yes" – in both cases.

* * *

 **AN: And now we return to the (relatively) more child friendly content.**

* * *

 **You have slept in a bed. HP and MP have been fully restored. All negative status conditions have been removed.**

I blink my eyes blearily as I wake up from sleeping for the first time since…

Now that I think about it, this is the first time I've truly ever slept since the day I woke up on that field in southern Ylisse and this whole crazy adventure began.

The sun shines through the windows. If I strain my ears enough, I can hear birds chirping outside. I let out a satisfied sigh. That was, by far, the most satisfying night of sleep I've ever had in my life. And the main reason rests right on my bare chest.

I slowly part the curtain of silver hair to find my wife snoring softly, naked as the day when she was born. She looks so peaceful, sleeping like a child and hugging me like I'm a body-sized pillow. In fact, I think I can spot the ghost of a satisfied smile on her lips. I should know. We both got a new skill on our wedding night and spent Naga-knows how long leveling it up before we fell asleep.

* * *

 **Sexual prowess, Lvl 10 [24 %], Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _Bumping uglies, rolling in the hay, horizontal tango, or simply making love. The most intimate pleasure known to man has many names and can be done in more ways than has ever been written in any single book. This skill represents your ability to please your beloved when the two of you decide to get up close and personal in bed, on the table, outside, or wherever the heck you think is a good spot (You horny animals…). The greater your skill level, the more satisfied your beloved will be. Remember, a healthy sex life is part of a healthy romance, but it's far from everything._

* * *

Best. Wedding night. Ever.

Robin slowly stirs awake on top of me. She raises her head and looks me in the eyes while blinking her eyes blearily. I stroke her hair softly.

"Good morning, love. Sleep well?" I ask her.

Robin smiles before she places her head back on my chest and sighs contently.

"Best night of sleep I've ever had. Last night was just… Wow."

I embrace her tenderly. "I couldn't say it better myself. And that was just our _first_ night together."

"You don't expect us to do that _every_ night, do you?" Robin mumbles tiredly against my chest. "As wonderful as it was, I don't think I've ever felt so exhausted as when we finally fell asleep last night."

"Fair enough." I reply. "It's only appropriate if we both want it at the same time."

I glance at my in-game clock. It's just past 10.

"We should prepare to leave." I tell Robin. "Anna mentioned that our ride to our honeymoon would arrive this morning, and we've more than overslept."

Out of nowhere, I feel Robin grasp my manhood. She raises her head back up and gives me some deep bedroom eyes.

"Oh, I think she won't mind if we make her wait a little longer, do you?"

I raise an eyebrow. "Really, Robin? I thought you said you were exhausted by the time we fell asleep."

"Yes, but now I'm all rested up. Besides, our union felt amazing, and I, for one, am up for more."

"Look, as wonderful as it was, just grabbing me down there isn't enough to change my mi-hi-HIII~~~!"

On the other hand, stimulating that part of my anatomy with lightning magic _will_.

Robin's smile turns smug. "You were saying?"

"Bwuh… How…"

"How did I learn to use lightning magic like _this_?"

Ho-ho- _holy_ Dragonstones, that feels good!

"Well, Miriel found an interesting research project among the many letters she receives from her colleagues. It theorized about how to stimulate a man's, ah, sensitive parts with magic. She decided to try it out herself, and when we have our talks, she occasionally mentions how passionate her love life with Kellam has become. She was more than happy to teach me."

It's always the quiet ones… If I ever see Miriel, I need to thank her for redefining the phrase "magical night in bed" and teaching Robin how to make it happen.

Aaand cerebral reboot complete.

"Ah… I, uh… I _suppose_ Anna won't mind if we keep her waiting for a few more minutes."

"I knew you'd see things my way."

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: An hour and a half later**_

Ah, what a wonderful day it is.

I'm walking out of the palace with a massive, goofy grin on my face. Robin is at my side, walking with a notable limp in her step, hugging my right arm, and smiling so brightly that she could put the sun to shame.

"Well, you two sure took your sweet time, didn't you?"

We turn to our left and spot Anna with a sour expression and tapping her foot on the ground impatiently.

My grin turns even bigger. "Oh, it was _sweet_ , all right."

The redhead rolls her eyes. "Newlyweds. I swear…" She walks up to a horse drawn cart and takes the reins. "Come on. My cousin at the resort is waiting, and time's a wastin'."

I'm about to climb onto the cart when Robin tugs on the sleeve of my robe. Her expression looks apprehensive. "Jack, I… I don't think I can climb up." she tells me embarrassed and blushing.

I raise a confused eyebrow in reply. "Why not?"

The blush grows a few shades deeper. "Because I'm too sore!"

I blink before realization dawns on me. I scratch the back of my head. "Oh, uh… Sorry."

"Don't be. I wouldn't trade this feeling for anything. But I'll need help if I want to get on that cart."

I smile at her. "That won't be a problem. Hold on."

Robin yelps as I pick her up in a princess carry and jump up on the cart. Right as I land, I sit down and place her on my lap.

"See? Problem solved." I declare. I then hug her tight and snuggle into her. "And for the entire trip to the Outrealm gate, I'll make sure you're comfortable."

Robin giggles. "That's so sweet of you."

Anna facepalms. "Ugh! If I knew you two would be _this_ bad, I would've dumped the cart ride on my baby sister. By the way, where's your luggage?"

"Coming right up." I reply and indicate the entrance to the palace.

A pair of clones walk out, each carrying a bag.

"Why does Boss always get to do the fun stuff?" one of my clones mutters.

"Tell me about it." the other replies as they dump the bags in the cart. "We're always saddled with the dirty work and grinding, while he gets to experiment on crazy stuff and cuddle with our bae-" *Poof*

I sigh as I recieve the memory feedback from the clones I just dispelled. Do they _have_ to complain so much?

"Your copies have a surprising amount of personality." Robin muses.

"If by that you mean "whiny like spoiled brats", then, yes. They have _plenty_ of personality."

My wife raises an eyebrow. "I thought they're essentially copies of yourself. Does that mean your personality matches theirs?"

"That's the worst part. I want to say "no", but evidence implies otherwise."

"Well, are you comfortable back there, lovebirds?" Anna asks. "We're off."

The redhead snaps the reins. The cart goes into motion. Next stop; the beach resort.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: Two hours later**_

 **BGM: Gelato Beach, Super Mario Sunshine music**

White sand under our feet, sparkling blue ocean water reaching land in small waves, the sun shining down with hardly a cloud to obscure the light, seagulls flying overhead, and just the perfect temperature to walk around topless.

I take a deep breath and enjoy the slight sea breeze coming from the ocean. We just arrived, and the beach resort already lives up to its reputation.

Robin looks around as she takes in the sights. "This place is beautiful. No wonder people come here for their vacation."

"I know, right?" Anna adds cheerfully. "Though you might want to change into thinner clothing. With how hot the weather is here almost every day, the clothes you're wearing right now will have you sweat buckets in a matter of minutes."

Robin opens up her coat a bit. "You bring up a good point, Anna. The insides of my coat feel like a furnace."

"Which is why I'll take you to the best establishment on this beach." the redhead declares.

Anna leads us to a quite sizable hut located right where the beach ends and the local tropical vegetation begins. The hut is named "The secret shack", if the sign hanging outside is anything to go by. Yeah, it has "Anna" written all over it.

Robin and I begin looking at the wares on sale as we enter. Beach balls, inflatable tubes, sun cream, towels, accessories. This place has almost everything you need for a day at the beach. Only thing missing would be the swimwear. And possibly ice cream.

"Hello! Anyone home?" Anna calls out.

Another Anna enters from behind some curtains further into the shop. Unlike other Annas I've met over the years, this one only wears a bikini. "Well, look who finally decided to drop by. Nice seeing you again, Cousin."

"Hey, Cousin." our guide greets back smiling. "Sorry about the delay. These two lovebirds decided to sleep in, so we ended up behind schedule. Well, better late than never, right?"

"Right you are." Bikini Anna replies. Then she waggles her eyebrows. "Sleeping in, or could it be something more…raunchy?"

Gate Anna rolls her eyes. "Considering how lovey-dovey these two were all the way to the gate, I'd bet on the latter."

"We're right here, you know." I tell the two redheads flatly while Robin tries to hide against my chest (D'aw, that's so adorable.).

"Oh, we know." Gate Anna replies shamelessly. Then she heads for the exit. "Well, my part's done here. I'll pick you two up in two weeks. They're all yours, Cousin. Have fun!"

With that, she's gone. Barely a second later, Bikini Anna claps her hands together.

"All right, then. First order of business will be getting you out of your stuffy clothing and into some swimsuits."

I raise an eyebrow. "About that. I haven't seen any swimwear on display ever since we entered your shop."

"Oh, that's because they have their own little section. Right this way."

Anna leads us through the curtains we saw her come out from earlier. Both Robin and I look around in awe at what we see on the other side. The walls are lined with racks upon racks holding all kinds of swimwear. And almost two thirds are distinctly of the feminine variant.

"I normally let my customers pick their own swimwear, but in your case, I've got something special prepared, free of charge." Anna tells us. She walks up and gently pries Robin off me. "Ladies first."

"H-hey! What do you think you're doing?" Robin protests.

"Taking you to the changing room, of course." Anna replies like it's obvious. "What? You want to change into your commemorative swimsuit in front of your hubby?"

Robin's face turns as red as Anna's hair at the suggestion.

"Um… Lead the way…"

The two women walk behind a curtained booth near the back. The place falls silent.

"You can't be serious!" I hear Robin shout indignant from the changing room.

"Aw, come _on_!" Anna replies. "Do you have any idea how much I had to work to recreate this? He'll love it. Trust me."

"B-but it's… Gods, it's almost like I'll put myself on display."

"Look, if you feel too uncomfortable, I'll help you find something to cover yourself a bit more, okay?"

"…O-okay…"

Anna walks out of the changing room soon after. "Your turn, handsome."

"What did you hand my wife?" I ask her apprehensively.

Anna waves off my concern. "Oh, don't worry about it. It's not like there's any part of her that you haven't seen already."

I narrow my eyes at the redhead. "I swear, if you make her dress like a harlot, there _will_ be hell to pay."

"Yeesh, cool down, hotshot. I know the swimwear tends to show a lot of skin, but I made sure she won't wear anything too outlandish. Honest. Besides, if neither of you like it, I could always help her find something more conservative."

"*Sigh* All right, then. Lead the way."

Anna leads me to a dressing room beside the one Robin went in to. As I enter, I spot the swimwear she had prepared for me; a pair of black swimming trunks – with the symbol of team Dai-Gurenn embroidered on the right leg.

I give an appreciative whistle. "Nice. I like the design."

"I got this request specifically from Old man Hubba." Anna explains. "He told me that it's a well-known symbol in certain circles in your home world. At least this way, you'll wear a reminder of your home."

I give the symbol a nostalgic look. "Thanks. I appreciate the gesture. I know that my life now is by Robin's side, but this… Hopefully, this symbol will serve as a reminder of my roots for me."

"We aim to please here in the Hotrealms." Anna declares proudly. "Well, I'll leave you alone to change in peace."

Anna soon pulls the curtain shut, leaving me with the black swimming trunks.

Well, might as well get changed. It's a good thing I brought my trusty bag. Honestly, I wonder why we bothered packing bags for our honeymoon at all, since my bag can fit all of it and more without any problem. Ah, well. I can just have a pair of clones lug that stuff around again. For now, everything on my body goes into the bag. I'm about to reach for the swimming trunks when I hear Robin from the other side of the wall.

"Jack? Are you there?"

I lean against the wall between us. "I can hear you loud and clear, Robin."

I hear Robin let out a sigh. "This feels so strange. I've never worn so little clothes before. This "swimsuit" looks more like smallclothes to me. Is it…really all right if I walk around in public while wearing it?"

"While I don't know what kind of swimsuit Anna offered you, I'm pretty sure it looks a lot like the swimsuits from my home world. Would you believe me if I told you the clothes she wears is considered normal and acceptable when visiting the beaches in my home world?"

I _could_ , of course, take a peek with Mind's eye to find out what swimsuit Anna picked for my wife, but the moment that thought entered my head, every marital instinct in my heart beat it down with extreme prejudice. I refuse to ogle my wife like a piece of meat. She deserves far better than that.

"In what world would that be normal?" Robin asks skeptically. "I'm practically naked with this thing on."

I slip on the swimming trunks. "Look, if you don't feel comfortable with it, I think it's for the best if you ask Anna for something more conservative."

"W-well… Would _you_ mind if I wore it?"

"I honestly don't mind, Robin. I love you for you. I _do_ mind, however, if it makes you feel uncomfortable."

"No, I… I think I do want to wear it after all. F-for your sake."

I raise an eyebrow. "For real? It's not like I'm wearing _my_ swimwear for your sake, so I fail to see why you would do it for mine."

"You said it yourself; you love me for me. And I do the same. So I want to wear this swimsuit – to show my appreciation for you."

I smile. "This coming from the one who asked me not to sacrifice myself for your happiness? The choice is ultimately up to you, Robin. Just know that if any man looks at you with any less-than-pure intents, I _will_ get violent."

Robin giggles. "Thank you, Jack. All right, I've made up my mind. I choose this swimsuit."

"Are you two done changing yet?" we hear Anna ask from outside the changing rooms.

"I'm done for my part." I reply while I fasten my bag around my waist. Thank goodness I got a separate belt for it during my travels, or else I wouldn't be able to carry it around in my current attire.

I exit the changing room, with most of my slim, muscular physique bared to the world. Anna whistles in appreciation.

"Hello, stud. Bet the ladies would flock to you if they saw what you're packing under that coat of yours."

I snort. "They can try. But it doesn't matter how attractive they think they are. No one can hold a candle to Robin."

The redhead bats her eyelashes and strikes a shy pose. "Not even me, handsome?"

"Not even close." I reply without hesitation.

Anna's mood deflates instantly. "Way to go, ruining a girl's mood like that. But I suppose I could let it slide, what with you being newlywed and everything."

"It's called "true love"."

"Sure. Whatever floats your boat."

"Um… I think I'm finished too." we hear Robin call from her changing room.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Anna asks, cheerful mood back in an instant. "Come on out!"

"O-okay."

The moment Robin steps out, I feel my face heat up to the point that I swear steam pours out from my ears. By the Lunarian crystals, Robin's wearing the Bravo Bikini (minus the boots and gloves)! And it's a perfect fit!

"Bwuh… Blaa…"

"See? I told you he'll like it." Anna declares proudly.

Robin hugs herself with a blush on her face. "I think I'm fine with the upper part, but could you help me find something to cover my lower half? I'm glad Jack likes the view, but I want most of it to be for his eyes only."

"Aw, that's so sweet." Anna gushes. "I have just the thing. Wait here."

She walks through the curtains, leaving only Robin and me.

Come on, brain, work with me here. I know my wife is beautiful, and I know she looks smoking hot in the Bravo Bikini, but she's more than just her body. Get back out of the gutter already!

"Um, Jack? Are you still in there?" Robin asks.

I hold up a hand. "Give me a moment. I think my brain is still melted."

Deep breaths. Remember, you love her, no matter what she wears. She just happens to wear something so alluring, it's practically weaponized sexiness.

"Okay…" I sigh. "Okay. I'm good."

"I wonder how many heads I'll turn by wearing this." Robin muses with a small smile. "It's too revealing for my tastes, but a small part of me appreciates the thought of getting so much attention."

"Please don't entertain that thought." I mutter. "The mere thought of another man lusting after you while you wear _any_ kind of clothing – and this one in particular – makes me feel murderous."

"Overreact much?"

"*Sigh* You might have a point. Though, how would you react if another woman tried to woo me?"

Robin bites her bottom lip. "Fair point. I'd place myself between the two of you and chase her off. And that's if she gets the hint the first time around."

"We're extremely possessive of each other, aren't we?"

"We sure are."

"Ah, here we are." Anna declares as she returns from behind the curtain. She hands Robin a pink sarong. "Try this on."

Robin raises an eyebrow as she unfolds the garment and places it around her shoulders. While it does cover her upper body, her lower half is still very much visible.

"No, not like that." Anna corrects her. "Here. Let me show you."

In short order, Robin has the sarong tied around her waist, making it look like a long skirt with a slit going all the way up her left side.

"And now, for the final touch." Anna declares. She pulls out a hair clip with a red hibiscus flower that she fastens in Robin's hair.

Robin places her hands behind her back and faces me. "Soo… How do I look?"

I bring her in close. "Like the embodiment of beauty."

Anna starts to shoo us out. "All right, lovebirds. Get out on the beach and enjoy yourselves before you start filling my shop with hearts."

Ah. The bright sunny weather and high temperature feels good on my skin. I might need a pair of sunglasses if I want to enjoy the weather to its fullest.

 **BGM ends**

My thoughts get interrupted by panicked screams coming from the beach. The three of us direct our gazes there and see the guests leaving in a hurry. A glance further down shows the cause of the commotion; bandits.

"Oh, not again!" Anna shouts. "Those brutes come over here every once in a while and hog the entire beach all for themselves. I can't run my business while they drive away all the visiting customers. Worse yet, this is terrible for this place's reputation."

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Side quest: Hazardous honeymoon 2  
** _It's a beautiful day on the beach – perfect for spending the honeymoon with your beloved. There's only one real problem; brigands have invaded the beach and want it all for themselves. Unless they leave (or, at the very least, behave), you're in for two weeks of ruined romance.  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat all bandits.  
_ **Rewards:** _3 000 EXP, 1 000 gold  
_ **Failure:** _Whatever plans you had for the honeymoon go down the drain. Oh, and you face your wife's wrath, no matter how well you explain the situation._

* * *

My survival instincts flare up on my right. I turn and see Robin glare at the bandits with more anger than I've ever seen her express. The pink aura around her body indicates that she just entered a state of Female Fury.

"How dare they…" she growls dangerously. "I won't stand by idly while those bandits ruin our honeymoon!"

I place a hand on her shoulder (very gently). "Easy, Robin. We only need to teach them a lesson. Want to take them on together?"

Robin cracks her knuckles. "With pleasure."

Considering her current emotional state, I have the perfect weapon to lend her. I rummage around in my bag a bit and hand her the good old Frying Pan.

"Here."

The moment the wooden handle lands in Robin's grasp, her pink aura envelops it and brings out its true form.

Robin gives the pan a few experimental swings. "Thank you, Jack. Now, if you'll excuse us, Anna…" Robin's voice turns notably darker. "…we have some bandits to beat up."

I follow right beside her. "This might be fun." I comment grinning. Sparks travel down my right arm. "Trace On."

* * *

 _ **One epic ass kicking later**_

The bandits are all lined up in a neat row in front of Anna's shop, kneeling and with their hands tied behind their backs. Every single one sports bruises, swollen eyes and cheeks, busted lips, missing teeth and freshly smoking bumps on top of the freshly smoking bumps on top of the freshly smoking bumps on top of their very abused heads.

Robin and I stand behind the bandits. Robin glares at the bandits while smacking the Frying pan against her palm menacingly. Every time the metal hits her palm, the bandits flinch in fright upon remembering the extreme pain they've suffered at my wife's hand.

I stand tall with a massive spiked club over my shoulder. This baby was designed and enchanted to inflict unholy amounts of pain, but never take a life. I call it: the Bat of Punishment.

I crouch down near the leader of the bandits and pull on his left cheek.

"Ow ow ow!"

"Now, what have we learned today?" I ask the bandit leader like I'm scolding a child.

"That causing trouble on the beach and scaring everyone away is mean." the bandit leader answers with a slight slur due to his messed up face.

"And?" I press.

"And it makes it hard for the nice lady over there to run her shop."

I tap my weapon against my shoulder while Robin smacks the pan especially hard against her palm. The bandits react accordingly.

" _And_?"

"And the only way to make this right is by working hard to help people know that being in this place is safe again!"

I nod approvingly. "Good. Now, apologize to the nice lady."

The bandits bow in their kneeling position with notable difficulty. Another smack from pan against palm makes them forget their pain and instead makes them speed up.

"We're sorry!" they shout in perfect sync and notable terror.

Anna looks at the beaten bandits with a sweatdrop. Then she looks at us. "Wow. If I knew you two could fight this well, I'd consider hiring you as security on this resort. I almost feel sorry for them, despite all the trouble these bandits have put me through."

I poke the bandit leader in the back of his head (which sports another bump, courtesy to Robin). "See? She even cares about you. What's the proper response?"

"We are not worthy!" the bandits shout in reverence.

I get up from my crouch and dispel the Bat of Discipline with a sigh. "Well, happy we got that over with."

Robin sighs as well as she hands me back the Frying pan. "Now what? This beach is completely empty after our battle. What's more, a lot of the chairs and other stuff got destroyed in the process."

"Leave that to me." I reply. One beach-wide Transmutation later, and the beach is back in pristine condition. I love FMA-style alchemy.

Anna and the bandits gape in shock.

"I'd never believe you could do that unless I got to see it with my own eyes." the redhead comments. "And here I thought I'd be busy all week cleaning this place up." A smile lights up on her face. "It's official; you two are the best visitors ever! Any chance I could offer you something for your stay here? I'll even add a discount."

Robin shakes her head with a small smile. "I think we'll take you up on that offer later." She walks up to me and hugs my arm. "Right now, we just want to enjoy our honeymoon in peace."

Anna nods sagely. "Right, right. Can't forget about that. Well, until the customers return, you have the entire beach for yourselves. Enjoy."

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Side quest: Hazardous honeymoon 2  
** _What better way to start your honeymoon than joining your beloved in beating the ever-loving tar out of a bunch of unruly bandits? With the brutes cleared off the beach, the two of you are now free to enjoy some much-needed time alone. Have fun!  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat all bandits.  
_ **Objective cleared!  
Rewards:** _You gain 3 000 EXP! You gain 1 000 gold!_

* * *

And so we do. Robin and I spend the days soaking up sunlight, playing in the water or exploring the nearby tropical forest near the beach. The nights, on the other hand, we enjoy in the hut where we're staying. Some nights emphasize cuddling, while others emphasize more…steamy activities. The fact that we show a lot of skin to each other all day does little more for our restraints other than undoing them. Not that we mind. We have a hard-enough time keeping our hands to ourselves until the evening anyway.

However, all good things must come to an end. So it is also with our honeymoon. Before we knew it, the two weeks were up. A quick trip later, we're back in front of the Outrealm gate outside Ylisse in our usual attires. There's a small difference in my case, though.

Remember when I considered buying a pair of sunglasses during my stay in the Hotrealms? Strangely enough, I happened upon a pair while paying Anna's beach shop another visit. And not just any sunglasses either. I don't know how the redhead pulled it off, but there was a perfect replica of _Kamina's_ sunglasses proudly on display. Deciding to cover my need for shades, while silently paying my respects for the inspiring (if moronic) man, I bought them. Even as we return to the capital on the same horse-drawn cart that we left it in, I wear the red, pointy sunglasses on my forehead. Maybe I should put them in my bag soon. These things can be pretty fragile.

"Thanks for the ride." I tell Anna as I have a pair of clones unload our bags and bring them to mine and Robin's room.

"Happy to be of service." the redhead replies cheerfully. "If you ever need our services again, just give the call. We'll be right where you need us, whenever you need us, for _almost_ whatever you need us for."

I roll my eyes. "I'll consider it – when you stop charging those outrageous sums for payment."

Anna huffs. "Cheapskate. Well, I'm off. See you soon."

After the gatekeeper has left, I turn to my wife.

"So, what now?" I ask her.

Robin shrugs. "I suppose we return to our daily lives."

"Together." I add smiling.

Robin smiles back. "Together."

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: Six months later**_

"CHROOOM! I AM GOING TO _MURDER_ YOU!"

Yeah, turns out Cordelia got pregnant shortly after I returned from my first trip to the Outrealms. Fast forward roughly nine months, and here we are. Cordelia's in labor, with Lissa, Sumia, Robin and Libra making sure that everything goes smoothly. And with smoothly, I mean that Cordelia concentrates on getting her baby out instead of making good on her threat and make herself a widow.

As for me, I'm outside the room she's in, alongside Frederick and the terrified prince.

I pinch the bridge of my nose as Cordelia's pained cries continue. "For crying out loud, Chrom, you can't stay outside forever. You need to be there when your child arrives."

"Try saying that while _your_ wife threatens to kill you." Chrom replies from behind Frederick.

"*Sigh* Look, Cordelia's in there in a vulnerable state, completely unarmed and busy giving birth. No matter how you look at it, she's in no position to kill anyone. Now, are you going to be a man and be there for your wife, or will you chicken out and spend the rest of your life regretting that you missed the first moments of your child's life in the world?"

"He is right, milord." Frederick adds. "As frightening as Cordelia may be to you, your place is by her side."

Chrom grits his teeth before he sighs. "No, you're both right. I can't run away from it forever." His face sets in a determined scowl. "All right. I'm heading in. Frederick, Jack, will you join me?"

I roll my eyes. "It's not like you're marching towards a battle, or anything of the sort. But, fine. I'll humor you."

The moment we enter the room, Cordelia finds enough focus to direct a glare of pure, unbridled rage at her husband.

"YOU! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO GOT ME INTO THIS LIVING HELL IN THE FIRST PLACE! TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND GET OVER HERE, RIGHT THIS INSTANT!"

Wow. Cordelia's got a strong pair of lungs.

Chrom gulps before marching towards what looks like his execution, but really only is the start of his life as a parent.

"Now, Cordelia, I need you to focus." Libra chastises the Falcon Knight gently. "You have done well so far. The baby will come out soon."

"Can't it get out any faster?!" Cordelia shouts as sweat runs down her face in rivers due to the pain. "I can't take much more of this!"

"You're much stronger than you think, Cordelia." Sumia encourages. "You'll bring a wonderful child into this world, and it will be worth every moment. You'll see."

"Hey, I can see the head!" Lissa reports excited. "You're almost there, Cordelia! Just a little more!"

Libra nods approvingly. "Good. Remember, Cordelia; Deep breaths. And…push!"

"UAAAA!"

"AAAUUUGH!"

The first scream was from Cordelia putting all her strength into pushing out the baby. The other scream was from Chrom, because he placed his hand in Cordelia's in an effort to provide moral support. Remember, dudes: Women have insane grip strength when they give birth.

"Waah!"

There it is. The cry that signifies that a new life is born.

"It's a girl! A healthy baby girl!" Lissa exclaims happily.

"Bring the water!" Libra tells a maid. "Quickly, now!"

The newborn infant is quickly washed and wrapped in a clean cloth. Even as she gasps for breath, Cordelia reaches out to the tiny bundle with shaking arms.

"Please… I wish to hold her…" she pants.

Libra places the baby in her arms with utmost care. Cordelia hugs her newborn child to her bosom, letting the little one seek our her breast and partake her first ever meal.

"Oh, she's beautiful!" Sumia gushes. "Say, have you thought out a name for her yet?"

Chrom cradles his abused hand in the other one. "Well, we haven't put that much thought into it yet. Though there was a name that just seemed to pop up one day…"

Cordelia smiles at her husband. "I remember that day. We decided to give our baby that name if it was a girl."

Lissa practically bounces on her feet. "Well, out with it then! What's her name?"

"Lucina." Cordelia replies while smiling down on her sleeping daughter affectionally. A tear of happiness slips out of her eye. "Her name will be Lucina."

Chrom hugs Cordelia close as he smiles at his newly named child. "That's the name we thought of. She's our light – the light that will lead the next generation."

Oh, if only you two knew how on the mark that name will be. Lucina was pretty much born for greatness.

Cordelia looks up at Sumia with sudden seriousness. "Sumia. Chrom and I have something important to ask you and Frederick regarding our daughter."

Sumia blinks. "What is it?"

"Will you two become her god parents?"

Sumia gasps while Frederick goes rigid – which, I have learned, is the equivalent of the Great Knight losing his s-it.

"W-what?! Me and Frederick?"

"Cordelia and I both know about the dangers of being royalty." Chrom explains. "I won't deny that Ylisse has its fair share of subterfuge and assassination plots. While our stations aren't as high as Emmeryn's, there are those who would try to get to her by murdering us. We can't let Lucina grow up without making sure that someone will take care of her, should anything happen to us."

Cordelia nods. "You two are among our most trusted friends. If there's anyone who will take good care of Lucina in case the worst happens, we are sure it will be you two."

Frederick frowns. "Milord, I must object. While Sumia and I are honored to be offered such a great responsibility, I refuse to watch you die so long as I draw breath. You will not fall into your grave on my watch. I swear it upon my honor as a knight."

Chrom sighs. "I appreciate your loyalty, Frederick. Truly, I do. But not even you can protect my life at all times. Neither can Sumia protect Cordelia's every waking moment. This is a necessary step to ensure that Lucina will always have a family. I know Emm would be more than happy to take care of Lucina in our stead, but she's busy ruling the halidom."

Lissa pouts. "And what am I? Chopped liver?"

"Oh, we considered you too, Lissa." Chrom replies smiling. "Though we think you're not the most…reliable choice."

The princess scowls. "Oh yeah? Well, I'll show you. Just wait 'til I become a mother myself! I will raise my son so well, he'll leave Lucina in the dust!"

Chrom raises an eyebrow. "And how are you so sure you'll have a son?"

Lissa crosses her arms with a smug smile. "Motherly instinct."

"You're not even married yet, and you're already talking about parenting?"

"I'm just practicing early, is all. I will have a great son, and he will grow up to become the stuff of legends. You'll see."

I think I'm starting to see the resemblance between Lissa and Owain. No wonder the guy turned out the way he did. Not that I mind. Owain's awesome!

Frederick clears his throat. "If you two are done with your discussion about milady's potential parenting, I wish to give mine and Sumia's answer."

"Well?" Cordelia asks expectant. "What's your decision?"

Sumia smiles at her best friend. "We'd love to become Lucina's god parents. Of course, we hope it never has to come to that at all, but you can rest assured that Lucina will always have a place with me and Frederick, no matter what happens."

Cordelia's smile matches Sumia's. "Thank you, Sumia. And don't worry. Neither of us have any intention of leaving Lucina. You're more than welcome to spend time with her whenever you wish, of course."

"Oh, I can't wait to show her how wonderful pegasi are!" Sumia gushes.

"Now hold on just a minute." Cordelia interrupts smirking. "That will be _my_ responsibility. After all, Lucina will much prefer riding with her mother over anyone else."

"Hey, no fair! You just said I could spend time with her whenever I want!"

"Yes, but there are some things only a mother is permitted to teach her daughter."

Knowing an incoming catfight when he sees one, Chrom quickly scoops up the sleeping Lucina in his arms and hightails out of the room with Frederick right behind him. After some more bickering with Sumia, Cordelia notices the distinct lack of newborn cuteness in her arms.

"My baby!"

Lissa rolls her eyes at the spectacle. "Do all women become like that after they become mothers?"

I shrug. "Who knows? I guess we'll just have to wait until the day you become a mother yourself."

"Hey, Jack, you think I'll have a son in the future, right?"

My mind flashes to Owain and his many, _many_ moments.

A smile grows on my lips. "Yeah. I'll just go with this "motherly instinct" of yours in this case, Lissa.

The princess pumps her fist in triumph. Heh. Was there _ever_ any doubt that Owain is her kid?

* * *

As the months passed, Lucina steadily grew more aware of the world around her. The little baby girl became an instant favorite among the palace staff, charming maids and guards alike with her wide-eyed innocence and sunny smile.

The one who was pulled in the most was, of course, Frederick. There's taking their role as god parent seriously, and then there's the Great Knight's standards. Just a few hours after Lucina's birth, Frederick took it upon himself to become the baby princess's butler in all but title. The most extreme example came about two months later when Phila commented offhandedly that Frederick couldn't cover _all_ of her needs on his own.

Frederick spent the entire day tending to Lucina's every need, be it feeding, cradling, changing her diapers, sing lullabies from three different Ylissean traditions or refurnish the entire baby room by hand – all while fulfilling the rest of his usual duties.

And that's just because he wanted to prove a point. Phila wisely refrained from ever bringing up the subject again.

I'm currently in said room. Little Lucina is currently sleeping in Cordelia's arms after having her diapers changed.

"So, what did you want to discuss, Cordelia?" I ask curiously.

"Oh, I just wanted to have a friend to talk to, I suppose." the Falcon Knight replies tiredly. "These last few weeks have been so hectic, despite me being on leave to care for Lucina.

I raise an eyebrow. "That bad? What's been on your mind?"

"A lot of things. While I am on leave now, there's still so much that's expected of me. I'm married to Chrom, which means I have a duty as a lady of the court to fulfill. Then there's my tutelage under Captain Phila. I'm excited about carrying on the legacy of my predecessors, but I realize that that entails commanding an entire unit in the Ylissean army. And I have to juggle all of that while _still_ caring for Lucina. I appreciate everything that Sumia and Frederick do for our family, but they have their own duties to fulfill – Frederick in particular."

"Sounds like you have a lot on your plate." I surmise.

"*Sigh* That's one way to put it. Honestly, I think I just wanted someone to talk it all out with. With everyone so busy, I guess you seemed like the best choice."

"And why me specifically? I thought you were a lot closer with Sumia."

"That may be true, but I'm afraid Sumia would take it the wrong way if I told her this. She's such a kind friend, but she tends to overdo it. If I told her of my plight, she'd probably drop everything just for my sake, and I don't want that. You, on the other hand, always seem like you have an open schedule, despite commanding an entire company and also being the husband of Ylisse's chief tactician."

I allow a smug smile. "Ah, the wonders of copying myself… Chrom was right. My ability _is_ blatant real-life cheating. Naga knows what Frederick would do if he possessed an ability like that."

Cordelia winces. "Please don't entertain that thought. Frederick's work ethic is already hectic as it is."

A sweatdrop forms on my head. "Fair point." The drop of liquid vanishes as I shake my head. "Anyway, I take it that you just want to unwind, then?"

Cordelia nods. "You could say that. I'm happy that I'm surrounded with so many people who genuinely care for me, but you are among the few who can listen to me without overreacting."

"Oh, come now. They're not _that_ bad."

"Yes, they are."

"Fine, so we can cross Sumia and Frederick off the list. How about Chrom? He's your husband, for goodness's sake."

"And he also tends to act rashly. There was one time when we were on a walk through the forest outside the capital, just the two of us. The moment we heard rustling in some nearby bushes, Chrom immediately drew Falchion and slashed it apart. The poor rabbit hiding within looked so frightened."

New sweatdrop. "Okay… How about Phila?"

"As much as I respect Captain Phila, I don't think she has much advice to give me, other than anything related to my duties. Honestly, I think she takes her duties even more seriously than Frederick."

"Emmeryn?"

"Too busy ruling the halidom."

"Libra?"

"He spends most of his days preaching the words of the church, healing the ill on the streets or praying. Caring as he may be, I don't think he would provide that much comfort."

"Lissa?"

"She's too busy gushing over Lucina. While it could give me some respite, Lissa can get quite loud when playing with my daughter."

"Robin, then?"

Cordelia looks at me flatly. "Really, Jack? You know full well how busy your wife is on a daily basis."

I try to come up with more people, only to sigh in defeat as I reach the end of my rope. "You _really_ need more friends with open schedules."

"That's what I have you for." Cordelia replies smiling.

Now it's my turn to stare at Cordelia flatly. "Gee. I fell _so_ appreciated, sitting so low on the list."

"Well, at least you're _on_ the list. And while you're not the first person I would turn to in troubled times, I still consider you a dear friend. You've helped me through so much when I needed help the most, Jack."

I shrug with a smile. "Well, that's what friends are for."

"So I have been told. And I'm happy to have you as a friend, Jack. You always seem to provide a shoulder to lean upon."

I shake my head, fond smile still in place. "Looks like that's my lot in life while I stay with you. Ah, well. Things could be worse than that."

A small red box sitting on a dresser near Lucina's crib catches my attention.

"Hm? What's this?" I ask as I approach it.

"Oh, that? It's a device called a "music box"." Cordelia replies. "If you twist the key a few times, the box will play music."

A music box, huh. I had no idea they had those in this era. I decide to test it out and twist the wind-up key a few turns.

*Play "Smiles and tears" (music box version) from Earthbound*

My eyes widen in shock as I recognize the familiar tunes.

"Cordelia… Where did you get this music box?" I ask in a shaky voice.

"It was a gift from my mother when I was a child. She told me that a mysterious merchant offered her that box many years before I was born. There were many times when I would fall asleep in her lap by the fireplace while listening to the tunes. As it turns out, it has a similar effect on Lucina, so I keep it here in case she has trouble sleeping."

I'm at a loss for words. Here I stand, listening to one of the most iconic pieces of video game music, recorded on an old music box…

"Jack? Is something the matter?" Cordelia asks concerned.

"I just… I was reminded of my home world, is all."

Hearing those tunes makes me focus on Lucina. A tune passed down in her family, and turned into a lullaby for soothing the baby that will one day play an instrumental role in saving the world from a terrible calamity. This _can't_ be a coincidence.

I slowly walk up to Cordelia.

"You know… I can't help but think about how Lucina will be when she grows up."

Cordelia rolls her eyes. "Everyone says that. Honestly, I don't care that much about it. I only wish that she grows up happy. That's not too much to ask, is it?"

I wish to say "yes", but considering the life her future self has led, I'd lie if that was my answer.

"Happiness can be surprisingly difficult to find in life." I reply. "Hardship can strike us when we least expect it, but that's as much part of life as are the happy moments. While I wish Lucina a happy life as much as the next person, it's not something I can guarantee."

I gently caress the sleeping baby's face with a finger. "However, I'm sure she will grow up to become both kind and strong. I think you and Chrom had the right idea when naming her. Lucina will be a guiding light for her generation. And I want to see her grow into becoming that guiding light. It may be presumptuous, but I think this child was born for greatness."

Cordelia smiles. "That's kind of you to say, Jack. But how come you have such faith in Lucina?"

My mind flashes back to the brief interactions I've had with the future version of the blue-haired princess, as well as my relationship with her.

"Call it a hunch." I answer smiling.

*Song stops playing*

* * *

"I'm gonna die…"

I roll my eyes from my current seat – which is Elliot's back as he does pushups.

"Oh, please. If you have the strength to whine, you have the strength to push. So, push!"

Around the training ground, my clones help my teammates in their exercises, be it sparring partners, instructors in various weapon forms, mana channeling or, like in Elliot's case, extra weight for physical conditioning. I may or may not apply some Telekinesis downwards to make the exercise harder.

"Excuse me. Is there anyone here who can lead me to Exalt Emmeryn?"

I turn to find the owner of the voice; Raimi.

I quickly replace myself with a clone and walk up to the Feroxi Knight.

"Raimi. Long time no see." I greet her.

The guard captain takes a moment before she recognizes me. "You! You were among the soldiers who traveled with Prince Chrom and took part in the tournament of the khans two years ago! The one who defeated one of Khan Basilio's mightiest warriors."

"That's me." I confirm. "I never got to introduce myself. Name's Jack."

Raimi nods. "Very well, Jack. As pleasant as this conversation may be, I have urgent business with Her Grace. Can you take me to her?"

Hang on a sec. It's been about two years since the war against Plegia. Now Raimi drops by out of the blue with an urgent message for Emmeryn. That can only mean one thing.

"Follow me."

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

 **Raimi:** Your Grace, I bring urgent news.

 **Emmeryn:** Exactly how urgent are we talking here?

*Camera shows a massive warship with Valmese soldiers*

 **Valmese:** All hail the empire of Valm!

 **Chrom:** We're being invaded AGAIN?!

 **Virion:** If we do not stop them here, this continent will befall the same fate as my beloved Rosanne.

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Imperials be like: We R L33T! Team, unite up!**

 **Cherche:** I suppose I should join your cause and help drive the valmese out, then. Ready, Minerva?

 **Minerva:** *Screech!*

* * *

 **Omake: How to get your girl wet**

Robin holds up the bucket full of water.

"Watch this, Jack."

Jack peers into the bucket and watches as the water level lowers due to Robin compressing mana in the water. He smiles at Robin's accomplishment.

"Great work, Robin. I knew you could do it."

"Oh, but I'm not done with my demonstration yet."

Jack raises an eyebrow. In response, Robin quickly angles the bucket against him and releases the mana.

*Splash!*

Water drips down Jack's entire body.

Robin laughs until she holds her sides. "Oh gods! Look at your face! Priceless!"

Jack stands completely still, slightly slumped over.

"Um, Jack? You're not upset, are you?"

Jack slowly walks towards Robin. "Me, upset? Whatever made you think that?"

The Grandmaster backs away as her fiancée closes in. "Oh, you're not? Well, you're just awfully quiet. You're not…plotting revenge on me or anything of the sort. Right?"

"Of course not, Robin." A sinister grin grows on Jack's lips. "In fact, I'll just settle for giving you a BIG hug."

Robin's eyes widen. "You wouldn't dare."

Jack straightens up, showing his eyes gleaming maniacally. "Oh yes, I would."

"Jack? No. Stay away!"

Panne and Nowi look to the side as they hear some commotion. Robin runs through the courtyard. While her eyes seem quite frightened, it clashes with her smile.

Jack is just a few paces behind her, arms wide, soaking wet and laughing like a lunatic.

Panne shakes her head. "Humans have such strange mating rituals."

Nowi rolls her eyes. "Tell me about it. There was this one time when Donnel showed me a bunch of flowers. How rude! If he wanted to show me flowers, he could've just taken me to the meadow where they grew instead of ripping them from the earth."

Panne raises an eyebrow. "I never took you for the flower loving type."

"Because I'm not." Nowi replies giggling. "I just want him to take me there so we can mate in a beautiful place with no one to interrupt us."

Panne rubs her chin smirking. "That's an interesting idea. Perhaps I should do the same with Stahl during the next cycle of the moon."

Meanwhile at the stables, Stahl and Donnel feel simultaneous shivers go down their spines.

"Did you feel that?" Stahl asks worriedly.

Donnel nods. "Yup. Ya think our wives have somethin' to do with it?"

"That's what I thought."

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Sexual prowess, Lvl 20 [64 %], Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _Bumping uglies, rolling in the hay, horizontal tango, or simply making love. The most intimate pleasure known to man has many names and can be done in more ways than has ever been written in any single book. This skill represents your ability to please your beloved when the two of you decide to get up close and personal in bed, on the table, outside, or wherever the heck you think is a good spot (You horny animals…). The greater your level, the more satisfied your beloved will be. Remember, a healthy sex life is part of a healthy romance, but it's far from everything._

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **Bat of Discipline, Blunt weapon, Base damage: 99, Unique  
** _A weapon of Jack's own design. This massive club is adorned with spikes to make its heavy swings deal additional pain. Yet, as deadly as it looks, it is anything but. The metal has been enchanted with the ability to pierce defense, but never end a life. No matter the strength behind the swings, they can never kill anyone. They still cause a lot of pain, though.  
Ignores up to 10 % of enemy's defense when attacking with this weapon. This weapon cannot kill an enemy._

 **Grandmaster, Class  
** _A seasoned Tactician who has learned to merge the theory of battlefield tactics with the hectic rage of real combat. These strategists emphasize versatility and are well versed in swordplay and magic alike. Their greatest weapon, however, is their cunning mind. Underestimating a Grandmaster is a grave mistake, as anyone foolish enough to do so often ends up falling right in their hands.  
Attack power and attack speed increases by 5 % when attacking with a sword. Attack power and attack speed is reduced by 5 % when attacking with any other weapon. Magic of all elements except light and darkness deal 5 % more damage. All stats increase by 5 %. _

**Bravo Bikini, Clothing, Unique  
** _A swimsuit originally crafted by the ancient Sage, Yulyana. This provocative piece of clothing is so revealing, that any woman who ever tried it on immediately and irrevocably ended up hating the old man. Legend has it that a young warrior wore it for the purpose of seducing an enemy general. The plan worked – in a matter of speaking. Wearing this swimsuit is guaranteed to turn heads of men and women alike. But are you brave enough to walk in public with this on?_

 **Commander of 100, Title  
** _Your feats have gained the recognition of the ones in charge. As a result, you've been put in command of 100 subordinates. While even the most seasoned military commanders would be hard-pressed to command a unit of this size, you're expected to accomplish this very task. Godspeed, Captain, and may your leadership prove successful.  
Increases all stats by 5 % when leading others in battle._

* * *

 **And done! At long last, Jack and Robin are married, and they start it off with one crazy wedding night, followed by one (less) crazy honeymoon. With this, the interlude chapters are finally done and the Valm arc will start for real in the next chapter. A lot of the stuff I've written has been in preparation for the war against Valm. The battles will be tough. The Reaper's scythe will harvest in the thousands. And, hopefully, the writing will live up to the hype.**

 **All while little Lucina tries to figure out what's beyond Mommy's comfy embrace.**

 **That's all for now. VipeR out.**


	15. Chapter 13

**Ah, that awkward phase when everything points towards a seasonal change, only for the weather to go "Nope!" and does a 180… If nothing else, it's a neat test of patience.**

 **Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening. At long last, the Valm arc starts for real. The time has come for the Shepherds to get back in action for the first time since the two years of peace.**

 **I have a suggestion to all you readers who leave questions in your reviews; If you want answers quickly, sending me a PM is a better idea than to write that question in a review, only to have you wait until I post the next chapter. PM:s allow me to communicate with you a lot smoother than through review responses.**

 ***Update 2019-02-25*  
Had to make a minor adjustment in a shoutout that I included in this chapter. The person that it concerns will notice.**

 **Now, onto some reviews.**

 **Hashirama 1710:** Not what I have in mind. While I imagine some of Robin's personality remains even after Grima fuses with the Avatar, my impression of Grima-Robin is that it's mainly the fell dragon in charge, which means that said fell dragon is still set on human genocide. Also, the fell dragon admiring Jack would be too strange even for my tastes…unless I somehow manage to make an omake of it.

 **LegacySpellsword:** There are a few weapons I have in mind. For now, Harvest Moon is the only non-Traced weapon that Jack uses. He'll Trace other weapons along the way, but that only makes them temporary. Also, bear in mind that Jack has other skills besides Tracing. That's something I aim to demonstrate as the story progresses.

 **AscendedHumanity:** I don't think neither Robin nor Jack would be up for it, even if they entertained the thought. Most of their steamy moments happen off-screen anyway, so there's little reason to bring clones into the mix for the sake of hot scenes in bed.

 **Mark20020:** Just think of Jack's Bat of Punishment as a giant tetsubo that looks as painful as the swings are – 'cause that's exactly what it is.

 **warrior of six blades:** Hah! You thought Raging demon Maribelle was terrifying with a parasol? Imagine Raging demon Maribelle – riding on L'Arachel!

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _We must stand against evil, in all its forms, or there can be no peace!_ – Chrom

* * *

 **Chapter 13:**

 **Imperials be like: We R LEET!  
** **Team, unite up!**

"I must say, I'm impressed with how much you've changed since we last saw each other." Raimi muses as I lead her through the palace corridors. "I hardly recognized you at all back in the courtyard."

I shrug. "Yeah, a lot of things can happen when you embark on a great journey. Getting stronger was just one of the many things I did."

Raimi raises an eyebrow. "Oh? That's to be expected from any soldier. What makes your case so special?"

"I never said it was. I simply knew what I wanted to achieve and planned my training accordingly. Surely you've done the same."

The guard captain nods. "Indeed I have. Still, to change this much in the span of merely two years is nothing short of impressive."

I let a knowing smile grow on my lips. "Heh. If only you knew the full story…"

The conversation comes to a halt as we reach the doors to the throne room.

"Wait here." I tell Raimi before I walk in.

I'm impressed at how long Emmeryn can stand in this room for the sole purpose of receiving people who wish to talk to her. Seriously, if I didn't know any better, I'd think she spends almost all day standing here, just waiting for the next person to pop up. Nicely decorated as it may be, I'm convinced even Frederick would grow sick and tired of seeing the same decorations day in and day out for hours on end just because people want to know where to find you.

I kneel before the exalt as I reach the stairs to the throne. As usual, Chrom, Frederick and Phila are present. You know… The fact that Chrom is here makes me think Emmeryn is trying to teach him some diplomacy for future meetings. Guess even she wants some time to unwind.

"Your Grace, a messenger from Regna Ferox has arrived."

The exalt nods. "Very well. Send them in at once."

"As you command."

I return to the door and peek outside. "Come right in."

Raimi nods and walks in without a word. As she approaches, she too takes a knee before Emmeryn.

"You Grace, I come on behalf of Khan Regnant Flavia."

Emmeryn perks up at the mention of the khan. "Khan Flavia? This is most unexpected. What message did she wish to pass along?"

"An urgent one." the Feroxi Knight replies. "The khan requests your presence at a summit as soon as you're able."

"What has happened?"

"Our western neighbors of Valm are no longer acting so neighborly." Raimi explains. "The emperor, who they name the Conqueror, has launched warships against us."

Chrom scowls at the news. "An invasion? Are you certain of this?"

Raimi does a quick bow. "Yes, milord. The khan hopes to meet with both you and your sister in Ferox, if it please you."

"What do you make of this, Your Grace?" Frederick asks.

"Ill business to be sure." Emmeryn answers solemnly. "Captain Raimi, we will meet with Khan Flavia at once. Chrom, prepare for travel."

The prince nods. "On it, Emm."

At this moment, Cordelia walks in with a small white bundle in her arms. "Chrom…"

"I'd stay with you if I could, Cordelia…" Chrom tells his wife. "…but we owe Regna Ferox a great debt. We might learn something important at that summit. As such, it's important that both me and Emmeryn go there together."

Cordelia shakes her head. "I'm not asking you to stay here with me. I'm saying I'm coming with you."

Chrom blinks before he directs his attention to the bundle in his wife's embrace – their baby girl.

"B-but Lucina is newly born! She needs her mother now."

"Can she not be wet-nursed as you and your sisters were?" Cordelia asks. "That is House Ylisse's tradition, is it not? Lucina is a strong child; she takes after her father. The Brand in her left eye is not you only gift to her."

At that moment, Lucina blinks awake and smiles at her father.

Chrom places a gentle hand on Cordelia's cheek. "I'm worried about more than our child. I'm worried about you."

Cordelia frowns. "As kind of you as it is to say, I'm still coming."

Chrom blinks at his wife before he takes a step back. "*Sigh* I know better than to argue once your mind is made."

A smug smirk grows on Cordelia's lips upon hearing Chrom's answer. At the same time, Lissa walks in with a mischievous grin.

"Wow, Cordelia has you trained well!" To add insult to injury, the princess makes a whipping motion, complete with sound effects.

I snicker at the royal banter. "Makes me wonder which one of them wears the pants in their marriage."

Chrom pinches the bridge of his nose. "Neither of you two are helping. Speaking of which, Jack, do you think Robin will come along as well?"

I rub my chin in thought. "That sounds like a reasonable assumption. If there's anyone trying to invade Ylisse's or one of our allies, Robin will need to know about it." I allow myself to smile smugly. "Of course, it's not like we have a newborn child to take care of, so there's no problem with her joining. Maybe I should tag along too."

"Rub it in, will you…" Chrom growls irritably. Then he turns to his wife. "Just promise me you'll return at the first sign of danger, Cordelia. Lissa and I had Emm of course, but we lost our parents when we were young." At the mention of their familiar connections (or lack thereof), both Emmeryn and Lissa grow somber. "I want Lucina to grow up with her whole family around her."

Cordelia nods. "I'll be careful. I promise."

"With your permission, I will ride ahead and assemble an escort, Your Grace." Frederick proposes.

Emmeryn nods with a small smile. "Thank you, Frederick. And make sure you take Phila with you."

The Falcon Knight in question straightens up. "At once, Your Grace. Very well, Frederick. Lead the way."

* * *

Robin looks up from a troop roster. "A summit? I see." The thick book closes with a dull thud. "Honestly, I'm happy for any reason to get out of this stuffy office for a while."

I raise an eyebrow. "Are you sure all this office work is good for you? You spend so much time sitting by a desk that I sometimes wonder if you have time for personal training or even relaxation."

"Well, there's always the time we spend together at night."

I give my wife a flat stare. "It's called "sleeping", Robin. It's not relaxation – it's a necessity."

"*Sigh* I understand that you're concerned about me, Jack, but I think you're overreacting."

"Need I remind you of that coffee incident six months ago? No offense, Robin, but _someone_ needs to remind you to get out of your office every now and then before you start living in it. And as your husband, that responsibility primarily falls on me."

"While juggling your other duty?"

In response, I summon a clone. "Copies, remember? Heck, if I let a few of them observe your work, I may even provide you with some assistants."

Robin frowns. "You're not trying to take my work away from me, are you?"

I roll my eyes. "I know fully well how draining the role of head tactician of an entire country's army can be since I'm married to you. And that's before I consider that you try to keep up your own training as well as the social part of your life. I don't care if you resent me for it, Robin. I refuse to stand by idly while my wife works herself into the ground because she's too responsible for her own good."

Robin slumps back in her chair. "*Sigh* You might have a point. I _have_ been feeling a bit tired lately, especially since Cordelia finally got back into Phila's tutelage and started managing troops of her own. The number of documents I have to manage every day just keeps growing."

I summon another clone. "Which brings me back to the assistants. Let my copies learn how you work. If they can give you at least a little relief, that's a decision well made."

I glance at my clones. "This is probably the most important purpose I have ever given you. I expect nothing less than you giving your all."

One of the clones nods sagely. "That goes without saying, Boss."

The other follows suit. "Anything for our bae."

Robin smiles at our interaction. "Thank you, Jack. I can't imagine how my life would be like without you."

My mind goes through the entire canon storyline. A smile grows on my face. "I think you'd do fine, except you'd probably have to make due on your own. On the plus side, you wouldn't have this crazy stud around to give you nearly as many headaches."

A sweatdrop forms on my wife's head. "Sometimes, I wonder what's really happening in that head of yours. And then I abandon the thought out of fear that I'd lose my mind if I found out."

Clone # 1 nods in agreement. "No argument there, love. Boss went through so much crazy stuff in the Outrealms, we're not sure how sane he is anymore."

Clone # 2 mimics the action. "If he was even sane to begin with."

I give my clones a flat stare. "Hey. You two basically share my mind. That would make you at least as crazy as me."

Clone # 1 grins back at me. "Exactly. Why else would we act the way we do, Boss?"

I open my mouth to answer, only to shake my head. "You know what, I don't even see the point with arguing with myself. Just stay here and help Robin sort through her documents. I'll make sure to pack for the both of us in preparation for the summit."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "Don't you have your teammates to train?"

I grin back at her as I leave through the door. "You don't think these two are the only copies I summoned, did you?"

My wife shakes her head with a fond smile. "I _still_ think you're the biggest life cheater in the world. And someday, I _will_ pry the secret out of you."

"Nope, I'm taking that one with me to the grave." *Slam!*

* * *

The first day of travel towards Ferox goes without incident. Right now, we've made camp near the border between the two countries, because Phila refuses to have Emmeryn camp in the snowy climate further north.

Robin furrows her brow in concentration as she places her palm on the water surface inside the bucket. Then she raises her hand – slowly…gently…

The water sticks to the underside of her palm in an unstable bubble shape. Sweat runs down Robin's face as she takes a calming breath. The bubble shape stabilizes before she turns her palm upwards. She passes the water bubble back and forth between her hands a few times before taking it in both hands and twisting the water. In short order, she makes a cylinder, a cube, a prism, and lastly a pyramid before she returns to the sphere. Then she releases the water back in the bucket.

I pump my arms in celebration. "You did it! You finally mastered containment!"

"I couldn't have done it without you, Jack!" Robin replies smiling. "Thank you for teaching me so patiently."

"Oh, but we're not done yet. Now is when all your training comes together."

I spin up a Rasengan in my right hand. "Now that you've mastered all three steps, it's time to combine them into a single unit. And this time, there's no water – only mana."

Robin nods and takes a few deep breaths. "Okay. I can do this."

Robin furrows her brow in concentration again as she stretches out her right hand, palm up. Small streams of mana begin rotating around a focal point above her hand. It starts with a few, then becomes a dozen, and quickly grows until my wife has hundreds of thin mana streams rotating above her hand, all of them contained in a spherical shape. By this point, she grits her teeth to keep the concentration.

I nod in approval. "Good. Now to test how well it works." I point at a nearby boulder at least three times my size. "That boulder should make for a good practice target."

Robin nods and settles in a stance with the arm holding the mana sphere reared back. At an unseen signal, she sprints towards the rock and thrusts her hand forward.

"Rasengan!"

*Sshrr- Boom!*

The Rasengan carved a hole the size of Kellam's old armor in the boulder.

 **Robin gained "Rasengan"!**

I run to my wife and scoop her up in a hug. "You did it! You finally learned the Rasengan! Your training has finally payed off!"

Robin smiles as she returns the hug. "Thank you so much for teaching me, Jack. You've been so patient with me, and now that patience finally bore fruit."

I grin at her. "I wouldn't have taught you if I didn't think you could make it. From this point, you'll practice on the Rasengan on your own, and I couldn't be prouder of you."

"I suppose that will have to wait until another time. All that practice has left me a bit tired, and it's almost time to retire for the evening."

I let my wife down on the ground and nod. "Yeah, sounds about right." I snap my fingers as a thought crosses my mind. "Say, do you remember what I told you when you mastered the second step?"

Robin raises an eyebrow. "You said quite a lot of stuff, mostly about how to perform the third step. You need to be more specific than that, Jack."

"I wanted to celebrate with you by holding you tight and kiss you silly." I waggle my eyebrows suggestively. "I never did it back then since we still weren't married, but now it's different."

Robin gives me a flat stare as we begin our walk back to the camp. "Jack, you've done that a number of times in the past whenever our nights together got, ah, _very_ intimate."

I nod. "You know fully well that I'm the kind of person who expresses his affections physically. But I'd never do it if you don't want to. I refuse to violate my own wife."

"*Sigh* Oh, I know that bit too. You've made it _very_ clear ever since our wedding."

"So?" I ask impatiently. "What's your answer?"

Robin rolls her eyes. "That you're almost insatiable when it comes to the two of us being alone. Though it _has_ been a while and I feel a little nee- Mmmp!"

I'd say she wanted it as much as I did. My conclusion is further confirmed as Robin returns both the hug and the kiss with gusto. We come up for air about half a minute later, with both of us panting for breath.

"You didn't let me finish." Robin tells me exasperated after catching her breath.

"Didn't need to." I reply grinning. "Why else would you return the kiss?"

Robin's face heats up in a healthy blush before she hides it against my chest. "I swear, you'll be the death of me. Remind me why I married you again."

"Because you grew completely smitten with me within two weeks after we met." I answer cheerfully.

"If it wasn't for us marching, I would tell you two to get a room."

Robin and I turn to the side to see Maribelle approach us with a disapproving scowl.

"Honestly…" the Valkyrie huffs. "I understand that you love each other very much, but displaying you mutual affections so shamelessly in public is _not_ proper behavior for soldiers, let alone military officers."

"Oh, lighten up, Maribelle." Ricken interjects as he arrives shortly after his wife. "I remember you being almost as touchy-feely during the first month after our wedding."

Maribelle's cheeks grow pink before she turns to the side with a huff. "That was due to marital bliss, Ricken! And because we happened to tend to our mounts in the stables very often. And…well…"

"You could just admit that you like getting up close and personal, you know?" the Dark Knight asks with a raised eyebrow.

Maribelle's left eye twitches a few times before she points her parasol at her husband.

"Fine, I love displaying my affection towards you, whether we're alone or in public! Happy?"

Ricken sighs. "Just don't want the pot to call the kettle black."

Maribelle blinks before she stomps off. Right as she passes Ricken, she grabs hold of his arm.

"You will not rest tonight until my ire is sated. Is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am." Ricken replies with a massive grin.

Robin and I blink a few times as the couple walks towards their tent.

"Wow… Never took those two for the passionate ones." I muse.

"You'd be surprised how often this happens." Robin replies. "Somehow, it's always the quiet ones."

I turn back to my wife with a grin that matches Ricken's. "Soo… Wanna follow their example?"

Robin shakes her head. "In all seriousness, now is not the time, Jack. I enjoy the nights when we join together naked, but those nights are too exhausting for me to enjoy at the moment. For all we know, trouble could await us behind the next corner."

"Oh, I wasn't planning for that." I reply and place my forehead against hers. My next words come out in a whisper "I did, however, plan for there to be lots of hugging, kissing and snuggling in our bedroll."

I can see the desire rising in my wife's eyes.

"That sounds acceptable." she whispers back before our lips join in another kiss. Next stop; our tent.

* * *

We managed to reach Flavia's residence the following day with daylight to spare. Part of the smooth trip was thanks to me having a pair of clones Transmute a clear path through the snow. I'm a big-time real-life cheater and I _love_ it!

As soon as we reach the reigning khan's residence, Raimi greets us and guides us to Flavia's audience hall. The khan herself awaits us on the other side of the doors.

"I apologize for the delay, Khan Flavia." Emmeryn greets.

Flavia returns the greeting with an easy smile. "What matters is that you're here, Emmeryn."

Emmeryn nods. "Your guard captain told us that Valmese warships have set sail. What can you tell us?"

"Not more than that, I'm afraid." Flavia answers with a headshake. "The details remain hazy."

Flavia looks around with annoyance slowly growing on her face. "Just a moment… Oaf! Where are you, you big, bald- Emmeryn and Chrom just arrived with everyone!"

Basilio enters the audience hall from the left. Upon seeing us, he flashes a big grin.

"Ah! If it ain't the royal siblings. I knew you'd come. We have someone you should hear from. I believe you've met? He claims to have insight into Valm's intentions."

Basilio steps to the side. At the same time, Virion enters the audience hall from the same direction as Basilio, along with a pink-haired woman.

* * *

 **Cherche Lvl 29 Class: Wyvern Rider**

* * *

Ah, Cherche. The lovely Wyvern Rider who's part family friendly housemaid/waifu and part closet yandere.

 **AN: No, seriously. Just check her C-support with Virion, her B-support with Vaike and her S-support (or entire support chain) with Stahl and tell me there's no yandere tendencies in there. Cherche can be down-right frightening if you push the wrong buttons.**

Virion greets us with a flashy smirk. "Good day, lords and ladies. How fare you all? Allow me the great pleasure, and indeed honor, of introducing myself…"

"We all know who you are, Virion." Chrom tells the Bow Knight flatly. "Although I don't believe we've met your companion?"

"There you are!" Olivia shouts from behind us and grabs her husband. "When you told me you'd leave on a trip to handle personal matters, I expected you to return within the month." The Dancer glares at Virion accusingly. "Not only did you not return, now I see you in the company with another woman?! Explain, Virion! _Now_!"

Sweat runs down Virion's face. "O-Olivia, my dear! Please! Hear me out! There is a perfectly valid reason for my absence!"

Olivia lets go, but keeps her angry glare. And is that a dagger she's hiding in a sheath behind her back? Yikes! Girl must've taken assassination lessons from Gaius!

Virion corrects his cravat and clears his throat. "*Ahem* Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Prepare for my great unmasking!"

The Bow Knight strikes a grandiose pose (which results in everyone present developing a sweatdrop). "Long have I posed as the archest of archers! Yet that was but a ruse! Yea, an artifice, to disguise myself as a mere above-average man. In truth, I am-"

Cherche clears her throat. "*Ahem* May I present Duke Virion. I am his humble servant, Cherche. Greetings, Your Grace. You honor us with your presence."

Cherche's interruption makes Virion lose his posture and flail for a brief moment before he corrects himself. "Cherche, you stole my moment!"

Emmeryn returns Cherche's greeting with a benevolent smile (Don't kneel! Don't kneel! Don't kneel!). "A pleasure, Cherche. I believe you might be able to speak to us on your master's behalf?"

Cherche nods. "That may speed things along, yes…"

"Then please." Chrom encourages. "Time is of the essence."

Cherche curtsies. "Very well, then. First, concerning our origins. We hail from Rosanne, a fertile territory on the continent of Valm. Milord is the head of house Virion, and the rightful ruler of Rosanne." Cherche smiles. "A fact he often reminds us of – and loudly."

"Ha! Is she not of true wit?" Virion interjects proudly. "She gets it all from me, you know."

Chrom raises an eyebrow. "So what brings a noble and his charge all the way across the long sea?"

"The valmese." Virion answers with sudden seriousness. "Theirs was an unremarkable nation once. Tiny, almost pitifully so. Had our continent not shared its name, you might almost have forgotten it existed. And so Valm might have remained, if not for Walhart the Conqueror. One by one, he has taken the surrounding realms into his growing empire. I had no choice but to ru-" He corrects himself at the last moment with a smirk. "Er, that is, to RECRUIT new allies to aid my people. That's why I've come."

I glance at Cherche. "Let me guess; he ran like a yellow-bellied chicken."

The Wyvern Rider nods. "More or less, yes." The answer has Virion slump forward in shock – not that it stops Cherche from continuing. "While milord hastily gathered his valuables and guided his people out to safety, I alone remained to keep an eye on the Valmese crisis." A pained grimace grows on her face. "I was there as Rosanne was swallowed up by Emperor Walhart's overwhelming forces. In the end, I, too, fled here to Regna Ferox seeking asylum."

"To my great relief, I might add!" Virion interjects happily. "Eligible women are one of Rosanne's most treasured national resources! It would be a shame to waste any, even one who cuts off her lord an ma-"

Cherche turns to Virion with a smile and a twitching eyebrow. "*Ahem!* As I was saying…"

Virion immediately raises his hands in a placating gesture. "Yes, yes, all right, it was only a jape!" Cherche's unchanged expression makes his own grow gradually more fearful. "Please, by all means, you may con-"

Cherche concludes without missing a beat. "So, begging your pardons, but perhaps it is time to cut this long story short: Walhart has conquered out continent and now seeks to conquer yours."

Cherche's final words hang like an ominous warning over our heads. As I've already played through the main campaign several times, I know that she means every word. But it is only now that I can see her in real life that I can see the subtle fear behind her otherwise calm visage. What in the world did she witness when Walhart conquered Rosanne?

Basilio steps back up. "She claims the Valmese fleet will be at our shores in a matter of days. We'll know soon enough if her story proves true."

"I speak only what I know for true, good people." Cherche reassures us. Then she frowns. "As does my lord. …At least with respect to this matter."

Virion flinches at the verbal jab. "There's that wit of yours again! Aha! That wonderful…needling, chafing wit."

Emmeryn exchanges a few whispers with Chrom before she nods. "I believe you are both telling the truth." Then she turns to Basilio. "Khan Basilio, it would seem prudent that you fortify your ports quickly."

"You should know that Valm has the strongest cavalry in the world." Virion adds.

"Considering we have Frederick, I beg to differ." I interject flatly (to the Great Knight's pleasure, if his subtle smile is anything to go by).

Virion shakes his head. "While I do not doubt sir Frederick's strength and skill, he is only one man – far too meager in the face of the valmese's overwhelming numbers. In fact, you will want to station plenty of troops with experience fighting mounted troops."

Chrom raises an eyebrow. "Why, Virion, are you volunteering?"

Before the Bow Knight can answer, Olivia grabs his arm with enough force to make him wince. "Why _of course_ he is, isn't that right, _dear_?"

"Y-yes, of course." Virion answers with a pained grimace.

Guess the number of whipped male Shepherds has grown to two.

* * *

"You're not joining us, Jack?" Robin asks confused as everyone gets ready to leave for Port Ferox.

I nod. "I'm going back to Ylisstol and getting my team. If there's a Valmese warship coming to this continent, we'll need reinforcements."

"But Ylisstol is at least a full day's travel from here." Chrom reminds me. "Will you even arrive in Port Ferox on time if you head for Ylisstol now?"

I give my companions a smile. "I have my ways. Trust me." I summon a clone. "Robin, this copy of me will accompany you until we reunite."

The clone grins as he hears that. A quick transformation later, he climbs up on Robin's shoulder as a squirrel. "I get to cuddle with our bae?! Score! *Squeak!*"

I lift my transformed clone by my grip around his head and give him a cold glare. " _Your_ _duty_ is making sure Robin stays safe while I gather the team and return to her side ASAP. If you spot an enemy, you attack. If someone badmouths her, you attack. If some sleaze tries to get fresh with her, _YOU ATTACK_! Do I make myself clear?"

"Ow ow ow! Hey, it's not like you can punish me, even if I cuddle with her." my clone squeaks back.

My eyes flash yellow. "I could always call upon a certain _someone_ to help me with that little problem."

My clone looks at me in horror. "H-hold on now, Boss. You wouldn't seriously ask _him_ , would you? That dude's even crazier than you! If he gets going, your mind's gonna take a blow!"

"That goes to show how serious I am." I reply. "You have your orders. Protect Robin at any cost."

"…You got it, Boss." the clone squeaks before I place him back on Robin's shoulder.

"Who was that person you two were talking about?" my wife asks me.

"He's an ally that I met during my travels." I explain. "While not the most…mentally sound person, he's a big help when I need him. Hopefully, I won't need to call on his help. Dealing with him tends to give me a serious headache."

Chrom rubs his chin. "While this certainly lets you accompany us, in a manner of speaking, the problem still remains on how you'll get to Port Ferox from Ylisstol fast enough."

I give the prince a grin. "Like I said, I have my ways."

One Mimicry powered transformation later, I stand before my allies as a pegasus.

"See you soon." I tell them before I take off with wind magic pushing my wings. With Meditation active, I could keep this mode of transportation up pretty much indefinitely, so long as I pace myself on the wind magic. But right now, I'm on a tight schedule, so I speed up and head for Ylisstol as fast as I can.

* * *

I arrive at the capital some eight hours later. After some watching from the sky, I dive straight towards the courtyard where Lon'qu is overseeing team training.

Everyone is notably shocked upon seeing a wild pegasus land in the middle of the courtyard. That is, until I undo the transformation.

"Listen up, team. We've got a potential enemy heading towards our allies in Regna Ferox. Our allies, the Shepherds, have already gone ahead with Khan Flavia and her strongest troops to intercept them. We're to head to Port Ferox as fast as we can and help them, should a battle break out. Gear up for battle, and gather outside the capital immediately. Any questions?"

"Uh, just one, Captain." one of our Priests, Andy, asks. "How will we get there? If I remember correctly, Port Ferox is a long way from here."

I nod at Andy's question. "I've got it covered. Just make sure you're ready to move out, Andy." I turn to the rest of my teammates. "That goes for all of you. And Eagle? _Try_ to keep your gryphon calm this time."

Eagle, our resident Gryphon Rider, nods with a sour expression and heads for the stables to retrieve his trusty, if somewhat hyperactive, mount. How Andy ended up forming a friendly rivalry with him, of all people, is beyond me. For crying out loud, their roles in this team are entirely different!

Every member of the Wonderful 101 soon gathers at the appointed place, only to find a circle of clones outside the gate. The circle is easily big enough to fit everyone on the team, including their mounts.

Edea, one of our Myrmidons, scratches her head. "Um, so how exactly do we get to Port Ferox again, Captain?"

"Everyone stand in the circle." I order my team. By the time everyone is in there, I place myself at the front with Lon'qu at my side.

"Lon'qu, you know the fastest way to Port Ferox, don't you?" I ask my lieutenant.

The Swordmaster nods. "I've lived in Ferox for years and I have visited the port many times. Why do you ask?"

"Because I'll need directions along the way." I reply before I gaze at my clones. "All right, let's do this. Commence Operation "Soil transport"."

"Yes, Boss!" my clones shout in unison before they sit down and slap their hands on the ground. Sparks course over the ground within the circle before a platform of earth with everyone standing on top rises up.

"Whoa! What the-"

"I didn't know our captain could do all of this!"

"You're telling me he can transform into animals, slice training swords in two with another training sword, copy himself, and now he knows earth magic?! This is getting ridiculous!"

I slap my own hand on the platform and transmute seats made of packed dirt behind everyone. "Have a seat, guys. This ride might take a while." Then I turn back to Lon'qu. "All right, just point us in the right direction, Lon'qu."

Lon'qu looks at all the transmuted earth in as much surprise as everyone else before he shakes his head. "I'm not even going to ask. Anyway, Port Ferox is that way." He points towards what I _think_ is northwest. Course decided, I nod.

"Men! Full speed ahead!"

"Aye, Captain!" my clones shout, with their hands still pressed against the platform. Said platform soon moves along the ground, leaving undisturbed ground in its wake. The moving platform picks up speed a few seconds in. We soon reach a speed that could rival a horse in full gallop, and we're only going faster.

The ingenuity, if I may say so myself, with this mode of transportation is that I can transport just about anything over any distance in record time, so long as I know where to go. And MP won't even be a problem for me, since the strain of transportation through constant Transmutation of the earth under my feet is instead divided among my summoned clones. With Meditation at max, the MP they regenerate is still higher than the MP they expend when Transmuting the earth, which means we can go just about anywhere on this continent with this platform.

Shadow clones plus Alchemic transmutation may well be among my most overpowered skills in terms of sheer utility. I am AWESOME! And I'm not apologizing for having OP skills.

While we literally cover ground at record pace, I take a moment to study Lon'qu closer. Much to my surprise, I see _two_ swords hanging from his hips – one on each side.

"I didn't know you bring two swords with you to a fight nowadays." I tell him with a raised eyebrow.

Lon'qu follows my gaze before he nods. "While you were away traveling, I felt that I reached a wall in my quest to master the sword. While trying to find an answer, I found myself thinking back on how I've seen you fight. That's when I remembered that you often fought with one weapon in each hand. While stiff and unrefined at first, you showed remarkable prowess in wielding two weapons at the same time. I tried my hand at the same a few weeks before you returned. It's taken a lot of work, but I'm now confident in wielding two swords at once in battle."

A quick Observe tells me that Lon'qu hasn't just gained the Dual wielding skill, he's increased it to an impressive level 52. I whistle impressed at my partner's dedication.

 **AN: One of the most confusing things I've seen in Awakening is the Swordmaster's sprite. On the map, the Swordmaster is clearly seen wielding two swords at the same time. In battle, those swords are shown being worn on the hip. Despite this fact, the Swordmaster only ever uses the weapon he/she is equipped with on their item menu. And if they're unarmed, the two swords** _ **still**_ **stay in their scabbards, despite the map sprite showing that they're clearly in good condition. Seriously, that just looks weird.**

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: A few days later**_

 **POV: General**

The massive warship that arrived about half an hour ago has drawn a large crowd. Among the gathered people are the Shepherds, as well as the khans with around a hundred Feroxi soldiers. The docks near the warship are blocked off by Valmese Knights forming a parameter. Other troops from the empire steadily spread out within the area, almost like they own the place.

Chrom scowls at the gathered army. "I don't like this one bit. Emm, you'd better stand back."

The exalt shakes her head. "No, Chrom. If I back down now, what kind of message would that send to our people? Fear could spread quickly, and that will lead to rash decisions being made."

"We will deal with something worse than fear if it gets violent here." Chrom replies while fingering Falchion's hilt.

Any further conversation grinds to a halt as the mayor of the port town manages to board the Valmese warship. Dalton, the Valmese Paladin commanding the ship, looks anything but pleased.

"You dare board our ship, worm? I will not discuss terms with a peasant; I will issue demands to all!"

Dalton turns to the gathered crowd. "Citizens! Soldiers! Hear my words! The Conqueror himself, Emperor Walhart, claims dominion over these lands! You will grant your new emperor your ships! You will grant him all your provender! You will grant him your loyalty and your every possession! And you will surrender this land's greatest treasure, the Fire Emblem! Do this, and your lives will be spared. Resist, and your lives are forfeit! Now, kneel! And swear fealty to the mighty Valmese Empire!"

For every word that the Valmese commander speaks, tension rises among the Shepherds. Phila in particular clenches her lance until her knuckles turn white.

"How dare he…" the Falcon Knight growls. "The sheer audacity alone is grounds enough to execute this cur where he stands."

It's only the gentle hand of Emmeryn placed on her shoulder that stills Phila's anger.

"Calm yourself, Phila." Emmeryn tells her friend quietly. "While I disapprove of his manners, I believe we can reach an understanding, if only we can speak eye to eye."

The exalt steps forward and out from the crowd, to the shock of everyone gathered.

"She can't be serious!" Lissa exclaims. "Didn't she hear what that man said?! He's almost as bad as Gangrel!"

"Soldiers of Valm!" Emmeryn calls out to the Valmese troops. "I am Emmeryn, exalt of the halidom of Ylisse. I come in peace. I believe we can reach an understanding if we can speak among each other as equals. Please, let me on board the ship, so we may talk."

Dalton directs his gaze towards Emmeryn. "So, you are Exalt Emmeryn. This simplifies matters. Come aboard our ship and return with us to Valm. Surrender your halidom and all within it. Then there will be no blood shed as our emperor ascends his new throne. However, if so much as a child speaks up against this, no ylissean will be left alive! Now, come."

"How dare you make demands on my sister?!" Chrom roars as he stomps forward with Falchion drawn. "If you believe we will give in to those demands without a fight, you're mistaken! Leave, or I will personally throw you out!"

"You should know your place, _boy_!" Dalton snarls back. "Clearly, you need an example to understand how hopelessly outmatched you are here."

Looking around, the Paladin remembers the mayor standing no less than three paces from him.

Dalton turns to the mayor. "You'll do for now." the Paladin says indifferently.

Without warning, the Valmese commander impales the mayor on his spear and kills him on the spot. Then he lifts his spear, with the dead mayor still impaled on it, and holds it over the railing for all to see. Horrified gasps and outraged cries spread among the crowd.

"This is the fate that awaits anyone who opposes the empire of Valm in any way." the Paladin declares. "If you wish to be spared this fate, surrender now. This is your final warning!"

Chrom growls. "Emm, stand back. We'll take care of these brutes. Everyone, prepare to engage!"

The Shepherds raise their weapons and get ready for battle. The Feroxi soldiers follow suit right after, as does the Valmese side. The townspeople recognize the danger and flee the port as fast as they can, barricading themselves in their houses or otherwise seeking whatever shelter they can find.

"Well, that escalated quickly…" Jack's clone muses from Robin's shoulder.

Robin glances at the clone-turned-squirrel while she draws her Levin Sword in one hand and prepares an Arcthunder tome in her other.

"This battle could span over the entire port town. I hope Jack arrives soon. We haven't even started yet, and I can already tell that we're outnumbered. Hopefully, we can match their quantity with quality."

"Boss will be here, Robin." the clone squeaks. "Count on it. If it's not for his home, he'll do anything for _your_ sake." The squirrel clone narrows his eyes. "As will I. I may go on Boss's orders, but you mean as much to me as you mean to him. I'll pounce on anyone stupid enough to even _look_ at you funny."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "You sound reckless, even by Jack's standards."

The clone shrugs. "Meh. The worst they can do to me is destroy my body. It's not like I technically die or anything. So if only one of us survive this battle, it better be you over me."

Robin smiles and lightly rubs her cheek against the squirrel's. "Thank you. You may not technically be my husband, but I already find myself caring for you as if you were him. I'll miss you."

"W-well, it's not like you have to stop caring." the clone replies with a small blush. "Everything I experience, Boss experiences. But I appreciate the gesture. At least I can go, knowing I'm loved by the woman who means the most to me."

Emmeryn looks at Chrom apprehensive. "Chrom, please. These lands have only now begun to truly heal from our last war. Are you so eager to start another one?"

The prince shakes his head. "Emm, we've been over this ever since the war against Plegia. Peace is something we should all strive for, but there will always be those who refuse to listen to reason. If they won't accept your offer of peace, I will become the blade that will cut them down." A scowl forms on Chrom's face. "We must stand against evil, in all its forms, or there can be no peace!"

At that moment, Cherche steps forward with her wyvern in tow. "Might I join, sire? This may not be my country, but it is my cause." A cheerful (if slightly menacing) smile grows on her lips. "My dear Minerva here hungers for a bite of the action as well!"

As if on cue, the wyvern screeches at the Valmese soldiers, ready to charge at the first command from her mistress.

Phila gently grabs hold of Emmeryn's shoulder. "This way, Your Grace. Let Prince Chrom and the other soldiers handle this."

Emmeryn complies with a sigh. "So much for a peaceful talk… Please, Chrom, try to end this without wrecking half the town again."

"That was ONE TIME!" the prince shouts exasperated.

 **BGM: Battle 1, Octopath Traveler music**

"Chrom! Hop on!" Cordelia shouts as she urges her pegasus forward.

Chrom nods and jumps on the winged mount with practiced ease. A pair of Knights aim their Javelins skyward to shoot Cordelia out of the sky-

"Here!" *Fwoom!*

-only for them to briefly vanish in a stream of mana powered flames. The armored soldiers collapse on the ground a moment later, burnt to a crisp.

Miriel adjusts her glasses just as the flames of her Arcfire spell end. "Imbeciles."

A Cavalier tries to flank her. A few paces from the Sage, his horse suddenly stops and rears back on its rear hooves startled.

"Back off!" Kellam shouts – though he's only noticed by his wife and the scared mount. Miriel, in turn, charges wind mana in her free hand. Her glasses glimmer just before she casts her spell.

"Rebarbative fool!"

The Elwind spell hits the Cavalier full force, sending him off his horse and straight into a wall. He slumps down against the stone surface and lies completely still.

Stahl rides past the fallen Cavalier to challenge a trio of Knights blocking the street ahead. The Knights brace themselves, but are caught off-guard as Panne jumps up from behind the green Great Knight and shapeshifts in mid-air. The taguel lands on the head on one of the Knights, kicks off a moment later and tackles him from behind. The other two Knights ready their lances to skewer Panne, but forget Stahl in the process.

"And one from me!" *Ka-Bram!*

The Knights find themselves on the receiving end of Stahl's Armorslayer and scatter like flies from the heavy blow.

Panne rests on her haunches and gives her husband an approving nod.

" **I owe you a debt.** "

Stahl waves it off. "Nah. That's all part of being married."

Gaius and Tharja double team a Paladin a trio of Cavaliers. Tharja opens hostilities with a Flux spell. The discharge of dark magic startles the horses, giving Gaius an opening to rush in with his Killing Edge and slice open the neck of one of the Cavaliers. The Paladin retaliates with a sweep of his Silver Lance, only to miss as Gaius jumps over the swing and lands on the polearm. The Assassin smirks before he punches the Paladin right in the face and then jumps off the Silver Lance, just in time for the Paladin to get a face full of Nosferatu, courtesy of Tharja.

Gaius lands right beside his wife. Without a word, Gaius pulls out his new Iron Bow and shoots an arrow a hair's breadth from his wife's head-

*Thunk!* "Guagh!"

-and nails the second Cavalier with a perfectly aimed headshot.

"I can handle myself." Tharja growls disapprovingly.

Gaius smirks. "Sure you can…"

Tharja responds by raising her hand and blasts an Elthunder spell that flies right past Gaius's head, and reduces the third Cavalier to a twitching, dying heap on the ground, horse and all.

"Satisfied?" Tharja asks in a bored tone.

Gaius shrugs and pops another lollipop in his mouth. "Sweet."

An eyebrow on Tharja's brow twitches, as she can't determine whether her husband is referring to her or the candy in his month.

Virion rides along the cobblestone while having an archery duel with a Valmese Bow Knight. Neither can get a decisive hit in due to mutual experience of combating each other's strengths. A Mercenary steps out from a group of crates in front of Innes, making the proud horse hesitate in his running, and consequently gives the enemy Bow Knight an opening for sniping a fatal hit on Virion.

Right as he lets go of his arrow, it's sliced out of the air by a perfectly timed slash by Olivia. The Bow Knight looks at the Dancer in shock before he sneers and draws his Steel Sword. Try as he might, though, he can't get a hit in as Olivia literally dances around his strikes.

"Enough already!" the Valmese soldier shouts and prepares to run Olivia over with his horse.

"Allow me!" *Clang!*

The Bow Knight recoils in shock as Virion enters the fray with his own Iron Sword.

Meanwhile, the Mercenary from before tries to sneak up on the dueling Bow Knights and stab Virion in the back. His plan gets foiled as Olivia places herself in between with her sword at the ready. The Mercenary grins and rushes at the Dancer, believing her to be an easy target. Those thoughts get disproven immediately as Olivia fends off his assault with fencing moves that flow into each other with delicate grace. Even as she battles with the Mercenary, Olivia weaves her dancing into her movements. One glance of his wife is all Virion needs to feel its invigorating effects. His opponent rides in for another strike, only for Virion to parry the sword with his own and knock the Valmese soldier off-balance in the same move. A few deft movements later, Virion has his bow trained on the staggered enemy.

"Au revior!" *Thunk!*

The arrow pierces the enemy Bow Knight's chest and kills him before he can even fall off his horse.

At the same time, Olivia puts all her focus on felling her own opponent. The Mercenary parries a stab from her and retaliates with a two-handed horizontal swing. Olivia bends backwards and makes the blade sail right above her face. As she comes back up, she brings her own sword down on the Mercenary.

*Clang!*

The two combatants lock their blades in a power struggle – or so the Mercenary thinks. While only pushing with her right hand, Olivia reaches behind her back with her left, draws the dagger hidden in her Dancer's outfit and jams it in the Mercenary's throat. Before he can comprehend what happened, Olivia pushes the Mercenary's sword aside and stabs her own sword in his heart. Olivia pulls the two blades out and flicks the blood off them as she turns around, letting the now dead Mercenary fall to the ground.

Virion claps at the magnificent display of skill from his wife, which results in her shrinking into herself slightly with a blush on her face, but nonetheless smiling.

"I need to thank Gaius for those fencing lessons." Olivia declares happily. "I never knew I could implement my dances in such a way."

High above the battlefield, Cordelia takes stock of the situation with Chrom sitting right behind her.

"That should be a good landing spot." Chrom tells his wife and points at a group of Knights making a circular formation in an effort to stop Frederick from helping Sumia fend off a Paladin.

"Shall I clear the way?" Cordelia asks.

Chrom nods. "On my mark, Cordelia."

Cordelia commands her pegasus over the tightly packed Knights and rears back Gradivus. Gusts surround the legendary spear as Cordelia channels wind magic through it. Right as she gets in position, Chrom jumps off her pegasus and dives straight for the Valmese formation.

Cordelia chucks her spear right in the middle of the Knights.

"Hah!" *Boom!*

The wind enchantment propels Gradivus even faster and makes it hit the ground with a powerful shockwave that breaks the Knights' formation. Chrom lands on the open space a second later.

"My turn!" *Shing!*

Unable to regain their balance in time, the Knights find themselves on the receiving end of Chrom's furious swordplay.

"My thanks, milord!" Frederick shouts before he rides to Sumia's aid.

Sumia weaves back and forth while clashing lances with the Paladin. Both riders are at a stalemate, unable to gain the upper hand.

"Now, while she's distracted!" one of three Cavaliers signals as they try to flank the Dark Flier.

Frederick scowls as he reads the maneuver. "I think not." *Ka-bram!*

The hapless Cavaliers fly off the ground and off their horses as Frederick barrels into them with the force of a freight train. Thinking fast, the Great Knight grabs the Steel Lance of one of the fallen Cavaliers and throws it at the enemy Paladin.

*Thunk!*

Both Sumia and the Paladin widen their eyes in shock at the unexpected intrusion (for different reasons). Sumia capitalizes on the opening given and backs away her pegasus while she pulls out her new Thunder tome.

"For Ylisse!" *Kzrr-Brzzt!*

The lightning spell hits right on the Steel Lance and conducts the electricity straight into the Paladin, frying him from the inside out.

Sumia turns to her husband with a smile. "Oh, thank you, Frederick."

Frederick returns the smile with his own. "It was my pleasure."

A pair of Feroxi Fighters are locked in combat with a Valmese Valkyrie and a pair of Mages. With both numbers and range in their favor, the Valmese seize the tide of the battle and launch spell after spell on their Feroxi adversaries.

Seeing her allies in trouble, Cherche swoops in with her Steel Axe raised. "Allow me!"

Her attack run brings her right on top of the Mages. One gets slashed across his gut while the other loses his head. The Valkyrie growls at the interfering Wyvern Rider and blasts her with an Elwind spell. Minerva swerves to the right, but still gets clipped by the wind spell on her wing tip. The glancing blow sends the wyvern off-balance and into a dive while Cherche holds on for dear life. The Valkyrie grins triumphantly and readies another wind spell to finish Cherche off, when she hears something else approaching from the sky.

" **I gotcha!** "

Nowi dives at the Valyrie at breakneck speeds with Donnel riding on her back – and with an Imposing Axe poised for swinging.

"YEE-HAW!" *Shing!*

The Ylissean Fighter cleaves the valmese in two with a mighty swing before he jumps off his wife. Nowi then flips in the air and incinerates the wounded Mage with a ball of dragon fire.

" **Yes!** "

Cherche manages to land Minerva safely on the ground and inspects the wing tip with a sigh.

"Ah, how sloppy of me…"

"Don't worry. We'll cover for you." Nowi, now reverted back into human form, encourages the Wyvern Rider.

Over by the docks, Gregor dives behind a crate and manages to dodge a pair of arrows by a hair's breadth.

"This really not Gregor's day." the Hero mutters. He lost his trusty Steel Sword barely a minute back and now finds himself unarmed. With the need for a weapon on the spot, Gregor starts to look through an open crate in the hopes of finding something functional. Anything will do, really.

"Aha!"

Gregor looks to the side and sees a Knight rushing at him with the lance poised to run the Hero through. With no time to lose, Gregor grabs hold of the first solid object he could dig out from the crate of knickknacks – a Frying pan. He blinks at the object a few times before he shrugs.

"If Jack can, Gregor can too."

The Knight thrusts his lance forward, only to have it parried by Gregor's newly acquired Frying pan. It quickly devolves into a clash of pan against lance as Gregor finds himself in the bizarre moment of fending off a trained soldier with a cooking implement.

" _This_ _still_ _not strangest thing Gregor has ever been doing._ " the Hero muses for himself before he bats the Knight's lance aside. Seeing an opening when it presents itself, Gregor pushes the Knight off-balance and raises the Frying Pan.

"Gregor smash!" *Wham!*

The Knight's helmet dents from the impact. The Knight himself stumbles backwards a few groggy steps before he falls unconscious on his back.

Gregor shoulders the Frying pan with a proud grin. "Heh heh!"

His victory is short-lived, however, as more Knights enter from a nearby alley. At the same time, Lissa jumps down from a roof with Betty raised to intercept.

"Hee-YAH!" *WHAM!*

The massive war hammer sends one of the Knights flying into the water. The other Knight takes a step back, carefully regarding the not-so-delicate War Cleric.

"Lissa, behind you!" Maribelle shouts as she enters the docks.

Lissa heeds her best friend's warning and spots an arrow sailing straight towards her. She tries to dodge, which saved her life, as the arrow hit her shoulder instead of her neck.

"Agh!"

Lissa holds her bleeding shoulder in pain and loses her grip on Betty in the process. Maribelle stares at her wounded friend in horror before her eyes get clouded in fury. She scans the battlefield and quickly identifies the culprit; the Bow Knights that were chasing Gregor are still on the move and aim to snipe Lissa down instead.

Maribelle pulls out a wind-element tome and channels mana through the pages, making them flutter in the resulting wind.

"I will _ruin_ you!" the blonde Valkyrie declares coldly.

Maribelle's wind spell not only knocks the arrows out of the air, it also encircles the confused Bow Knights and traps them in a vortex fueled by Maribelle's mana. Maribelle herself turns to her husband right as he catches up to her.

"Ricken!"

"I've got this!"

Ricken pulls out his own tome and launches an Elfire spell at Maribelle's wind wall. The fire spell ignites the wind spell and turns the howling entrapment into a swirling inferno that burns the Bow Knights charcoal black.

Maribelle turns back to her best friend. "Lissa, darling! Are you all right?!"

"She will be fine." Libra assures her, having just arrived on the scene himself and immediately administers field aid on the princess. "We will need to pull out that arrow quickly, Princess Lissa."

Lissa looks at the arrow lodged in her shoulder and winces. "This is going to hurt, isn't it?"

Libra nods. "It always does. But unless we remove the arrow now, the wound could get infected. I advise you try to stay quiet, as we do not want to attract any enemies to this place right now."

"And how do you expect me to accomplish that while you pull this thing out!?" Lissa protests.

Maribelle pulls off her left glove and presents her index finger to Lissa.

"Bite down, darling. It should help muffle the scream."

Lissa raises an eyebrow at Maribelle's suggestion before she shrugs and places her teeth on the manicured appendage.

Libra gently grabs hold of the arrow. "Ready?"

At Lissa nodding, Libra pulls out the arrow in one swift move. The pain makes Lissa bite down on Maribelle's finger _hard_ , which makes Maribelle shout in pain. Libra quickly casts a healing spell on Lissa's wounded shoulder (and a minor one on Maribelle's finger).

"Was that truly necessary, Maribelle?" the War Monk asks Maribelle flatly.

"Anything…for my darling Lissa." the Valkyrie grinds out through grit teeth as her finger heals under Libra's spell.

Lissa smiles with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Careful, Maribelle. People might get ideas if you continue to act like this around me. You're married to Ricken now, you know."

Maribelle's face heats up. "I did NOT insinuate that we are secretly lovers!"

The War Cleric turns away with a smug grin. " _Sure_ you didn't…"

"LISSA!"

The Knight from earlier, who saw his comrade get smashed into the water by a delicate looking War Cleric (Why did that thought make him feel uneasy?) looked in brief shock at said War Cleric banter with her allies. Deciding to take an opening when he sees one, he charges the trio of healers with his Beastslayer.

*Krang!* "Not this time!"

The Knight gets knocked back form a brutal swing of Vaike's Steel Axe. The Ylissean Barbarian shoulders his weapon with a grin and makes a come-hither motion with his free hand. The Valmese soldier takes a step back and regards the situation before he charges his new adversary.

What he doesn't consider is the fact that Vaike's muscles are not merely for show. With surprising agility, Vaike parries the Knight's thrust, grabs hold of the Beastslayer and kicks the armored soldier right in the chest. The Knight drops his weapon from the unexpected impact as he falls to the ground. The last thing he sees is the axe blade of Vaike's weapon descending on his head.

*Krang!*

Vaike pulls up his axe after he smashed it right through his opponent's helmet. Looking around, he notices Sully struggling against a Bow Knight. The main reason for the struggle is the notable lack of a weapon in Sully's hands. A quick glance to the left reveals Sully's Silver Lance stuck in a bag of wheat, and her opponent refuses to let her retrieve the polearm. For what it's worth, Sully manages to hold up well with pure reflexes and a handy shield. However, with no weapon in hand, she has no means of retaliating.

Vaike rubs his chin before he looks at the Beastslayer that he snatched from the Knight less than a minute ago. The proverbial candle lights up above his head.

"Sully! Catch!"

Sully spares a glance to the left and notices her husband throw a Beastslayer her way. The Ylissean Paladin maneuvers her horse through the arrow barrage until the red polearm lands safely in her right hand. Armed with a new weapon, Sully grins as she turns back to the Bow Knight and rears back her arm.

"So long, chump!"

Sully roars as she throws the Beastslayer right at the surprised Bow Knight. The polearm flies with so much power that it not only hits him on the throat, but also drags him off his horse and pins him against a wall behind him. Before he can begin to pry off the polearm around his throat, he notices Vaike jump in with his axe poised to strike.

"Learn you lesson!" *Shink!*

The Steel Axe sinks into the valmese's lightly armored chest. He coughs out some blood before he goes still.

Sully approaches her husband with her Silver Lance back in her hand.

"Sorry." She mutters in slight shame over committing a rookie mistake.

Vaike waves it off. "Don't sweat it, Sully. We all make mistakes."

Sully smirks at her husband. "Yeah. You more than me."

"Hey!"

Robin blocks a Steel Lance and backflips over a horizontal swing before she drops an Elthunder spell on the Cavalier attacking her.

"Duck!" the squirrel clone on her shoulder squeaks.

Robin heeds his warning. An arrow sails over her head half a second later. Robin turns to where the arrow came from and spots a Bow Knight trying to flank her. A glance to the other side shows a Great Knight storming in to crush her with his Hammer while she's pinned down.

"I'll take care of the big guy. You can focus on that Bow Knight." the clone suggests.

Robin narrows her eyes in focus and tenses her legs. "Let's go."

The Grandmaster sprints towards the Bow Knight. Sparks dance along her Levin Sword as she counters the arrows with lightning bolts. At the same time, the squirrel clone jumps off her shoulder and sails straight towards the Great Knight.

*Poof!* "Peekaboo!"

The clone grins as he brings down his cloned Harvest Moon on the startled Valmese officer.

*Clang!*

Harvest Moon meets Hammer in a weapon lock before Jack's clone flips back and replaces the great sword on his back. The cloned Reaper makes a come-hither motion at the Great Knight. The Valmese soldier answers the challenge and kicks his horse into motion, aiming to crush his adversary under the mount's hoof. Jack's clone rushes to meet the Great Knight head-on, only to side-step a few paces before contact and jump for a spin kick aimed at the Great Knight's head.

*Krang!*

The Great Knight blocks the kick with his shield and rears back the Hammer to strike Jack's clone out of the air. Thinking fast, the clone pushes himself upwards with Gale Step and lands on the horse behind the Great Knight.

"Trace on."

A dagger appears in the clone's hand. Then he sends another kick at the Great Knight's head and knocks off his helmet. Before the Valmese soldier can retaliate, Jack's clone grabs hold of his chin, lifts it up and slits open his throat before he jumps off the horse. The Great Knight falls off and bleeds out on the ground seconds later.

The clone dispels the Traced dagger. "Enjoy your afterlife."

Robin struggles to keep up with her opponent, mainly due to his superior mobility on horseback.

"Either I'm too slow at ranged combat, or this one is much faster than the rest of the Valmese army." the Grandmaster mutters. No matter what she throws at him, the valmese keeps dodging her attacks. Robin scans her surrounding while keeping an eye on her adversary. An idea forms in her head when she spots a few barrels. She dives behind them, just as the Bow Knight fires another pair of arrows. The Bow Knight narrows his eyes and nocks another arrow on his bow, ready to shoot the Grandmaster the moment she leaves cover.

His eye catches movement on the left side of the barrels. He lets the arrow fly – only to notice too late that the only thing he hit was Robin's coat. The Grandmaster herself runs out of cover from the other side of the barrels and launches a wind spell right at the horse's hooves. The sudden increase in wind pressure startles the mare and causes it to rear up on its hind legs. The Bow Knight tries to calm his mount down. His efforts are for naught, however, as Robin lunges at him with a sky-blue sphere in her right hand.

"Rasengan!" *Shr-Boom!*

The spiraling sphere of compressed mana hits the Bow Knight square in the chest and launches him straight into a pile of crates. Said pile explodes in a shower of splinters and various goods upon impact, leaving an unmoving Valmese soldier in the middle of the mess.

Robin picks up her coat off the ground and sighs upon seeing the hole made from the arrow. "I hope someone can patch this up. I think Emmeryn would get upset if she found out this coat didn't even last its first battle."

"How are you holding up, Robin?" Jack's clone asks as he approaches her.

"I'm fine, Jack. It's just…" The Grandmaster scowls as she looks towards the docks. Even though the Shepherds have the upper hand, the Valmese side still has plenty of troops. "…I don't see any end of these Valmese soldiers."

The clone follows her line of sight and grits his teeth. "These guys just keep crawling out of the woodworks. What do these guys think this is? A war of attrition?"

Robin shakes her head. "Regardless of what they think this as, they have us outnumbered. At this rate, they _will_ outlast us." Robin turns to Jack's clone. "Where's Jack? I thought he said he'll bring his own troops."

The clone nods. "Boss wouldn't promise you anything that he can't keep. He'll come. You'll see."

"*Sigh* Here's to hoping he arrives soon, though. We're getting split up. I can't formulate a good strategy if everyone's scattered."

The Grandmaster draws her Levin Sword anew and narrows her eyes at the next wave of incoming Valmese soldiers. "Make sure Jack learns of our situation here."

The clone shoots Robin a worried glance. "Are you sure you can handle those guys on your own before he arrives?"

Robin gives him a smile. "I'll be fine. You just focus on getting that message to Jack as fast as you can."

The clone looks like he wants to protest before he nods. "All right. I'll let Boss know. And Robin? It was great while it lasted."

*Poof!*

 **BGM Ends**

* * *

 **POV: Jack**

 **Quest alert:  
** **Main quest: Seacomers  
** _True to Cherche's warnings, the Valmese army has arrived. They only have one goal in mind; conquer the entire continent and cut down anyone who opposes them. Get in the fray, and show those imperials that they messed with the wrong continent!  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat all Valmese soldiers  
_ **Rewards:** _12 000 EXP, 12 000 gold  
_ **Failure:** _With no one to oppose them, Ylisse and Regna Ferox fall under the Conqueror's rule. It's the end of life as you knew it – assuming you even survive this battle._

* * *

After I received the memories of the clone that I left with Robin, I can conclude what I've always known; Valmese imperials are _jerks_. Seriously, these guys just bust into Port Ferox and strut around like they own the place. Not to mention the fact that their commander is a straight-up bully. There are a lot of things that I admire about Walhart, but I hold little to none of that admiration to many of his followers.

The Feroxi port town had been visible in the distance for some time by the time my clone popped. The situation urged my other clones to speed up the moving platform. As fast as we go, though, the battle will probably already be decided by the time we arrive, even at the increased pace. Looks like I need to get a little more…drastic.

"Halt!" I shout to my clones. They comply, albeit with confusion and great reluctance.

"What gives, Boss?" one of the clones asks. "You know just as well as the rest of us what's going on over there. You need to get to that battlefield ASAP."

"I know." I reply. "But we're too slow this way." I grin with a gleam in my eye. "Boys. Prepare Operation "Beacon initiation"."

The clones look at me in surprise before they nod with matching grins. While they prepare their task, I address my team.

"Team! Prepare your landing strategies! We're going into Port Ferox with style!"

"Um… Captain?" one of our Archers asks uneasy.

"Yes, Pit?"

"We never practiced anything called "landing strategies" during our training. Why do we even need it?"

"Boss, calculations are complete." a clone reports. "We'll launch at the agreed signal. T-minus: 15 seconds."

I nod. "Excellent."

Lon'qu scowls at me. "I'm not sure what you're planning, Jack, but I can already tell it's a bad idea."

I wave off my lieutenant's concerns. "Relax, Lon'qu. I know what I'm doing. Trust me."

"It's _because_ you're asking me to trust you that I have a hard time doing it."

"10…9…"

"So, uh… What's this whole "landing strategy" thing?" Pit, asks.

I shrug. "Just think of something that won't have you kiss the ground at very high speeds."

Lon'qu grabs hold of my shoulder. "Jack, whatever it is you're doing, DON'T do it!"

"3…2…"

I grin at the Swordmaster. "Too late."

"Launch."

All my clones slap the ground at the same time and channel a massive amount of mana into the platform. Half a second later, the ground becomes a launchpad by heaving at an angle and sends us flying straight towards Port Ferox.

"Woo!"

"AAAH!"

"D-mn it, Jack!"

"I never learned how to reeead!"

As calculated by my clones, we're flying straight towards the plaza at Port Ferox. As we approach the ground at breakneck speeds, my clones and I dump as much MP as we can afford into Telekinesis to slow down our descent to more manageable speeds and flip ourselves to land feetfirst.

"Brace for impact!" I shout to my teammates.

My clones pop a moment before we land. 101 three-point landings herald our arrival on the battlefield.

"Jack?!" I hear Chrom shout.

I turn to the prince and give him a mock salute. "The wonderful 101 under the command of Captain Jack, reporting for duty, Prince Chrom."

"Did they just fall out of the sky?" a Valmese soldier asks flabbergasted. "What in blazes is up with this continent?"

I turn back to the opposite side of the battlefield and narrow my eyes.

"No need to fill me in on the situation, Chrom." I tell the prince. "I already know all I need to know through the copy I left with Robin."

 **The won-stoppable Wonderful 101 (English version), The Wonderful 101 OST**

I raise my voice to address my teammates. "Team, diplomacy has failed! Our only option left is to repel these intruders with force. Everyone prepare for combat. Team! Unite up!"

"Yes, Captain!" my teammates shout in unison.

We charge the Valmese side with our formation tight. Our enemies buckle down on the front. I jump ahead with a mana sphere in hand.

"Rasengan!" *Boom!*

My opening blow tears a hole in their front, giving my teammates the opening to strike. Lon'qu leads the rest of the team right into the fray.

Heh. I'm impressed at how far my team's progressed over the past year. I take the greatest pride in that they've grown together to truly fight as one unit, while still remaining distinct and true to themselves.

"Steady… And, charge!"

Olaf, a veteran General from Ferox who moved to Ylisse after witnessing our exploits during our battle against Mustafa. His experience and charisma were instrumental in bringing the team together. Old as he may be, the dude's still got strength in spades to keep up with the rest of us, partially thanks to his strict training in the Feroxi snow.

"They're still busy recovering! Let's hit 'em where it hurts!"

Max, a young Fighter with brawns to match Vaike's and a Hammer to match his physique. Anytime we need a heavy hitter, he's always there to deliver well and beyond.

"Ha ha! These guys break _way_ too easily!"

Sigh. Introducing Lash, a Dark Mage who's equal parts brilliant and sadistic. She's got a surprising knack for battlefield tactics, having given input on the fly during the few battles our team have taken part in during our training. But Naga forbid the day she and Tharja meet.

"Let's get this over with, already. I wanna hit the nearest tavern so I can get something to drink!"

Ah, Jackal. One of our Thieves, and an edgy one, at that. Guiding him into the fold was one of the greatest challenges I had to tackle when training my team. But what he lacks in social preference, he's more than made up with through intel gathering and the odd trinkets that he's stolen (which resulted in some serious scolding from my part and reluctant apologizing from him upon returning the stolen items). And he's always thirsty for some reason.

"We're gaining ground on them!" I shout. "Push them to the docks!"

Easier said than done, though. I'm honestly impressed with how fast the Valmese Knights manage to regroup and form defensive formations in the streets.

"I've got this!" *Shing!*

It's at times like these that I'm glad we have Ven. While he's just mastered the basics of swordplay, he's already become an accomplished Myrmidon. That kid moves _really_ fast when he wants to. So fast, in fact, that he manages to sneak right behind the Knights, attack them from the rear and break their formation.

"Wassup now!" *Ka-bram!*

The crack in their defenses blows wide open thanks to Jake, one of our Cavaliers. While originally a humble nomad from the plains, he's become a valued comrade in the team and an expert in tearing through defensive lines, so long as he can find an opening.

"These fools are hardly worth the effort. Well, an enemy easily defeated is a coin safely earned."

And then there's Khint, a traveling Mercenary who Gaius happened upon during a bar fight. The candy loving Assassin managed to convince Khint to lend his services to the team. While I had to dig into my pockets at first, Khint's become attached to us. A good thing too, since I've seen him combine his swordplay with spells imbued in his sword, allowing him to attack on two fronts at the same time.

The combined assault from our team members eventually tears down the barrier of Knights. However, our celebration is cut short as a squad of cavalry is waiting right behind them. Needless to say, Ven hightailed it back to us the moments he realized he had two dozen lances almost poking him in the face.

I take a step back myself upon seeing the mounted units. "Tighten the formation! We need to stand firm, or else they'll run over us!"

My teammates react quickly and gather in a square formation with our tankiest members in the front. As the cavalry begins to charge, I slap my hand on the ground and Transmute the cobblestone. Stone spikes jut out from the ground around us, startling the horses and hindering the Valmese advance.

"Grit! Gather your buddies and get on the roofs. We need cover fire!" I shout to as I Transmute a pathway to the top of the nearby buildings.

"Ya got it, Cap."

Grit's quite possibly our top Sniper, having shown enough precision to give Robin Hood a run for his money. Part of that comes from the guy being completely unflappable, no matter what happens. The Sniper runs along the stone path and lets the arrows fly, taking out the cavalry from the outside. His backup follows just a step behind.

"Artemia…hunt!"

Artemia, a young girl who grew up in the wilderness. Her skills with the bow stem from learning to survive more than anything. Not only is she an accurate shot, she's frighteningly good at knowing _where_ to aim and where it hurts, making her a deadly Assassin. On the other hand, her verbal skills leave a lot to be desired.

The combined archery assault on top of our own counterattack on the ground manages to drive the Valmese cavalry back until we finally reach open space again at the docks.

"Cyrus! Now!" I shout.

"My focus is unparalleled!"

Dozens of spell circles appear in the air and rain arcane destruction over the Valmese side. With their forces in disarray, we mainly just need to clean up the rest before they can regroup. All of it thanks to Cyrus, our resident Sage.

Cyrus usually spends his time teaching at a school or conducting research as one of Miriel's scholar colleagues. So imagine my surprise when he one day volunteered after hearing that I was in the process of recruiting team members. Though I won't complain. Cyrus is highly knowledgeable, and that knowledge translates into him being a spellcasting powerhouse.

As I take a good look on my assembled team fresh from their first victory in a war, pride wells up within me. We seized victory because we pushed each other to this high a level _together_. They're the greatest team I could've ever asked for.

 **BGM ends**

"Jack!"

I turn around to find the Shepherds catch up to us, along with the Feroxi soldiers led by the khans.

I smile at my wife. "See? I told you I'd arrive on time."

Robin shakes her head with an exasperated smile. "Did you have to cut it so close? Fighting those Valmese soldiers was no easy task. But for what it's worth…" Robin walks up and hugs me. "…Thank you. You arrived in the nick of time."

"You might want to hold off on that celebration until later, Robin." Flavia warns us. "There's more where those valmese came from. No matter how much we strike these Valmese soldiers down, they always get more reinforcements."

I scowl as I already notice more valmese pouring out onto the docks. They all come from that massive warship of theirs. Seriously, that thing looks big enough to easily fit hundreds of soldiers. For all the ones we've defeated since the first clash, the valmese could easily have over twice as many in reserve. At this rate, they'll overwhelm us with sheer numbers.

That means we have to cut off their reinforcements before they can regain any ground, and I know how.

I walk towards the docked warship. "Everyone make sure to contain the Valmese soldiers here in the docks. I'll take care of that ship."

"Are you serious?!" Chrom asks incredulous. "Jack, look at the size of that thing! How do you plan on fighting all the soldiers on board on your own?"

I turn to the prince with a smirk. "Who said I'll fight them?"

Winds whip up around my feet as I lift off the ground. I can hear everyone gasp in shock at seeing me actually fly. But that's just the beginning.

I move in the air until I'm facing the ship's bow. I draw Harvest Moon, shift it into its scythe form, and start accelerating towards the ship. As I draw closer, my mind goes back to when I trained with Sora and Riku on the Destiny Islands.

* * *

 **AN: Shout-out to ShadowPhoenix34: This one's for you, m'lady!**

 **BGM: Rules of nature (Platinum mix), Metal Gear Solid: Revengeance OST**

 _ **Flaskback**_

 _*Bram!*_

 _The boulder in front of me crashes on the ground loudly after it split in two._

" _You did it!" Sora shouts triumphant and glomps me from behind._

" _Heh. All thanks to yours and Riku's guidance, Sora." I reply. As I manage to pry the exuberant keyblade wielder off of me, I take a look at my Windcleaver. Not a single nick on the blade._

" _I admit, that was impressive." Riku comments. "Just a week of training, and you already have the technique down. Far faster than Sora got it."_

" _Oh, stuff it, Riku!" Sora huffs."Not everyone can learn stuff almost instantly, okay?"_

" _Yeah, I know." Riku replies nonchalant. Then he smirks. "It's just you who's really slow."_

" _Hey!"_

" _Knock it off, you two." Kairi tells her childhood friends. "So, I guess this means you're leaving soon, doesn't it, Jack?"_

 _I nod. "Yeah. I had a great time here, but I need to keep traveling and learn new things. I'm on a tight schedule."_

" _It's okay." Sora replies with his hands behind his head. "We had a great time with you too."_

" _Though you might want to know a few things about this technique." Riku adds. "For starters, it requires razor sharp focus to use properly. If your concentration slips even the least, you could fail easily."_

 _Sora nods. "Yeah. Also, focusing should be easier if you shout out the name of the technique."_

 _Kairi gives Sora a flat look. "Really, Sora? You've been reading too much of those foreign comic books again, haven't you?"_

" _It's called manga, Kairi! And I'll have you know that it works! Anyway, keep that in mind next time you decide to use it." Sora grins. "Remember, the name of this technique is…"_

 _ **Flashback ends**_

* * *

"ZANTETSUKEN!"

*SHING!*

Time seemingly slows to a crawl as the massive warship splits in half vertically. I fly between the two halves, idly noting Valmese soldiers either cleaved along with their ship or in absolute shock over what happened.

I zip past the cleaved ship. Moments later, the water bounds back and crashes the two ship halves together with enough force to smash them into pieces. Any soldier who survived my slash will most likely drown in the water.

 **You have leveled up! You have leveled up!**

I fly higher up and scan the port town. Let's see… There! I notice the Valmese commander run through the streets with seemingly no other direction in mind, other than escaping. I fly in that direction and soon hover above him as he finds himself at a dead end.

*Thump*

I land right behind Dalton and point Harvest Moon at him, while also blocking his only escape route.

"You get one chance to surrender. Comply, and we'll let you go after you tell us what we need. You don't want to know what will happen if you refuse."

The Valmese Paladin backs away. "You think _I_ will surrender?!" he shouts defiantly. "Never! The Valmese empire is the greatest nation in the world. We never surrender – we triumph!"

A nice try, but I can tell that his bravado is false, considering how much he's shaking.

I shrug and indicate behind him. "Suit yourself. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Against better judgement, Dalton looks behind him. The red glowing eyes of Panne's bunny form stare him down from the shadows.

" **I smell you fear.** "

I'm pretty sure half the port town can hear his screams.

 **BGM ends**

* * *

Panne and I soon reunite with the others, with Dalton's dead body slung over Panne's shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The taguel dumps the corpse unceremoniously on the ground.

"He refused to surrender, so I dealt with him accordingly." the taguel explains before she walks off to find Stahl.

I walk up to my team with a proud grin. "You did great for your first battle against an enemy army. Excellent job, team!" I'm met with silence and awed stares. "Uh… Team? What's the matter?"

"Mind…blown…" Elliot mutters dumbly.

"Alright, what the h-ll was that, Jack?!" Basilio shouts as he approaches me.

I turn and face the bald khan. "Hm? What was what now?"

"Don't play dumb with me, boy!" Basilio points to the wrecked warship that I cleaved a few minutes earlier. "We all saw you _cleave_ a massive warship in half! How did you even _do_ that?!"

I shrug and rub the back of my head. "I trained – very hard. That's the simplest explanation I can give."

Basilio looks at me dumbfounded before he pinches the bridge of his nose. "I've trained longer than you've lived, and I struggle with trying to cleave a rock without smashing it. What kind of training regimen did you go through to be able to do that?"

I grin. "The one that involves the stuff of legends."

The bald khan blinks a few more times before he throws his arms up in the air. "You know what, I give up! There's no sense in trying to figure you out!"

"That's what we learned months ago, Khan Basilio." Lon'qu comments. "Simply put, Jack's the most confusing person any of us have ever met in our lives. We gave up on trying to figure him out a few weeks after he formed our team. Nowadays, we generally try to go with the flow."

The rest of my team nods sagely. Lon'qu rubs his temples.

"That being said, there are still moments when we think we have him figured out. Whenever we reach that point, Jack does something completely unexpected that flips everything we thought we knew about him on its head. We really should've learned after the first few times."

My team nods sagely again.

"For example, Jack, you never told us that you can fly. Or that you can cleave a massive warship in half – along the broadside."

I shrug. "Well, I already kind of explained the whole cleave-a-ship-in-half thing, but the flying part is a bit easier."

I demonstrate by lifting off the ground a bit. "I channel wind magic through my soles. The more mana I use, the harder the wind pushes off my feet. That allows me to fly. Though, while it sounds simple, I had to practice for a long time before I could fly properly without crashing into everything jutting out of the ground. That was one of the more painful moments during my training."

Basilio rubs the top of his head. "Kids these days think up the craziest stuff. I'd better step up my game if I want to keep up with you sprogs."

 **You gained a new title! You gained "Ship cleaver"!**

"Chrom, is that all of them?" Robin asks as she regards Dalton's dead body.

The prince nods. "Yes, but victory's come at a price…"

"The town is in shambles, as is my army." Basilio laments.

And for good reason too. A lot of the Feroxi soldiers who joined us in the last battle are either injured or dead. As for the town, several buildings have holes in the walls from reckless fighting or errant spells. Some buildings even collapsed after they took too much punishment.

Frederick frowns as he scans the injured soldiers receiving treatment. "This is most troubling news. Feroxi soldiers are the finest east of the long sea. If they are having trouble, we are ALL in trouble."

"That's not the half of it." Flavia comments. "This was just the vanguard – but a taste of the meal yet to come."

Basilio sighs tiredly. "And once it arrives, their host will wash over the whole continent in weeks. There's no way we could repel them and defend our people. It would be a slaughter.

Chrom joins in on the sighing. "Ylisse is no better equipped to handle an attack from the sea… Robin, what do you suggest?"

Robin rubs her chin. "Hm… Their greatest strength is their cavalry, which puts us at a disadvantage…" A spark lights up in her eyes. "…on land. But if we were to catch them at _sea_ …"

I scratch my head. "Wait… You're suggesting we go for naval warfare?"

"But how?!" Chrom asks. "Ylisse has no warships, nor does Ferox."

"So we'd need aid from a kingdom that does…" Basilio concludes.

Flavia raises an eyebrow. "You have someplace in mind, oaf?"

"Perhaps a land that borders the sea, with enough wealth to afford this campaign?"

Robin snaps her fingers. "Plegia!"

Chrom looks anything but happy with that. "No. Absolutely not. Out of the question."

"Chrom, be reasonable." I ask the prince. "We're short on options as is right now. The last thing we want is to exclude the few we have left when a new war is right on our doorstep." I sigh as I rub my head. "Look, I understand that your opinion of Plegia is low, considering what they've done to your family for over a decade, but you can't just reject a potential alliance that could save your home simply based on a grudge."

Basilio nods. "He's right. Think about it; They have gold, boy! Countless ships! And more importantly, we have a fart's chance in the wind without them."

"The oaf is right." Flavia adds. "Crude, but right. There's only one path forward."

"To be fair, this decision isn't even up to you, Chrom." Robin reminds the prince. "Emmeryn has the final say."

Chrom scowls before he sighs. "I know… Come on. Let's find Emm and relay what we've discussed."

Emmeryn nods after hearing everything that transpired. "I see… Allying ourselves with Plegia does indeed seem like the only way."

Chrom rubs his temples. "Please, Emm. Please tell me there's another way we haven't considered yet."

The exalt shakes her head. "Chrom, that would be the same as expecting divine intervention at this point. While I am reluctant in asking Plegia for help, I truly see no other way." Then she turns to Phila. "Phila, send a messenger and request a summit immediately."

"Yes, Your Grace." The Falcon Knight bows before she sets off in search for a messenger.

Emmeryn sighs. "Hopefully their new king is more reasonable than their last."

Robin nods. "That's what we all hope for, Your Grace."

Flavia approaches me and my wife with a smile. "You know, I'm impressed with you two. For your first time against Valmese forces, that was an impressive victory. Robin, your strategies to counter their cavalry using the town's layout made fighting them much easier than if we stuck to normal tactics. And Jack… I can't deny I'm a bit envious of how well you've trained those subordinates of yours-"

"Teammates, Khan Flavia." I interject. "We're not just some military unit led by a commander – we work together as a team where all are equal. I just direct the others. That's how I trained them."

Flavia raises an eyebrow before he shrugs. "Alright, teammates it is then. Well, as I was saying, you two and Chrom have grown quite adept since I last saw you. You should be proud – all of you."

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Main quest: Seacomers  
** _Congratulations on your first victory against Valmese soldiers! Celebrations aside, the hard-earned victory speaks volumes about the impending threat of the Conqueror and his empire. If you even want to stand a chance, you'll need to draw on every resource available – even if it means forming an alliance with a former enemy. Isn't it convenient that Plegia accepts the request?  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat all Valmese soldiers.  
_ **Objective cleared!  
** **Rewards:** _You gain 12 000 EXP! You gain 12 000 gold!_

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: A few days later**_

While waiting for the response from Plegia, we all decided to be productive and help rebuild the port town to at least a workable condition. Between the Shepherds, available Feroxi soldiers, my team and a few dozen Shadow clones, progress was smooth.

I'm currently at the town's square with Robin and the royal siblings, surveying the reconstruction work taking place. Most of the damaged buildings have had their walls repaired, and shops that were forced to close due to property damage are back up and running again even as we put the finishing touches on the repair work. All in all, Port Ferox is slowly coming back to life.

The sound of flapping wings brings our attention skyward. Phila's just returned.

"Your Grace, we have word from Plegia." the Falcon Knight reports. "They have agreed to meet with us at their outpost on Carrion Isle." Phila scowls. "A poor venue should things go south, as the island's name makes plain. However, we do not seem to have much of a choice."

Emmeryn nods with a neutral expression. "Thank you, Phila. And, poor venue or not, we will head there regardless. The alliance, and our survival in this war, depends on it. But, thank you for your vigilance, as always."

"It's not like they have much of a choice themselves." Chrom comments. "This threat hangs over all of us – Plegia as well. They must see that."

Emmeryn nods in agreement. "Considering their position at sea, they should be well aware of the danger. My hope is that this alliance can help mend some of the old wounds that have festered in both our countries over the years." The exalt rubs her temples. "Though I wish it wouldn't take a war for us to band together like this…"

While Emmeryn muses over potential peace talks with a former enemy, I need to make preparations of my own. While I would much prefer to bring my entire team to Carrion Isle (knowing the moves Validar and Aversa will pull on us), bringing a hundred soldiers to a summit could easily raise tensions between both sides. Loath as I am to admit it, my team will do a lot more good by staying here.

With that in mind, I call the Dark Knight of our team to me through bird clone.

"Hawke, I'm putting you in charge of the team while I accompany Her Grace to the summit. Make sure everyone pulls their weight in helping to rebuild this town to its former glory. And if you finish before you receive word from me, just keep up the usual training."

The stoic Dark Knight nods. "Understood, Captain."

Robin raises an eyebrow as she sees Hawke walk off. "Care to explain why both the captain and the second-in-command are accompanying us to this summit?"

I nod. "In my case, it's to represent a major faction in the Ylissean forces. If we want this alliance to become reality, we need to show that we're reliable as allies. I figured that would include giving a small demonstration of the military might Ylisse has at their disposal. As for my lieutenant…"

My mind wanders back to yesterday when a clone spied Lon'qu speaking with Cherche. He didn't even flinch during the conversation – not for Cherche, and not for Minerva – not even once. "…I think he's got a companion to guide."

Robin frowns. "You're hiding something from me, aren't you, Jack?"

I raise my hands in placation. "It's for the good of us all, honest."

Robin crosses her arms with a pout before she sighs (and tries to blow away a strand of hair in front of her face). "I suppose I'll just have to take your word for it. Now to prepare for the journey to the summit…"

"No need." I reply smiling.

Two Shadow clones appear in twin puffs of smoke. The clones give a mock salute.

"Preparations for a trip for two coming right up. Destination: one creepy isle."

I roll my eyes and shoo my clones away.

"My clones have that covered – unless they try to pull something crazy again."

Robin giggles and leans to my side. "I knew I married the right man."

I place an arm around her waist. "And I knew I married the right woman."

I silently challenge all otakus out there who are of different opinion; My wife is best girl. Fight me!

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

*Validar walks down a dark corridor*

 **Validar:** Ah, it is an honor to meet you, Exalt Emmeryn.

 **Chrom:** Wait, isn't that-

 **Robin:** Yeah, that's definitely him. The assassin from two years ago.

 **Chrom:** Then what's he doing here?

 **Aversa:** I believe you have more important matters to whisper about?

*Risen surround the Ylissean camp*

 **Risen:** Braaaiiinnss…

 **Chrom:** Risen AGAIN?!

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Shady island deal! The omen that hides in plain sight.**

 **Henry:** Nya ha ha! You're about to have a bad time!

 **Shepherds:** Not funny!

* * *

 **Omake: Supply and demand**

Maribelle is on the verge of snapping her parasol in half as she regards the destroyed building in front of her.

"Those…brutes! Savages! Troglodytes! How dare they ruin what little good is still in the world?! I'll make them understand just what it is they have done. Better yet, I will kill them. I will kill them _all_ …"

Gaius raises an eyebrow. "What's got Twinkles's smallclothes in a knot?"

Ricken sighs. "The valmese ended up destroying Maribelle's favorite tea shop in the battle."

The Assassin shrugs. "So they wrecked _one_ tea shop. What's the big deal? It's just some dried leaves that you put in hot water, right?"

That earns him the tip of Maribelle's parasol almost poking him in the face.

"Do NOT belittle the noble marvel that is tea in my presence, Gaius." the Valkyrie warns him coldly. "And I'll have you know that this tea shop is very special. It's the only shop on this continent that imports dragon jade tea from the land of Chon'Sin! Ordering just one tin takes at least two full months before I can pick it up!"

While Ricken tries to console his wife over being denied her favorite tea, Gaius shakes his head.

"I knew she likes tea, but this seems a bit obsessive."

Tharja raises an eyebrow and points at another destroyed building. "Wasn't that your favorite candy shop?"

Gaius follows the direction of her finger, only to gasp at seeing the source of his favorite candy razed to the ground.

Two seconds later, he joins Maribelle in chanting "I will kill them… I will kill them _all_."

Tharja sighs. "Why did we end up marrying weirdos?"

Ricken gives the Sorcerer a flat look. "Pot, meet kettle."

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Zantetsuken, Lvl 20 [21 %], Active, Cost: 270 MP  
** _Literally means "Iron cutting sword". This legendary sword technique was originally only known to the mounted summon creature, Odin the Reaver. By focusing the full strength into a single motion, you unleash a swing that can cleave through almost anything. However, if your focus relents even the slightest, this move loses a lot of its potency. Performing this technique is the mark of a true master of the blade.  
Base damage: 600 % of the caster's STR. Element: None. This skill has an innate 30 % critical hit rate. Instantly kills an enemy if a vital point is hit._

 **Air shoes, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: Varies  
** _Give gravity the finger. This combination of Telekinesis, Mana soles and Wind mastery allows the caster to expel air currents from the soles of their feet and lift off the ground. The more mana the caster puts into this skill, the stronger the wind current and the stronger the acceleration.  
Element: Wind_

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner:**

 **Ship cleaver, Title  
** _The mere sight of your blade gleaming in the sunlight strikes terror in the hearts of sailors everywhere. Those who believe your prowess to be a mere rumor will be silenced the moment you swing at a sea-faring vessel and split it in two. Just make sure you have a way of staying above water. Currents around a split ship tend to be chaotic.  
Increases damage dealt to any vehicle by 30 %._

 **Swordmaster, Class  
** _A paragon of swordplay, these masters of the blade engage their opponents with razor sharp focus. Every swing of their sword is the result of countless months of practice. These warriors, more than anyone, embody the phrase of dancing with their swords. One opening is all they need to cut down their adversaries in the blink of an eye. Yet, for all their swift movements and deadly precision, Swordmasters possess little resilience and raw strength. They prefer to end their battles quickly over drawn-out battles, making them ill-suited for battlefield defense.  
Attack power, attack speed and accuracy increase by 15 % when attacking with a sword. Passively increases DEX by 10 %. Attack power and attack speed lowers by 5 % when attacking with any other melee weapon or magic of any element. Damage taken from physical attacks increases by 5 %._

 **Beastkiller, Polearm, Base damage: 57, Rare  
** _A lance specifically designed to combat cavalry. The pointed end of this weapon splits in two parts, each one jagged on the inside. The result is a U-shape resembling the maw of a beast clamping down on the throat of anyone who finds themselves trapped within. Mounted troops often move so quickly that a single thrust from this weapon can tear open their throats and wound them fatally. The unconventional design makes Beastkillers difficult to forge unless a specialized weaponsmith is called in. As a result, they are typically reserved exclusively for combatting mounted opposition.  
Deals 300 % damage against mounted units._

 **Wyvern Rider, Class  
** _A warrior who rides into battle on a wyvern. The natural strength and resilience of their winged mounts give these fighters a natural advantage in those aspects as well, in addition to the many advantages of flying. However, like all reptiles, wyverns tend to be susceptible to magic, especially of the wind variety.  
Attack power and attack speed increase by 10 % when attacking with an axe or a blunt weapon. Damage dealt from magic of any element is reduced by 10 %. Damage taken from physical attacks is reduced by 10 %. Damage taken from magic of any element increases by 10 %. This unit counts both as a flier and draconic creature._

* * *

 **Rules of nature goes with everything – including fanfiction!**

 **The Reaper's scythe claims its first victim, and that victim is a warship! We also see Jack's team in action for the first time. I hope their performance was up to your expectations. As for now, the following games/franchises are represented in this team: Advance Wars, The Wonderful 101, Bravely Default, Octopath Traveler and Kid Icarus. Will there be more? Not sure about that yet…**

 **The meetings in this chapter demonstrate one of the big consequences of preventing Emmeryn's sacrifice. Because she remains the exalt of Ylisse, she's also the one who remains the main recipient in diplomatic meetings. As such, Chrom has less opportunities to learn the ins and outs of diplomacy compared to the canon story, where he** _ **had to**_ **learn that as Ylisse's new ruler. I hope to demonstrate this by portraying Chrom as a bit more impulsive and brash than as he usually is during the Valm campaign.**

 **Also, please note that Jack's challenge at the end is exclusively from his side. I have no intention of starting another waifu war. That stuff is way too messy.**

 **Until next time. Please rate and review. VipeR out.**


	16. Chapter 14

**Ah, the bright days of spring… How I've missed having actual daylight both when I go to work and when I finish up at work for the day.**

 **Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening. I've wanted it, you've wanted it, so we might as well cut to the chase and get started. But first, some review responses.**

 **prisontaker:** Have no idea how runecraft even works. Besides, Jack's already got enough on his plate.

 **LegacySpellsword:** Jack's version of the Zantetsuken is actually different from all the ones you mentioned. The core difference is that Jack swings with both hands, instead of just one. Other than that, it's basically a swing with a lot of focused power behind it.

 **ShadowPhoenix34:** The error in the shout-out has been corrected. Also, I appreciate the feedback on Jack's clones. The idea is to show versions of Jack who are aware that their existences are short, and therefore show fewer inhibitions.

 **science over magic:** I finally got some satellite footage from the aftermath of their battle. My word… It's like ground zero after a full-scale war…

 **Ittehgaps:** I stopped keeping track of Jack's money count a long time ago. Though, as a rule of thumb, Jack's loaded, due having no living or food expenses. Add in the fact that he traveled the Outrealms for three years, all while training and slaying monsters, plus the gold he earns from all his completed quests, and Jack won't get broke anytime soon.

 **3-13 Sniper:** Ah, thanks for the reminder of the represented series for Jack's team. And for pointing out my typo.  
Also, anyone who thinks Jack is OP at this point should consider this; he's a Gamer who's traveled between worlds for three years. With the crazy training regimen he put himself under before his departure, he could probably be even stronger than he is at this point. He _earned_ that strength.

 **Valsion Custom:** I had honestly forgotten that awesome dude existed until you read your review. While it could fit in some way, I think Sänger's move is a bit too over-the-top for my tastes. I mean, yeah, it looks cool and all, but I don't think it would fit that well in this case.

 **HighFlyingWings:** I've mentioned this in the AN at the end of a previous chapter (which I recommend you read, since they tend to contain important information); Jack has indeed gained more skills than the ones I've shown in the previous chapter. I've simply decided to list them as they come in the story, to avoid info dumping. You'll simply have to wait and see as his skillset unravels.

 **PhoenixFire9094:** I've read up a bit on the monofilament wires, and while I see your point, Jack can already use Telekinesis to do most of the stuff Walter can do with those wires. Adding the wires would pretty much copy a weapon that Jack already has at his disposal. Also, I like the ship joke. XD

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _Nya ha ha! –_ Henry

* * *

 **Chapter 14:**

 **Shady island deal!  
** **The omen that hides in plain sight.**

Gaius chews on the stick in his mouth – a nervous tic of his – only to pull it out and find that there's only the stick left, and no candy. The Assassin throws the stick into the nearby foliage and rummages in his cloak a bit before he pops another lollipop in his mouth.

"This place gives me the creeps. And I'm married to _Tharja_." he mutters as he lets the sweet snack spread its flavor in his mouth. "I'm going through my stash faster than I'm comfortable with just to cope with this feeling. At this rate, I'll run out before we reach the next town."

Even with plenty of daylight left, the forest path we're walking down feels eerily sinister. The trees grow thick enough to block out much of the sunlight, leaving only a few spots where the light of day penetrates the leaves. A few crows fly over our heads, almost warning us against proceeding any further.

Tharja rolls her eyes at her husband's antics. "Oh, please. The only reason why you find this place more eerie than me is because I've been holding back on my hexes around you."

Gaius glances at his wife with a raised eyebrow. "Really? Huh. I _did_ think the air's been looking brighter around you lately. And here I thought you had just mellowed out."

"Spare me. Loath as I am to admit it, casting any hex I fancy on you has left a bad taste in my mouth as of late. I think I'm actually growing…blech… _compassionate_."

"It just means you're growing as a person." Gaius comments cheerfully. He pulls his wife in a sideway hug and puts a kiss on her cheek. "I'm proud of you, Tharja."

The Sorcerer's face lights up like a lamp as she tries to hide her eyes behind her bangs. "Pull that on me again, and I'll curse you to uncontrolled sniveling for a month."

"Heh. You've _definitely_ mellowed out. Before I proposed, that hex would've lasted a whole year. And you'd even include hay fever for good measure."

Tharja's growl is all the warning Gaius needs before he starts darting around on the road to dodge the Flux spells his wife throws his way. While this would normally indicate an abusive relationship, I've spent enough time around these two to learn that this is their version of mild bickering.

I rub my head in exasperation. "Those two may be the craziest couple I've ever seen."

"It's not that bad." Nowi comments. "Tharja tells me that they usually kiss and make up in the evening." She puts a finger on her lip and frowns in contemplation. "I _think_ she once mentioned that it involves intense mating too. But I don't get why she's trying to downplay it. I'm way older than her. It's obvious she's referring to some wild-"

"That's enough from you, Nowi." I interrupt the manakete. Good grief. A child at heart one second, a potentially vulgar adult in a child's body the next. That, or children simply say the craziest things.

Cherche raises an eyebrow. "It astounds me how you can all remain so casual, even in a place like this. I was impressed at the battle prowess you demonstrated during the last battle, but this simply baffles me."

"I advise that you grow used to it, my dear Cherche." Virion replies. "My companions are not your typical militia." A smirk grows on the Bow Knight's face. "I should know. From the day I joined them, I have found that they can shift from flustered to cheerful to utterly unflappable at the drop of a hat, regardless of the situation. It's quite refreshing, really. Despite there being royalty among our ranks, they show none of the stiffness you'd normally associate with those of noble birth."

"That better be a compliment, Ruffles." Sully growls behind him.

Virion gulps. "O-of course it's meant as a compliment, my dear Sully. You have all been reliable allies these past few years, and I am most grateful for it."

Frederick scowls at our interactions. "While I have nothing against lighthearted banter every now and then, need I remind you that we are moving in an area that could be considered unsafe for traveling? I advise you all to remain vigilant."

I roll my eyes. "Relax, Frederick. I've got it covered. Though you're more than welcome to keep watch as well."

I chose to walk in the middle of our group to get maximum mileage out of Mind's Eye. Not only is every single Shepherd within the range of my omnidirectional sense, I can also spot a lot of things going on in the forest. To Plegia's credit, Carrion Isle doesn't show many signs of actual danger. Sure, the forest paths are dark, as are the trees, but the local wildlife seems to steer clear off the roads. Most of the forest animals walk near the edge of my telekinetic visual range while staying as wary of us as Frederick in general.

Wait a minute… There's a figure walking alongside us, some 70 paces deeper into the woods. It's strange enough on its own to find a person living in the woods of this place, but this guy has crows circling him constantly.

Hold on. Crows? Is that…Henry? Must be. I don't know anyone else in the world of Awakening who gets along with crows that well.

It only gets weirder as it seems like he's looking at us, even from so far away and with trees blocking his line of sight. No, not us. He's looking straight at _me_. To test my hypothesis, I wave at him as subtly as I can.

And he waves back! What the heck?!

"Jack? Something wrong?" Robin asks concerned.

I shake my head. "I, uh… Must've been something random wandering the woods. I don't think it was anything important."

Well, at the very least, Henry seems to know we're here. If not by spotting us directly, then probably through the forest animals. Seriously, I could swear those crows sitting on the bottom branch of the second tree on the left are the same crows I saw on the front branch of the fifth tree on the right three minutes ago…

Ugh. Trying to identify specific trees in a forest is a pain.

"Your Grace, it would seem we have arrived at the Plegian outpost." Phila reports further ahead.

As we lift our gazes, we see a huge fort resting on top of a hill about a quarter of an hour's walk from here. A flock of crows exit the trees, cawing loudly as they fly over the landscape. Seeing those black birds fly towards the horizon with the sinister fort on the hill paints a picture that sends shivers down my spine. If I didn't know any better, I'd bet Validar staged the whole thing to intimidate us. Good thing I sent a squirrel to carry a message to _her_ , since I know what's bound to happen soon. Chrom, you owe me one.

* * *

Right as we enter the fort, we're approached by a dozen Plegian soldiers. One of them, probably the guard captain, steps forward.

"Greetings, Exalt Emmeryn. We have been expecting you."

Emmeryn nods back in greeting. "Thank you for your patience. Please, lead the way."

"At once, Your Grace." The captain sweeps his eyes over all of us. "However, we must first ask that you leave your weapons here. As you will be meeting with the king of Plegia, this is a meeting of high importance. We cannot afford any risks regarding security. I hope you understand."

Emmeryn turns around and gives us all a look. The message is clear; Please don't cause any trouble.

Most of us nod and accept the terms – reluctantly. We form a line and hand over our weapons to the other soldiers in waiting, one by one. While most of the weapons are handed with little trouble, we had to hold our laughter when one poor fellow tried to carry Frederick's Savage Lynel Crusher. Poor guy will probably wake up with back pains tomorrow.

Of course, Chrom's case is an exception, due to Falchion being a national treasure as much as it is a sword. This also means that Emmeryn gives the prince an especially stern warning to keep Falchion sheathed unless it's an emergency. And no, a rouge assaulting Emmeryn doesn't actually count as an emergency. That's what Frederick and Phila are there for.

It eventually becomes my turn to hand over my weapon. I remove Harvest Moon from my back and place it on the hands of the waiting soldier slowly. He struggles with the weight a bit before he corrects himself.

"Take good care of our weapons, and no one will get hurt." I tell him coldly. The soldier in question gulps fearfully as I hold his gaze in my own ice-cold one.

Until Robin pulls my cheek.

"Ow ow ow!"

"Be nice, Jack."

"Fine…"

Through Mind's Eye, I see the soldier in question breathe a sigh of relief before he carries Harvest Moon to the armory like it's made of the most brittle material in the world. A satisfied smirk grows on my lips. Good. Now they know better than to mess with me.

What! Just because we're supposed to meet on neutral terms doesn't mean I trust these guys. There are only three plegians in the entire world that I trust. One is a potential yandere, the second is busy frolicking with the local wildlife outside, and the third is my wife (who doesn't even remember that she's from Plegia).

Besides, it's not like I'm _actually_ unarmed and defenseless. I can wipe the floor with these mooks barehanded, and that's before I Trace whatever weapons I have stored in my reality marble and slaughter the lot of them.

Most of the Shepherds are led to a guest room where they can lounge and relax during the summit. The ones who participate in the actual meeting break off with the guard captain and walk further in. Said group consists of Emmeryn, Phila, Chrom, Frederick, Robin and me.

We eventually enter a massive hall that's significantly more decorated than the rest of the fort. Huh. Who knew they had an audience hall in a military outpost. Must be part of Plegian architecture or something.

Some time later, another soldier enters with a very familiar individual in tow.

Ah, Aversa. As voluptuous as ever. Except this time, no amount of teasing from your part will have any effect on me. The wonders of wedlock, people.

"Greetings, Your Grace. Plegia welcomes you."

"I remember you." Emmeryn replies neutrally. "Your name was Aversa, correct? I was under the impression that you served under the late King Gangrel."

Aversa shrugs. "What can I say? It seems fate has designs for me yet."

Chrom narrows his eyes. "So you serve the new king, then? This…Validar?"

"I do."

Frederick scowls. "They say he worships Grima."

Emmeryn gives the Great Knight a look that tells him to stand down. While Frederick obeys, his words are already spoken.

"Why yes, of course he is Grimleal." the Dark Flier admits freely. "We are both believers. My liege often says it was his faith that got him through, after Gangrel's passing. It was a difficult time… But he kept order where there might have been chaos. We had meant to arrange an official visit to Ylisstol, but- Ah, here is my lord now."

A familiar shiver runs up my spine as I can feel the air slowly get tainted with dark magic. It's held back, but I'd recognize this sinister presence anywhere. And here he is: Validar…

"An honor to finally meet you, Your Grace. I am Validar, king regnant of Plegia."

Don'tkillhimdon'tkillhimdon'tkillhimdon'tkillhim!

I have to clench my hands and place them behind my back before I go Ryu Hayabusa on the old creep. I have to remember that he's not my enemy – not officially, and not yet. If I attack him now, our chances of getting Plegian support in the upcoming campaign will be shot three times over. Deep breaths, Jack. Deeeep breaths…

Emmeryn nods back in greeting. "The honor is mine, good king."

Chrom scowls at the Sorcerer. "Hold a moment. Is it possible we've met before…"

The prince jolts like Robin zapped him with a Thunder spell. "Gods! It can't be."

Emmeryn gives her brother a glare. "Chrom! Compose yourself."

Validar shakes his head. "Oh ho, I'm quite certain I would remember any encounter with Ylissean royalty."

Chrom backs down slowly, while keeping his eyes firmly on Valdiar. As he reaches me and Robin, he leans our way.

"Psst! Robin! Jack!" the prince whispers.

Robin nods scowling. "I know! He looks just like the assassin that came after Emmeryn…"

My scowl matches hers. "It's not just the looks. I'd recognize magic that sinister anywhere. There's no doubt it's the very same person."

"And you must be Lady Robin." Validar muses as he turns to my wife.

Oh, he is NOT looking at my wife!

Robin blinks in surprise. "You know of me, sire?"

"The whole world knows of Ylisse's master tactician!" the Sorcerer replies with a grand gesture. A sinister grin grows on his face. "And indeed, I see the sparkle of wisdom in your eyes."

Have to…hold my hands…! Suppress…protective…instincts…!

Even as I try to hold myself back from bringing an explosive steamroller on top of Validar's head, the Plegian king turns to me.

"And to think I would meet the famous Captain Jack as well. Truly, it would seem Ylisse has brought every major figure to this summit today."

I blink in the temporarily lull of my raging desire to end him once and for all. "I'm famous, King Validar?"

Aversa nods with a small smile (that I _think_ is meant to be seductive). "Why, yes. Accounts of your mysterious abilities and masterful prowess in combat have circulated within Plegia ever since the last war, as have the monikers that accompany them. Hero of Ylisse, the Reaper, Ship cleaver… You have become a man of many names, Captain Jack. In fact, your mere presence has put some of our more…unruly soldiers here on alert. They fear your being here could add tension to the point of a war being declared."

I scowl as I wring my hands behind my back. I have to pick my next words carefully.

"Rest assured, Lady Aversa. I will stay my hand, so long as no plegian points a weapon at any of us during this summit. So long as we keep this meeting civil, no blood will be spilled, and the only war on our hands will be a united front against the Valmese empire."

The Dark Flier nods. "Indeed. Let us hope it stays that way."

"But you told me you and Jack killed him, Robin!" Chrom whispers urgently.

Robin shakes her head slowly. "I know, but…here he stands – alive and well."

"My, the negotiations haven't even begun, and already so much whispering…" Validar muses.

A glance from Emmeryn is all it takes to put a stop on the hushed conversation between me, Chrom and Robin. The she turns back and gives a humble bow.

"My apologies, King Vaildar. We meant no disrespect."

Considering how tense the air feels right now, I'm impressed at how calmly Emmeryn holds herself. She, Aversa and Validar are the only ones in the room who don't look like they're on pins and needles.

"Chrom? What should we do?" Robin whispers.

"Nothing for now." the prince replies silently. "But stay close, and be ready for anything…"

"Then let us get to it." Validar declares.

A soldier hands Aversa a rolled-up document, which she unfurls.

"Plegia can offer no soldiers, but will provide 800 warships and 200 transports. In addition, we would be pleased to fully fund the campaign against Valm."

The document is rolled back up and presented to us.

"That is…surprisingly generous of you, milord." Phila remarks with barely restrained disbelief. "We could not ask for more, quite literally. You offer most all your assets."

"I would give troops as well, but our armies remain in shambles from the last war." Validar replies.

Guess what; I'm not apologizing.

"I trust the gold and ships will suffice as a sign of our commitment to the cause?" the Sorcerer continues.

Emmeryn nods with a small smile. "Of course it will. Thank you, King Validar."

"The honor is ours, Your Grace." Validar replies grinning. "I look forward to building a strong bond between our two nations."

It would probably sound more believable of the dude didn't look so evil. Seriously, this guy practically has "menacing" written all over him. Do NOT trust the evil-looking sinister man with the evil-looking sinister grin and who is part of the clearly-evil, sinister, dragon-worshipping cult!

Nevertheless, Emmeryn nods in agreement. "As do I. Then, if there is nothing else? We need to hurry back to Port Ferox."

"Oh, so soon?" Aversa interjects. "But I have one more introduction to make."

Emmeryn gives the Dark Flier a curious look. "…Yes? And who would that be?"

"A hierophant, the highest of her order in all Plegia." Validar declares proudly.

The soldier from before returns with a third person, this one garbed in a black coat with purple markings and with the cowl raised over her head. You're not fooling me, hierophant. I know _exactly_ who you are.

"…So you lead the people in worship?" Robin asks curiously. "We were just discussing religion earlier…"

The figure remains silent, seemingly content at merely looking at us.

Robin raises an eyebrow. "…I'm sorry, have I said something to offend you?"

"…The heart still sleeps, but the blood flows through it." the hierophant whispers, barely enough for us to hear. "And the blood is strong."

Robin blinks bemused. "…Huh? Beg pardon, were you talking to me?"

At this point, Frederick steps into the conversation with a displeased frown. "Good hierophant, I would ask you lower your cowl. In Ylisse, it is a courtesy expected of one in the presence of royalty."

Oh, yeah. Frederick was pretty upset when I returned to the palace with my own head covered under the hood of my cloak. As strict with the details as always.

"…You are a long way from Ylisse, sir." the hierophant replies. "But very well."

The figure reaches up for her cowl. The face revealed underneath shocks my companions. Right in front of us stands a person who looks just like Robin. Let's see…

* * *

 **Robin (?) Lvl: ? Class: ?  
** _A person who bears a resemblance to the Robin of Ylisse so uncanny, they just about look identical. While little is known about this woman, she holds a high station in Plegia as the most revered hierophant in the country.  
You can sense something sinister lurking within her eyes…_

 **Titles:  
Grand hierophant of Plegia (+ 50 % CHAR in Plegia)  
V*-s** **ε** **l *f -r-' (?)**

 **HP: ?  
MP: ?  
STR: ?  
VIT: ?  
DEX: ?  
** **INT: ?  
WIS: ?  
CHAR: ?  
LUCK: ?**

 **Items:  
-**

* * *

Ugh. Not only is the information gained from Observe scarce at best, the more I try to analyze her, the more of a throbbing headache I get. Some of the text looks more like corrupted data than proper game coding.

The Plegian Robin regards us impassively. "Is that better?"

My wife looks at the hierophant wide-eyed. "What?!"

Chrom looks like his jaw hangs loose. "By the gods!"

Emmeryn looks at my wife. Then at the hierophant. Robin. Hierophant. The exalt looks visibly disturbed. "But…how is this possible?"

"She looks just like…me." Robin concludes off-kilter.

I take a closer look at the Robin standing on the Plegian side. Hmm… I have to correct you there, hon. As much as that hierophant resembles you, I can spot a few important differences. For one, she has a few small wrinkles under her eyes, which suggests she's older than you. And if I'm not mistaken, her hips are slightly wider, likely due to childbirth.

I should know about those details, after all the nights I've spent holding you close, looking at your face for hours on end and exploring every facet of your body – and I mean _every_ facet (Nii hee hee hee~).

"My name is Robin." the hierophant introduces herself. "Oh, and that was YOUR name as well, wasn't it? What a strange coincidence…"

Validar rubs his chin (You can't hide that knowing grin from me, you snake!). "Why that IS rather curious, now that you mention it… What are the odds?" The Sorcerer shrugs. "In any case, I believe we are finished here. We shall let you be on your w-"

"Hold just a moment!" Chrom shouts.

Emmeryn grabs his shoulder. "Chrom, calm yourself!"

Aversa tilts her head slightly to the side. "Milord?"

"What is the meaning of this?" Chrom asks demandingly. "Why do your hierophant and Robin-"

"I'm afraid we've no time for such trivial matters now, Prince Chrom." Aversa interrupts smiling. "We have aid preparations to attend to, and you have a _long_ , _hard_ journey ahead…"

Wait… Was that meant to be a double entendre?

"Oh, and _do_ be careful on your way back to Port Ferox." the Dark Flier continues. "This time of year the highroads of Plegia can be quite treacherous…"

While still looking shaken, Emmeryn bows to the gathered plegians. "I thank you for your advice, Lady Aversa. We will remain on guard on our journey. Until we meet again."

A pair of Plegian soldiers approach to escort us out of the building. Before I turn to leave, I notice the Robin on the Plegian side glance at me. We only made eye contact for a brief moment, but that moment stirred something in me – a strange mix of feelings. Despair? Pain? Regret? I know for a fact that that hierophant isn't anyone I should be familiar with, so why did eye contact between us stir up such strong and dark emotions within me? Even as we leave, that question is just another troubling thought raging in my mind. I clench my hands and scowl at no one in particular as I think back on how Aversa described me. There was a detail in her words that take priority in my mind;

I've never disclosed my "Reaper" title to anyone in this world – not even Robin. So how in the world did Aversa learn about it? I can only think of one answer; the Grimleal have an outside source, most likely from one of the Outrealms that I've traveled. That means we have interference from an outside world lurking in the shadows. There's an enemy who's also an unknown variable – and that's what troubles me the most.

* * *

Night has fallen by the time we make camp in a valley near the highroads. We'll return to the ship that brought us to Carrion Isle first thing in the morning. The ones who attended the summit with Validar have been quiet the whole time, myself included. This naturally gained some raised eyebrows from the other Shepherds. Cordelia in particular showed great concern for Chrom.

No matter how much the others asked us, however, we remained tight-lipped. I mean, how do you explain that an until-now unknown hierophant in an evil cult looks almost exactly like our chief tactician?

The questions thankfully ceased after our fellow Shepherds realized we wouldn't open up. While a bit disturbed, they simply let the matter be.

I've just finished setting up mine and Robin's shared tent. This thing is extra-large, mainly so Robin can fit her desk and a crate with writing supplies and tomes inside the tent, while still leaving room for sleeping and for being able to move around inside without any significant issue. She still takes up about half the space for her duties as tactician alone, and I'm fine with that.

After making sure everything is in place inside our tent, I walk out and have a look at our camp site. Stahl walks into the mess tent with an excited look on his face. Since he and Panne are on mess duty tonight, that probably means he'll try out a new recipe. That's something to look forward to. Since marrying Panne, the green Great Knight has gone full vegetarian, with some interesting results. Stahl turned into quite a bookworm as time passed, even giving Sumia a run for her money with how many cookbooks the guy goes through on a weekly basis. All of that, just so he can come up with new recipes that adhere to his vegetarian lifestyle. The best part? They're packed with nutrients and taste wonderful! Stahl's marriage has quite possibly paved the way for Ylissean vegetarian cooking. If he decides to retire, Stahl could probably do well as a palace chef.

Speaking of cooking, there's something that I need to check off my bucket list. I've put it off for this long for one reason, and one reason only; it involves Tharja.

Taking a deep breath and steeling myself for the encounter that awaits me, I step up to the Sorcerer's tent.

"Tharja? It's me, Jack."

"…My, my." Tharja's voice purrs from inside. "How nice of you to stop by, Jack. Please, come on in."

Gaius, I sincerely hope that you were right regarding Tharja's…flirting…with me and Robin. Because if you're not, this camp will probably be reduced into total chaos within ten minutes due to me trying to flee from a Sorcerer who needs to learn the concept of marital fidelity. And decency.

A shiver runs down my spine as I raise the tent flap and enter the purple tent. Like in her workshop back in Ylisstol, Tharja prefers to keep the inside of her tent dark, save for the light of about a dozen candles and lanterns hanging in strategic places. I recently learned that it was an idea that she and Gaius came up with together. The dark workspace isn't just where Tharja finds the most inspiration for her research, it also serves as a cover for Gaius in case an enemy enters their tent. With the inside so dark, Gaius can easily sneak up on an intruder and end them before they even realize he's there.

As luck would have it, Tharja has her cauldron set up and some ingredients on a small table nearby.

The Sorcerer regards me with a dark smile (that actually translates to genuine kindness in Tharja's book). "Welcome to my humble abode, Jack. What can I do for you on this fine evening?"

Deep breaths, Jack. There's an escape route nearby, just in case things go south.

"Tharja, you've mentioned to me in passing that the dark arts include potion brewing, correct?" I ask tentatively.

Tharja nods. "Yes. It's mostly used among practitioners who have gathered some experience under their belt regarding the dark arts. Mind you, potion brewing isn't exclusive to the dark arts. In fact, a lot of the brewing techniques overlap between the arcane and the dark. Why do you ask? Care to try your hand at it?"

I shake my head. "Not exactly. I'm more curious about what kinds of potions you'd normally brew."

The Sorcerer shrugs. "That depends on what I want to achieve. If we consider brewing practiced for dark magic alone, the brew mostly serves as a catalyst for casting hexes and curses." She raises an eyebrow. "Though, knowing you, you're after something else."

I nod. "Yes. I was thinking more along the line of brewing potions for healing purposes."

Tharja places a hand on her chin. "That's an unusual request to ask a dark magic user. Though I'm quite knowledgeable in some arcane brewing techniques as well, and they brew potions for that exact purpose far more often."

"Sounds good." I reply and dig into my bag. In short order, I pull out my Concoction bottle and some Lynel parts. "What do you make of these?"

Tharja gives the bottle and the hoof a quick glance, but her eyes stop at the Lynel guts. She reaches down and picks up the entrail gingerly. A sinister giggle escapes her lips.

"My, my… This isn't something you see every day. I can practically feel the lifeforce pulsing within. And so fresh too." Tharja gives me a pleased look. "This piece alone is easily worth its weight in gold if you find the right buyer, Jack. I'd love to learn what beast you can extract these organs from. They could enhance my hexes to degrees I never thought possible before."

I shake my head. "Sorry, Tharja. That organ comes from a beast native to another world that I traveled in my absence. What's more, the lifeforce you can feel inside should indicate how powerful and dangerous they are. Even if you knew how to hunt them down, I'd only allow it if you brought at least three more companions, not counting me. And even then, I'd only allow it with great reluctance."

Tharja pouts at my answer. "Well… Bummer…" Then she shrugs. "Oh, well. Not much I can do about it. Anyway, I assume you want me to brew you a potion with these ingredients?"

"Yes. Based on what I've learned in my travels, the beast parts that I've placed before you should be able to make a potent combination. I'd like the Concoction to serve as the base for this potion. How well do you think it'll work?"

Tharja grabs the hoof, only to widen her eyes at its weight. She lifts it up with a grunt. "Umpf. Hm… I can certainly brew something interesting with these ingredients. And I know how to brew Concoctions according to the standard recipe."

A smirk grows on her lips. I can practically see the gears turning in her head.

"Yes… I know _exactly_ how I will brew these ingredients. Mm hm hm hm… This should be fun. Though it might take a while before your new potion is finished, Jack. And its effects might be a bit…altered with the ingredients you've given me, as well as what I already have at hand."

I nod. "Well, there's no point in rushing any sort of cooking, even if it's not food. Take as much time as you need, Tharja. Oh, and I only need as much as the bottle can hold. You can keep the rest if you want, as well as what's left of those ingredients in case you don't use all of it."

Tharja nods pleased. "That sounds like a fair agreement. Very well. I'll let you know when the potion's finished."

I give her a small smile as I turn to leave. "Thanks, Tharja. Hopefully, we'll both benefit from this."

"Oh, I, for one, already am." the Sorcerer purrs.

Yyyyeeaah… Still sends shivers down my spine.

 **Your relationship with Tharja has improved!**

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: A few hours later**_

Dinner was a quiet affair, what with the two elder royal siblings, Robin and me eating with visibly disturbed expressions on our faces. It's not that the food tasted bad. On the contrary – Stahl's vegetable stew rocks! It's just that our minds were firmly rooted at what went down on the summit.

Robin and I decided to retire to our tent after dinner. Having some time alone might've been the best option, since we both needed someone close to hold us as we tried to sort out our thoughts. I'm not opposed to sleeping with her, especially since we share a bedroll. Though it can get pretty tedious if my wife has problems falling asleep, as I've made it a personal rule to never fall asleep before her.

What do you mean, I'm paranoid?

We've been alone in our tent for a few hours now, just holding each other and listening to each other breathe calmly. It's soothing, but I notice it's not enough to lull Robin to sleep. Instead, she wiggles out of my arms and crawls out of the bedroll.

I raise an eyebrow. "Can't sleep?"

Robin sighs as she puts on her coat. "I'll just go outside to clear my head. I won't be long."

I nod. "All right. I'll be here waiting for you. Stay safe."

Robin smiles at me before she lifts the tent flap and walks outside.

…

How long has it been since I've laid down without my wife in my arms? Now that she's absent, I feel…lonely. Empty, even. Even if I can fall asleep on demand, thanks to how my body works, doing so without Robin has become unthinkable to me.

Might as well make the most of the situation and meditate on our current situation. Excluding the incoming war with Valm, the clear elephant in the room is the Grimleal. Based on what I remember from Awakening's story, Validar's keeping a close eye on us all. If he wants to accomplish that, he needs spies to keep track of our every move. Now, what if I could send in a few spies among the Grimleal ranks in return? That should give the others a better idea of what those cultists are plotting, which should make us more aware when Validar tries to blindside us. It sounds like a good idea, but I need spies who are capable of infiltrating the Grimleal. Should I send in some clones, or should I hire outside help? In that case, who's the best option?

I've been mulling those questions in my head for a while now. Didn't expect to have so much time for it, as I expect Robin to return soon.

Actually, she's taking an awful lot of time… Did that hierophant really bother her that…much…?

It's a good thing I can equip my gear with just a mental command thanks to the Equipment menu. I'm in full gear within the first second, grab Robin's Levin Sword and the closest tome within the second, and rush out from my tent while frantically looking for any trace of my wife by the time the third second has passed.

S-it! I remember what happens on this night! This is when Validar personally seeks her out and goes Darth Vader on her! And I let her walk off unarmed and all on her own! How could I be so STUPID?!

Not finding any trace of Robin in the camp, I try outside the camp site. Six clones appear by my side.

"Find her!" I command them sharply. My clones give the affirmative before we all speed off and spread out from camp.

Come on, Robin, where are you?! Please, _please_ be all right!

I grind to a halt as one of my clones dispel. I turn to the left. That way!

I tear up the ground with Gale step as I hurry towards my wife as fast as I can. There she is, clutching her head while Validar stands in front of her.

"Give yourself to Grima! Let me join your strength to the fell dragon!" the Sorcerer commands her.

Harvest Moon sings in the night air as I draw the sword, shift it into a scythe and rear back my arm. If my target is too far away to swing at, I'll just throw it!

"LEAVE MY WIFE ALONE!"

*Shink!*

Tch! The jerk managed to teleport away a split-second before Harvest Moon made contact. Instead, the scythe sunk into the ground where he stood before he vanished. More importantly, Robin looks unsteady on her feet. I embrace her the moment I'm in reach.

"Robin!"

"Jack? What are you doing here?"

"When you didn't return to the tent for a long time, I started to worry. So I grabbed my gear and went looking for you. Looks like it was for the best. What in the world did Validar do to you?"

Robin rubs her head while regaining her footing. Seeing as she can stand on her own again, I let her step back. "King Validar… He… He said I was…his daughter."

"He what? Man, if that's true, that means I have the worst father-in-law in the world."

Robin gives me a flat look. "THAT'S what you're concerned about?"

I shrug. "Hey, familial ties are important. Besides, imagine the family reunions if it turns out to be true. During our first meeting, I smashed him into a stone wall. That makes for an awkward conversation topic."

Robin rubs her temples. "Jack, get serious. For one, I'm not even sure if he's telling me the truth. As much as I hate to admit it, I felt…connected to him in a strange way."

I rub my chin. "Come to think of it, that hierophant back then bore a striking resemblance to you. Do you think there's a connection there too?"

Robin rubs her head while shaking it. "I don't know. I can't remember anything before the day we met. Jack… I don't know what to think anymore. Me being related to Validar would explain a number of things." She pulls the glove off her right hand and shows the symbol of the Grimleal on the back. "Do you remember our first run-in with the Grimleal when we set out to rescue Emmeryn? The members of the cult wore robes with this very symbol. I've always wondered why I bear that symbol on my hand. The only explanation would be that I myself am a member – or at least, I used to be."

I nod. "As unbelievable as that sounds, it _does_ make sense."

My wife puts her face in her hands. "But I'm afraid of the consequences if that were true…" She looks up at me imploringly. "Jack, who am I? WHAT am I?"

I place my hands on her shoulders. "You are Robin, the most wonderful woman and the brightest, bravest tactician I've ever had the honor to meet. You're the reason my life has turned out the way it did, and you've become the love of my life. No blood ties nor cults will ever make me think any less of you, Robin. And neither should they make you think any less of yourself."

Robin looks me in the eye before she buries her head against my chest.

"Thank you, Jack…" I hear her whisper in a sobbing voice. "Thank you so much…"

I embrace Robin and rub her back gently. This is how we stay for the next few minutes. I provide a steady point for Robin to anchor herself to, while she releases any emotion she feels at the moment. She's one of the strongest women I know, and yet, I've never seen her this vulnerable before. So…exposed. Frightened. These past meetings must've shaken her to the core.

I never want to see her like this again. I'll do anything to protect her – I _swear_ it.

Right as Robin calms down, I hear the sound of hooves pounding on the ground, followed by the neighing of a horse. Robin and I look up to find Frederick approach us.

"Jack! Robin! I've been looking everywhere for you!" the Great Knight tells us urgently.

Robin steels her features and slips out from the embrace. "Frederick? What's the matter?"

"We are under attack!" Frederick replies. "Risen have encircled the camp!"

Yeah, it was only a matter of time before this happened.

Robin's eyes widen. "What?! But how? I made sure we posted sentries around camp!"

Frederick scowls. "They made a stealthy approach. I've never seen Risen behave like this. Either they are learning our ways, or someone is commanding them."

I match his scowl. "I'd bet gold that Validar is behind this. Everything lines up _too_ perfectly in his favor."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "How do you mean?"

"Robin, remember when those Risen were summoned back at Castle Plegia when we rescued Emmeryn two years ago?" At both Robin and Frederick nodding, I continue. "Right before that happened, I saw Aversa pull out a strange box. When she opened it, dark purple mist spread over the entire courtyard. That's where the Risen came from." I narrow my eyes as I look towards our camp. "The fact that a member of the Grimleal could summon Risen on command is more than enough proof that Validar is behind this. Aversa openly admitted that they're both members of the cult. What's more, there's what happened a few minutes earlier between you and him. Everything points towards the reigning king of Plegia."

Frederick shakes his head. "We can discuss potential culprits later. Milord has already ordered anyone who can wield a weapon to arm themselves and fight for their lives. Come! We must rejoin with the others before fighting breaks out."

Robin pats her clothes frantically. "Oh no! I left my weapons back in our tent!"

In reply, I pull out the weapons I retrieved before I left said tent. "Here! This should be enough for now, right?"

Robin accepts her weapons with wide eyes. "Wh- Jack, why did you carry around my weapons?"

A yank of Telekinesis frees Harvest Moon from the ground and returns it to my grasp. The scythe returns to my back as a sword a few seconds later. "I feared you were under attack when I searched for you, so I made sure you would at least be able to arm yourself by the time I found you."

After making sure her weapons are properly fastened, my wife gives me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you. You always seem to know what I need."

Frederick clears his throat. "*Ahem!* If you two are done with your romantic moment, I advise you return to camp posthaste."

I smirk at the Great Knight. "That can be arranged with ease." *Poof*

The smoke clears to show that I've transformed into Minerva.

"Hop on, Robin. I'll fly you back to camp."

Robin, Frederick and Frederick's horse all look at me baffled.

I indicate the saddle on my back. "Come on! The Risen are getting closer by the minute!"

Robin shakes her head as she mounts me. "I already know you can shapeshift, but it still boggles my mind every time I see it…" she mutters.

"Try to keep up, Frederick." I tell the Great Knight before I take off with some assistance with wind magic under my wings.

Robin yelps and hangs on for dear life as she rides me all the way back to the center of the camp. I keep a fast pace, even when she tells me to slow down.

 **AN: What do you mean, there's innuendos in those earlier paragraphs? Pervs.**

My landing in the middle of the camp is a bit rough, but smooth enough to get the job done. As Robin dismounts me, I notice Cherche and Minerva look at me with unnerved expressions.

"No worries, Cherche. You're not seeing double." I assure the Wyvern Rider and dispel my transformation.

Cherche looks at me baffled for a few more moments before she rubs her temples. Lon'qu shakes his head as he sidles up to her.

"Get used to it. It's a lot easier that way." the Swordmaster tells her.

"Everyone, battle stations!" Robin shouts from on top of a crate. "Be ready for anything!"

I scan the camp to notice who's present. Looks like everyone's armed and ready, though two of us seem absent.

"Hey! Anyone seen Emmeryn or Phila?" I ask my fellow Shepherds.

"Phila took Emm into her tent." Chrom explains. "She'll guard her in case any Risen slip through our defenses."

I sigh in exasperation at hearing Chorm's explanation. While I understand the importance of guarding the exalt's life, that also robs us off our greatest offensive asset in the coming battle. I've been looking forward to see Emmeryn unleash Ivaldi's true power on these undead enemies, considering the ridiculous bonus damage. She could've probably wiped out the majority of the undead ranks within a minute with her light spells, but NO! Phila just _has_ to play the overprotective bodyguard and stash our beloved exalt in a tent like she's some fragile porcelain doll!

I may or may not be in a foul mood after I learned that Validar tried to convert my wife to the dark side and then sent a zombie horde against us for no other reason than trying to kill us off.

Which really doesn't make any sense to me. I mean, if they want this alliance so we can take care of Walhart in their stead, what could they hope to accomplish by trying to kill us? That would only weaken our combat power, which in turn reduces our chances for defeating the Conqueror. Maybe Validar is stupider than I originally thought. That would mean Robin inherited her sharp mind from her mother, alongside a lot of other good qualities. Go, Mama Robin!

Frederick arrives shortly afterwards, Savage Lynel Crusher at the ready and his horse primed to charge at a moment's notice.

"Everyone ready?" Chrom shouts to us all. At our collective affirmative, the prince draws Falchion (while a convenient wind makes his cape billow dramatically behind him).

"We're up against an enemy who won't stop at anything short of death in their effort to kill us. It's kill or be killed in this battle! Give them no quarter, and don't let your guard down until we've destroyed every one of them."

"YES, CAPTAIN!"

Right as we get ready to charge, we hear loud cawing from the south.

"Wh-what's that?" Chrom asks puzzled. "A storm of…crows? Gods, it's upon us!"

The massive flock of birds sweeps in over our camp. From what I can tell from Mind's Eye, they seem to fly around a focal point – where a person is standing. Well, it was about time he showed up.

"CAW! CAW!" the person greets from within the avian mass. "Are you folks lost? Or perhaps a lost CAWs? Heh ha!"

"Who's there?! Show yourself!" Chorm shouts back. "Gods' breath, I can't see anything through all these d-mned birds!" Chrom waves Falchion around. "Shoo! Scat! Away with you!"

The crows soon disperse, leaving a single person standing in their wake.

* * *

 **Henry Lvl 33 Class: Dark Mage**

* * *

Welcome, Henry. I've been expecting you.

"What's wrong? CAW-strophobic?" the Dark Mage asks with a cheerful smile. A giggle escapes his lips. "Nya ha ha! Oh, I slay me!"

"Not if these Risen do it first!" Chrom replies. "This is no time for japes! Hide yourself, boy!"

"You know, I thought you were all right…" Henry muses. "Turns out you're all FRIGHT! Nya ha ha! I'd wish you good luck killing these monsters, buuuut…they're ALREADY DEAD!"

"We are well aware!" Chrom shouts exasperated.

"The ravens wanted me to give you a message." the Dark Mage continues unperturbed. ""Caw… C-caw-caw." Roughly translated, it means…" Henry rubs his chin. "Hmm, now what was the human word for that again? …Trapise? …Tripe?" He snaps his fingers. "Oh, TRAPPED! Right! …They say you're trapped."

"We know, d-mn it!" the Shepherds yell collectively with tic marks pulsing on their foreheads (Were their heads always that big?).

"Gods… Where did they all come from?" Chrom asks while looking around franctically.

Henry's grin grows wider. "Well, see, when a mommy zombie and a daddy zombie love each other very much…"

"Too much information!" I shout at him. Yeesh! I do NOT want to hear the zombie version of the birds and the bees!

Food for thought: if that disturbing image really came true, does that count as double necrophilia or the natural order of things?

Gah! The images! Where's brain bleach when you need it?!

"Nya ha ha!"

Chrom pinches the bridge of his nose. "Perhaps I should save the Risen the trouble and silence you myself."

Henry waves his hands in front of him placatingly. "Hey, wait! I want to join your CAWs- I mean, I can help you!" The Dark Mage pulls out a Ruin tome from his robes. "I know magic! What do you say… Birds of a feather and all that?"

It's only now that Chrom takes a closer look at Henry. "Those robes… A Plegian dark mage? …Why would you help us?"

"Oh, don't let all the joking around fool ya." Henry replies. Is it me, or did his grin just turn _slightly_ murderous? "I've got kind of a thing for killing. Most funny people do, you know. The two things must be linked somehow. Ever talk to a jester when he's off duty? Those guys are some sick dastards!"

I sneak a glance at Tharja. Yeah…that statement is up for debate.

I shrug. "I don't see the harm in letting him join, Chrom. I mean, it's not the first time we let a Plegian Dark Mage join our ranks."

Tharja looks at us before she turns back towards where the Risen are bound to come from. She already has a spell at her fingertips. It might've been my imagination, but I could've sworn her gaze lingered on Henry a little longer than on the rest of us.

Chrom rubs his temples. "Oh, for- Fine! Just make sure you be careful!"

Henry grins at me. "Sweet! I owe ya one!"

Lissa walks up to the Dark Mage with a stern glare. "Something tells me you have zero self-preservation instinct. You're coming with _me_."

"Okie-dokie." the Dark Mage replies cheerfully.

Sigh. I just hope Henry won't cause us too much trouble with his antics. He might be an even worse nutcase than the squirrels.

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Main quest: Of sacred blood  
** _While meeting with the new king of Plegia went somewhat smoothly, everything afterwards pretty much snowballed into a right mess. The Risen are back with a vengeance, and all they can think about is killing you by any means necessary. Put those things down and get off Carrion Isle pronto!  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat all Risen, Don't let Chrom die.  
_ **Rewards:** _13 000 EXP, 13 000 gold  
_ **Failure:** _You die, and with you, all hope of opposing Valm. Well, at least Walhart will be busy tearing the Grimleal apart for you._

* * *

 **BGM: Megalovania, Undertale music**

We tense up as the foliage around camp rustles.

"Raagh!"

"Here they come!" Chrom shouts as he rushes to meet the undead soldiers head-on.

*Clang!*

Falchion meets Steel Sword as the prince clashes with a Risen Mercenary. The sound of two swords clashing spurs the rest of us into action, each pairing up and going for any Risen they see.

I back up until I have Robin by my side. Harvest Moon shifts into a scythe as I crouch low, ready to cleave any moving corpse in two if they come too close.

"I'll be right here with you, Robin. Your back is safe."

"I can handle myself, Jack." Robin replies as she blasts a Cavalier with lightning magic. "It's the others I worry about."

I glance to the side and see Lissa team up with Henry against a Myrmidon and a pair of Fighters. The sword wielding zombie zips and weaves between Henry's spells, much to the Dark Mage's (apparent) annoyance. Right as the Myrmidon reaches striking distance, however, Lissa gets in between them and shoves Betty in its stomach.

"You all right?"

Henry takes the opening and makes a quick chant.

"I'm gonna kill you!" the Dark Mage declares happily before he disintegrates the Risen Myrmidon with a Ruin spell. Yikes! No wonder that spell has the highest crit-rate in the game!

They have no time to celebrate, as the Fighters are practically upon them. Henry swaps out his Ruin tome for an Elfire tome and backs off while covering his escape with some fire magic. While it doesn't stop the Fighters in their tracks, it obscures their line of sight.

They barely clear the flames before they run right into Lissa's range.

*Wham!*

A brutal swing from Betty sends the undead axe wielders on a short flight before they end up in a heap on the ground. Their attempt at getting back up gets foiled as Henry gives them an instant funeral pyre and reduces them to ashes.

"That was awesome!" Henry cheers. Lissa gives him a disapproving look before she shrugs and prepares for the next adversary.

I hear footsteps closing in on me and Robin. We turn to the left and notice a Warrior run towards us with its Silver Axe raised in the air.

I glance at Robin. "Ready when you are."

Robin pulls out her Levin sword. "Then let's go."

The Warrior swings down on us. Robin and I split, each flanking the Risen on one side. I strike high with Harvest Moon, only for the Warrior to block my swing with its axe. At the same time, Robin rushes in and stabs at the Warrior. The corpse deflects Robin's blow with its arm guard and moves to chop her down.

"Hey, bozo! Over here!" I shout and sweep kick it. Its momentary unbalance is all the opening Robin needs to blast it with a few well-placed thunderbolts. I rise back up and am about to congratulate Robin when Mind's Eye spots something that makes my eyes widen.

"Get down!" I yell as I run past my wife and swipe my free hand through the air. Moments later, half a dozen arrows hit the ground around us, all deflected by my quick wind wall.

Robin's eyes widen upon seeing the arrows. "Archers!"

Frederick snaps to attention at the warning. Unfortunately, Sumia is too busy looking for more Risen to fight. That's when Frederick climbs up his horse until he stands on her back, jumps off the mare, grabs Sumia's pegasus by the hind leg and _yanks_.

Sumia yelps at the sudden drop in altitude. Arrows fly past over her head a split-second later. The Dark Flier looks in horror at a few strands that were cut off during the close call.

"I just got my hair grown out and pretty, and now it's RUINED?! This isn't fair!" she shouts into the night. She pulls out a Silver Lance and flies low along the ground as she goes on the offensive with a vengeful look on her face. Frederick urges his mount into action, if only to make sure his wife doesn't bite off more than she can chew.

Me and Robin have our own issues to deal with. I've taken a closer look with Mind's Eye and know where those arrows came from. A pair of Snipers lead a dozen or so Archers from atop one of the cliffs overlooking the valley we're fighting in. The higher position makes for an excellent vantage point for sniping, and those undead bow wielders exploit that advantage mercilessly! How do I know? They just. Won't. Stop! Firing those BLASTED ARROWS! But that's not specifically what's pissing me off. It's the fact that they won't stop aiming at Robin.

Alright, you undead f-ckers. Rule #1: If you want a go at my wife, you have to go through me first!

"Be right back, Robin!" I call to her before I take off towards where the arrows come from, all while intercepting any more of those projectiles headed her way.

Rule #2: If you try to go through me in order to have a go at my wife, I'll kill you!

By the time I clear the cliffside, the archers come into view.

"No one attacks my wife while I'm around." I declare coldly.

Rule #3: If you try to break rule #1, your death will be brutal!

Mana swirls in my right palm, forming a Rasengan. But I don't stop there. While keeping the rotation going, I raise my hand above my head and convert the mana inside the sphere to the wind element. The immense power held within causes some mana to bleed out, which saturates the air around the sphere. The mana-charged air compresses and forms wind blades that spin along with the sphere at a frequency that causes a high-pitched screech. That's right. I finally completed the technique that made me recreate the Rasengan in the first place – the crowning achievement of my wind mastery.

"Rasenshuriken!"

I hurl the bladed wind sphere right at the hapless zombies. Right as it reaches their midst, the technique detonates with a massive shockwave.

*Boom!*

What started as a sphere roughly the size of a volleyball quickly expands to a dome the size of a small house. Inside the rotating dome, millions of wind blades tear my enemies apart to the point that they're ground to dust. The destruction is, fortunately, contained within the dome – for a short while. The volatile wind fueled destruction soon overpowers its containment, which results in another explosion with a blast radius twice as big as the first one.

*BOOM!*

By the time the dust settles, no trace is left of the Risen that got hit with my technique.

I turn back to my wife and float down towards her. Before I sink below the cliff edge, I glance at where the Rasenshuriken gouged out a massive crater in the dirt. "To dust you return."

Just as I touch the ground, Robin approaches me.

"Jack, can you take me to the top of the other cliff side?"

I raise an eyebrow. "Yeah, should be easy enough. But why?"

Robin scowls at her desired destination. "If this Risen attack is as coordinated as I suspect it to be, there's bound to be more archers over there. Our friends are busy enough as it is fending for themselves on the ground. Any archer perched on high ground could easily get a fatal shot in while they're distracted."

I nod. "Good point." *Poof*

The smoke clears to reveal that I once again transformed into a wyvern. "Hop on."

Robin climbs onto the saddle and pats my back. "Ready."

I take off with a screech and some wind magic behind my wings, allowing me to blast straight towards the cliff side. We zip right over it before I flip in the air and allow Robin to observe the entire battlefield from a bird's-eye view.

"Jack, I need you to follow my lead." Robin tells me.

I nod. "Lead away. Just make sure you hold on tight. I'm not exactly an expert in wyvern flying techniques."

Mind's eye lets me see Robin smile at me. "Good enough for me. Now let's clear the air for our comrades."

I screech in agreement before I heed Robin's command and dive straight towards a Swordmaster. The undead sword wielder only has time to look up before I fly right by it and Robin decapitates it with a clean swing of her Levin Sword. From there, I spin, swerve and turn amongst the Risen on top of the cliff to dodge incoming projectiles, put Robin in the perfect position to blast them with magic, or swipe my tail at any undead enemy who gets too close.

Come to think of it, back when I fought Vasto, his wyvern showed that it was capable of breathing fire. Let's see what happens if I concentrate a bit.

I fly up in the air to get some safety distance, take a deep breath, and…

*Fwoom!*

Yeah, baby! I can do it too!

"Jack? How did you do that?!" Robin asks flabbergasted.

"I'm a wyvern now, remember? And wyverns can breathe fire." I reply cheerfully. The proverbial candle lights up over my head. "Hey, Robin? Can you aim a wind spell at the highest concentration of Risen on the cliff side?"

Robin pulls out an Elwind tome from within her coat. "I can. Why?"

I give her a draconic smirk. "I just got a crazy idea that might work."

Robin gives me a flat look before she sighs. "I can't decide whether I love that part about you or just find it vexing."

"You know you love me, flaws and all." I reply cheerfully. "That's one of the many reasons I love you back."

"Could you try to be romantic when we're _not_ busy fighting for our lives?!" my wife shouts with a healthy blush.

"Sorry."

Sighing, Robin scans the battlefield before she directs me towards a small fort. Risen stand around the abandoned building, ready to march in and add to their comrades' numbers.

"Ready?" I ask Robin as we approach. The undead archers ready their bows as they notice us.

Robin flips her tome open and starts chanting.

* * *

 _O claws of wind.  
Gather round mine palm  
and gouge mine enemies  
with the gale's fury!  
 **Elwind!**_

* * *

The wind spell flies from Robin's hand. At the same time, I take a huge breath and blast the spell with the hottest flames I can make. The flames set Robin's spell ablaze and turns it into a mana-propelled inferno that reduces everything in its path to ashes, both arrows and Risen. As the flames die down, all that remains are the ashes of our undead enemies and the stone walls of the old fort glowing red from the intense heat.

I _love_ Naruto physics!

 **BGM ends**

Robin looks at the devastation in awe. "That was your plan?"

I nod proudly. "Yep. You know how you make fire hotter by adding air to the flames? I figured we could do something similar."

Robin sighs. "There you go with your crazy ideas again. How do you even come up with this kind of stuff?"

"Lots and lots of reading fairytales."

Fear the engineer otaku!

"All right! Where are they?! They'll pay for what they did to my hair!"

Robin and I turn and spot Sumia clear the cliff side with a murderous look in her eyes. Said look vanishes as the Dark Flier notices the distinct lack of hostile zombies.

*Blink, blink* "Huh? Where did they go?"

"We…kind of cleared them out around here already, Sumia." Robin replies awkwardly.

Sumia crosses her arms and huffs. "Good. That means my hair's been avenged."

"Sumia, slow down!" Frederick calls as he reaches us from the south. "Honestly, your temper has gotten worse these past few months."

"I'll have you know I can keep a level head at most times." Sumia replies.

Frederick rubs his temples. "I should have known letting you finish that last volume of "Tales of a bloodthirsty Falcon knight" was a terrible idea."

"Hey, that one was a real page turner! And it's a cultural heritage!"

Before their bickering can escalate, Frederick addresses my wife. "Robin, where is Jack? I do not see him anywhere."

"Right here, Frederick." I reply as I land. "Shapeshifting is a handy ability."

Frederick regards me for a few seconds before he shakes his head. "Your feats grow stranger by the day. At this point, I should not even be surprised." A scowl grows on the Great Knight's face. "More importantly, have you seen milord around somewhere?"

Robin shakes her head. "No. After the battle broke out, I was busy directing everyone else from the middle of the camp. Jack only left me for a brief time. Otherwise, he stayed by my side."

"Maybe we should search him from the skies. With most, if not all, of their archers down, we should be in the clear to take flight." I suggest.

Sumia nods. "That sounds like a good idea."

"Please see to that you find him quick." Frederick asks. "I should have known better than to let him run off on his own."

Sumia has a downcast expression. "Sorry. I shouldn't have strayed so far from the others."

I shake my head at Frederick's self-imposed dilemma. "Look, no one will fault you for looking out for your wife, Frederick. I _know_ you swore fealty to Chrom years ago, but you have other loyalties in your life now. Besides, Chrom has other people in his life besides you. It's rare for him to ever be on his own on the battlefield."

With that, I take to the skies, quickly followed by Sumia. The cleared skies finally lets us scan the battlefield as a whole.

Man, the others went to town on the Risen. The purple mist that signifies that they've been defeated rises into the air everywhere over our battlefield. I notice Cherche and Minerva in the distance decimate a few Myrmidons with Lon'qu's assistance. I'm impressed at how fast their teamwork has developed. They only met less than a week ago, and they're already surprisingly in sync, if their coordinated assault is anything to go by.

Further up, at the end of the valley, I see Chrom and Cordelia double team a Risen Warrior that seems particularly strong. Must be the Risen chief. Good thing Chrom's got so much experience fighting together with Cordelia. Try as it might, that giant zombie doesn't stand a chance. It's only a matter of time before Chrom knocks it off-balance with a brutal horizontal slash. That gives Cordelia the opening to charge and impale the Risen chief right through the face. It explodes into purple mist moments later.

* * *

 **Cordelia has leveled up!**

* * *

Chrom sheathes Falchion. "That's the last of them. Gods, I thought it might nev-"

Red spell runes appear right behind Chrom, along with paper tags floating in the air. Wait a minute! Those spell runes are Sheikah runes!

A Yiga Foot soldier appears in a puff of red smoke and charges Chrom with his sickle gleaming in the moonlight.

Our eyes widen in horror. Chrom barely has time to turn around and spot his assailant. This is bad! None of us are fast enough to intercept that ninja!

"Chrom!"

Come on! Any time now, girl!

"Father, no!"

A familiar blue figure dashes out from the nearby tree line and manages to deflect the deadly sickle slash. Before the Yiga can even react, Gradivus pierces him right through the chest from behind. He falls on his knees before he collapses face first on the ground.

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Main quest: Of sacred blood  
** _It took all the way to the break of dawn until the Risen stopped attacking. Henry turned out to be a great help in sending those zombies back to the afterlife. Right as it looked like Chrom would get assassinated, a familiar sword wielding woman enters the scene and saves his life. There's a lot to sort out, and the new day has only just begun. Take it one step at a time.  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat all Risen, Don't let Chrom die.  
_ **All objectives completed!  
** **Rewards:** _You received 13 000 EXP! You received 13 000 gold!_

* * *

Phew… Looks like Temari found her and delivered the message. You made it just in time…Lucina.

"Thank the gods you're safe!" the blue-haired noble exclaims relieved.

Chrom looks at her in shock. "…You called me "Father"."

Lucina flinches. "Did I? I…" she shakes her head. "Perhaps we might speak privately?"

Chrom nods. "Perhaps we should, yes."

* * *

 **POV: General**

 **BGM: I am here (Eight melodies/Smiles and Tears), Earthbound OST (There are English subs available)**

The two blue-haired sword wielders walk through the trees in silence for a few minutes. As they exit the forest on the other side, the sun has already begun rising over the horizon.

The younger of the two clears her throat while she fidgets in place. "I don't even know where to begin."

"I already know you're not "Marth", though I've nothing better to call you…" Chrom replies uncertainly. "But I'll ask nothing of you that you don't wish to reveal. Whoever you are, Ylisse owes you a debt beyond repaying."

The young woman shakes her head. "Thank you, but…" A smile blossoms on her face. "I think I would prefer you know the truth."

Chrom nods. "As you wish."

"Here… Look closely, and all will be made clear."

The wielder of the second Falchion walks up to Chrom. Though nervous, she steels herself and looks the prince right in the eyes.

Chrom squints until he sees something he never expected in her left eye.

"That's the…Brand of the exalt." the prince breathes out.

In his mind, Chrom realizes that he only knows of one person in the world who bears the brand on that very spot. The prince's eye widen as he connects the dots.

"Lucina?"

Chrom looks over the woman standing before him, confused over the impossibility presented, yet unable to deny the obvious truth; that the mysterious woman standing before him is his very own daughter, all grown up. His eyes travel to the sword strapped to her hip. The proof that she's his heir. A testament of what happened to him in the future.

"You deserve better than a sword and a world of troubles." he tells her woefully. "I'm sorry…"

Upon hearing those words, tears start streaming down Lucina's face. Chrom reaches for her face tentatively before he gently wipes a tear from her eye. That one gesture of affection opens the floodgates in Lucina's heart.

"Oh, Father… Father!"

Her tears stream freely as Lucina embraces her father for the first time in years. The memories of hearing the news of his death, the constant stress from fighting for her life every day, the unbearable emptiness of never hearing his voice or being wrapped in his arms again, the untold number of tears she held back for the sake of appearing strong in front of her comrades, the agonizing longing to be with him again after all the times she saw him after she arrived in the current timeline; all of it crashes into Lucina full force. All she can think about is weeping her heart out in the arms of the one she's been longing to see all this time, and find comfort in his arms again for the first time since she was but a child.

For his part, Chrom realizes that the only thing he can do for now is stand firm and provide support as his daughter lets out all the emotions she's no doubt bottled up for any number of reasons.

After a few minutes of Lucina doing nothing but cry on Chrom's shoulder, the Ylissean princess takes a few steps back, with tear streaks still visible on her cheeks. Father and daughter stand in silence as the first birds wake up, ready to start a new day.

"Better, Lucina?" Chrom asks.

Lucina grabs her left arm with her right hand. "Yes. Father… I'm sorry. It just all rushed back at once."

Chrom shakes his head in wonder. "Father…"

Lucina's face grows anxious. "Should I call you something else?"

Chrom shakes his head. "No, it's just strange to my ear. I like it."

Lucina's face lights up in a delighted smile. "Father! Heh heh."

Chrom rubs his head as he chuckles along. "Hah! Yes, it will take some getting used to!"

At this point, Robin and Jack enter the scene.

The Grandmaster clears her throat. "I'm sorry – Chrom?"

The prince turns to her. "Hmm? Oh, Robin. What is it?"

Robin rubs her head. "It's just that…you two are out here alone, and Marth is…crying."

Jack mimics his wife's action. "*Sigh* Chrom, think about it. You're out here, alone with a young woman, and first she cries, then she runs into your arms, and now you're laughing together. You're a married man, for goodness' sake! Think of what kinds of rumors will spread among the nobles if news of this comes out. More importantly, you'd better talk to Cordelia – now!"

A few paces away, Cordelia has a minor breakdown.

"He… He promised…that he'd love me forever. And yet…now he's with someone else. I was such a fool. I should've known better than deluding myself that he would ever truly want me. It was never meant to be! Why? Oh gods, why?!"

Chrom gulps. "Um, Cordelia? I… There's a perfectly reasonable explanation for all this, I swear."

The Falcon Knight turns to him, fury burning in her eyes and Gradivus held so tightly in her hand that her knuckles turn white underneath her gauntlet.

"Really?" Cordelia asks her husband coldly. "Then, by all means, explain. _Now._ Why in the gods' name are you with another woman? A woman that I've never met before?!"

Chrom takes a step backwards before he turns to his daughter. "Can we tell her, Lucina?"

The princess nods. "Of course."

Upon hearing the name of her child, Cordelia blinks, blazing anger temporarily forgotten. "Lucina? But wait, that's…"

Chrom sighs and rubs his temples. "Cordelia, this is going to be something of a shock, but…I'll just say it: This is our daughter, Lucina."

Cordelia stands stock-still, capable of uttering only one word: "…What?"

Lucina nods. "It's true, Cordelia. I'm your daughter. Look closely and see for yourself."

Cordelia complies, only to back away with a shocked gasp as she discovers the same thing her husband noticed just minutes earlier.

"Y-your eye! It has the Brand!"

"The same Brand carried by all House Ylisse's bloodline." Chorm confirms.

Cordelia places a hand on her head. "This… This is…"

"Do you see now?"

"No, Chrom, I do NOT see!" his wife shouts. "This doesn't make any sense!" Her eyes widen as a terrifying thought enters her mind. "…Wait. Is my Lucina all right? What did you do to her?!"

Chrom raises his hands in a placating gesture. "Cordelia, please. Calm down."

"Your baby is right where you left her, and perfectly safe." Lucina assures her mother. "I am her from another time. From a time that is yet to be."

Cordelia looks Lucina in the eye. "You mean…the future?"

The princess nods gravely. "Yes, more than 10 years hence. After history takes a dark and most destructive turn…"

"But why?" Robin asks apprehensive. "What happens in the future?!"

"The fell dragon, Grima, is resurrected." Lucina explains ominously. "His roar is a death knell for man, a scream that silences all hope… Death everywhere…"

Robin blinks astounded. "Chrom? Our whole company? All of us? Dead?!"

Lucina nods. "Yes."

The Grandmaster shakes her head. "I don't know what to say."

"A tale that beggars belief, and yet the truth stands before us." Chrom comments. "She carries Falchion, my same sword. And the same sword the first exalt used to defeat Grima long ago."

"Your blade and mine are one, Father." Lucina explains. "It was…" A tear escapes her eye. "It was all I had left of you."

Chrom nods. "There is only one Falchion, Robin. I believe her."

"I see." Jack comments while rubbing his chin. "So in order to avert that dark future, you traveled back in time to prevent the events that lead up to the fell dragon's return."

Lucina nods. "That's exactly it, Master Jack. Naga, the divine dragon, feared mankind would face Grima again. In preparation for that day, she devised a ritual. That is how I arrived in this point in time."

"…So it's true…" Cordelia whispers. "You really _are_ my daughter."

Lucina nods. "I swear on my life."

A tear escapes her eye as Cordelia's whole body shakes from emotion. Without warning, the Falcon Knight runs to Lucina with arms wide open.

"My baby girl!" *Whang*

"M-Mother!... Breastplate…" Lucina groans in her mother's (very tight) embrace.

Cordelia smiles at her daughter with tears streaming freely down her eyes. "Look at you! You're all grown up. You've become so strong… So beautiful…"

She eases up on the hug, much to Lucina's relief. "Thank you. But, well… Do you mind if I call you "Mother"?"

"Of course not." Cordelia replies as she caresses Lucina's cheek gently. "Nothing would make me happier right now. You must have gone through so much up until this point without me or Chrom to help you…" Her smile turns affectionate. "I'm so proud of you."

Lucina bites back a sob. "Mother, I…"

Cordelia shakes her head. "No more. This time, I will remain right by your side. I'll never abandon you again, Lucina – not you, nor your baby self."

The tears finally break through again for Lucina. "*Sniff* Mother…"

Mother and daughter embrace once more, this time in tears.

"Mother…" Lucina chokes out between sobs. "I've missed you…more than you'll ever know."

"Shh… It's all right, sweetie." Cordelia whispers as she gently rubs Lucina on the back. "Mother is here. Let it all out."

And so, Lucina does. She cries, she wails, and lets out all the pain from having lost the woman that she loves more than anyone else, and who she hasn't seen for years.

"I love you, Lucina." Cordelia whispers as she cries with her daughter. "I love you…so much."

 **To be continued (BGM ends)**

* * *

 **Lucina's character sheet:**

 **Lucina Lvl 25 Class: Lord  
** _Chrom's daughter from the future, as well as his heir. Lucina traveled through time with the mission of preventing the return of the fell dragon, Grima. Lucina admires her father a lot and takes after him in many aspects, including his resolute personality. Under Jack's tutelage, she has gained skills similar to those of a fighting game character. The biggest fan of frames.  
Born on April 20_ _th_ _._

 **Titles:  
First princess of Ylisse (+ 8 % CHAR)  
Wielder of Falchion (+ 10 % STR)**

 **HP: 4 000 / 4 000  
MP: 1 750 / 1 750**

 **STR: 31.7 (28 * 1.1 * 1.03)  
VIT: 30.9 (30 * 1.03)  
DEX: 42.2 (41 * 1.03)  
INT: 20.6 (20 * 1.03)  
WIS: 19.6 (19 * 1.03)  
CHAR: 59 (53 * 1.08 * 1.03)  
LUCK: 15.5 (15 * 1.03)**

 **ITEMS:  
Parallel Falchion (Equipped)  
Hero-King's garb  
The art of Smash (Vol 4)**

 **Skills:**

 **Wavedash, Lvl 43 [18 %], Active, Cost: 16 MP  
** _A legendary movement technique from Super Smash Bros. Melee. This technique allows the user to glide over the ground like a wraith, stop on a dime, and generally improve movement on the ground while still allowing the user to maintain a solid foothold. Those who have mastered this technique have gone down in history as some of the most skilled players in the community.  
Maximum range: 1.4 meters per step. Can only be performed while standing on the ground._

 **L-cancel, Lvl 25 [28 %], Active, Cost: 18 MP  
** _A movement technique developed within elite circles of the Super Smash Bros. Melee community. This technique allows the user to move faster after landing from a jump than what one would normally be capable of otherwise._ _While it seems like a marginal advantage at first, it's a world of difference in a high-level battle where the pace is constantly frantic. Legends tell of how one master of this skill managed to singlehandedly defeat four opponents in quick succession with little trouble.  
Increases movement speed by 60 % when landing. Can only be used when landing on a solid surface after a jump.  
_

 **Block, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _A technique that is common in many fighting games. Blocking an attack greatly reduces damage taken from incoming attacks and also allows you to retain your foothold. Be warned, however, as some attacks are so powerful that they can smash right through your guard, no matter how strong it is. Also note that constant blocking requires you to stand still, which puts you in a vulnerable position against opponents who put a lot of pressure on defensive fighting styles.  
Reduces incoming damage by 90 %. User is unable to move while this skill is active. If activated with proper timing, this skill becomes a parry. Successful parries reduce damage received to 0 and stuns the opponent for half a second._

 **Eye of the exalt, Lvl 18 [10 %], Active, Cost: 38 MP per second  
** _The blood of the exalts flows strong in your veins. The power that has been passed down in this bloodline has manifested itself in your eye, with unexpected results. By focusing your mana in your left eye, your perception of time slows down, allowing you to perceive movements with clarity that is otherwise unavailable to the naked eye. Also has a cool aesthetic effect in that a flame of mana burns in your eye as long as this skill is active. Don't worry, the flame is harmless. It just looks cool.  
Increases reaction speed and movement speed by 110 % while active. Grants immunity to visual impairment._

 **Sword mastery, Lvl 43 [37 %], Passive  
** _The sword is quite possibly the most well-known weapon in history, often being depicted as the weapon of choice by hero and villain alike or even as a symbol of power. While swords generally deal less damage than other weapons, they make up for it by being easier to wield. Increases attack speed and attack power by 215 % when attacking with a sword or dagger of any kind._

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

 **Lucina:** I'm happy that I got to reunite with my family, truly, I am. But we need to find my friends.

 **Jack:** No worries. I've got that covered.

*Ten squirrels appear in a blur*

 **Henry:** You talk to squirrels? Awesome!

 **Jack:** And it seems we have our first target.

*Camera shows inside of abandoned fort*

 **Nelson:** You'd better guard this place if you know what's good for you.

 **Severa:** Yeah, yeah, I got it! Yeesh… Bossy.

 **Cordelia:** You look like you could use some help.

 **Severa:** Like I'd accept help form _you_!

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Mafia-style oppression! It's not like I want your help or anything…baka!**

 **Severa:** Um… Though I _suppose_ you could lend me a hand if you feel like it…

 **Jack:** Ugh. Not this tsundere BS again!

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Rasenshuriken, Lvl 32 [24 %], Active, Cost: 340 MP  
** _The first ever original technique conceived by the 7_ _th_ _Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki. By using the Rasengan as a foundation, the mana in the sphere is converted to wind element. The power within the containment shell is so immense that a small portion constantly bleeds out, forming blades of air that rotate along with the mana in the technique's core. Make sure to never shove this into the target point-blank, as the recoil is powerful enough to affect the caster as well, should it ever happen.  
Base damage, first impact: 196 % of the caster's INT. Duration: 19 sec  
Base damage, final detonation: 8 000 % of the caster's INT.  
Element: Wind_

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner:**

 **Parallel Falchion, Sword, Base damage: 100, Divine  
** _The divine blade of House Ylisse, brought through time and every bit like its past counterpart. The awakening of the fell dragon forcibly stirred the sword's dormant power, allowing the wielder to draw on some of its power in combat. However, because the Awakening has yet to be performed with this Falchion, its true power remains sealed.  
Damage dealt to draconic creatures and demonic dragons increases by 300 %. Can only be wielded by one of the exalted bloodline._

 **Hero-King's garb, Clothing, Unique  
** _Clothes designed to resemble those of the legendary hero, Marth. While an observant historian can spot the flaws in the disguise within moments, the similarity is still great enough that you could cosplay as the legendary king and be fully accepted within the community. It also comes with formfitting chainmail to be worn underneath, offering reasonable protection to the wearer, while still remaining stylish and comfortable to wear. Say what you will about Marth, but the man knew how to dress for battle._

 **The art of Smash (Vol 4), Miscellaneous, Very uncommon  
** _A book containing tips, advice and instructions for expert-level fighters, based on the game Super Smash Bros. Starting from the instructions in vol 3, this book gives insight in how those techniques can be implemented on a dynamic battle arena. Written by the legendary Smash instructor Izaw._

 **Lord, Class  
** _Born in a noble family, Lords are taught in a wide range of subjects from a young age for the purpose of leading by the time they grow into adults. To compliment their education, they are typically trained in the art of combat alongside their studies. This broad training typically makes a Lord very versatile on the battlefield, and a key figure in leading the army serving under them.  
Increases all stats by 3 %. Attack damage and attack speed increases by 7 % when attacking with a sword. Should a Lord be defeated in battle, the army serving under them automatically surrenders._

* * *

 **And here's the** _ **real**_ **reason why I included the scene with the music box that played "Smiles and tears" in chapter 12. It was all a setup for the scene where Lucina is reunited with her parents. I've had this idea for quite some time, since the lyrics in the clip that accompanies it seem to fit Lucina's life very well. If that scene reduced you to tears, well… Crying is a healthy emotional outlet when your emotions run strong.**

 **Hey, who left this bowl of onions here?!**

 **Henry is probably my favorite 1** **st** **-gen Shepherd for a number of reasons.  
First off, this guy is hilarious! Not only can he launch crow-themed puns just about whenever he likes as if he's Sans's apprentice, he can come up with all manner of crazy, random stuff just because he feels like it. That's if you keep things in canon. Of course, you're free to take this one step further when writing fanfiction and just let the laws of chaos guide this happy-go-lucky Dark Mage to just about any crazy idea you can think of, and it would **_**still**_ **probably fit his character. Henry's just that funny. It only gets funnier when he displays his skill in dark magic in his support convos. While Tharja typically does things by the book, Henry just wings it (awesome pun intended). Like the time when he throws a curse right back at the caster, even when he doesn't even know who cast it in the first place, which just baffles Tharja. Or the time when he repairs a stack of broken bowls to lift Sumia's spirits, only to tell her they'll be broken again the next morning. Seriously, comparing the two resident Dark Mages is like a clash of Galaxy Brain versus Ultra Instinct.  
Second, as mentioned above, is his personality. He's cheerful by default, to the point that Olivia drives herself crazy when trying to make him show any emotion other than joy, which only proves Henry's point when he calls her a "crazy lady". However, behind that cheerful smile hides a murderous spell slinger whose ultimate goal is trying to kill his enemies in the most violent and gruesome way possible, all while giggling like a kid on drugs (I did **_**not**_ **need that image in my head, but I did it anyway). From what I could find out, this isn't because Henry's evil by nature – it's just a lack of upbringing in human settlements. Henry hints time and again that he's so familiar with animals because he grew up with them, instead of humans. As such, his knowledge in how human society works is limited. Sure, he knows the basics, but the finer points of social dynamics seem to be uncharted territory for him.  
Third is how he works gameplay-wise. If we go by starting class alone, Henry works as an interesting alternative to Tharja. While both Dark Mages have decent enough magic growth, they tend to emphasize one other stat at the expense of another. While Tharja tends to emphasize Speed over Skill, Henry does the opposite, which could ultimately affect which tomes they're more comfortable with using. But if we start adding Second Seals into the mix, Henry brings a very interesting combination of classes to the table. His access to Thief deserves some extra spotlight, as it gives him the hit-or-miss skill Acrobat. Combined with the fact that he can promote to a Dark Knight, this makes Henry one of the few characters who can become a mounted ground unit who can utilize their mobility to its fullest potential, since he can have a skill that nullifies movement penalties. And all of that potential is passed down to his child if he gets married. This is where Barbarian becomes important; if Henry's child is a daughter, that Barbarian class turns into Troubadour, which can promote to a Valkyrie. In other words, Henry can pass on both Acrobat and up to two mounted classes to his child, depending on who he marries! Sure, Vaike, Kellam, Gaius and Lon'qu can pass on Acrobat as well, but the only one who can keep up with Henry's options in mobility is Kellam due to his access to Great Knight.  
All in all, Henry has a lot of stuff going for him, but drawing out his full potential can be challenging, considering how late he joins. Just make sure to position him carefully. That low Speed can let the enemies double him easily in a lot of cases.**

 **And now for what's probably my biggest twist in this fic. As I hinted back in chapter 6, Jack trained Lucina and her fellow 2** **nd** **-gen Shepherds in the timeline she came from, which resulted in the kids getting skillsets inspired from other fictional characters. Some will even show personality traits from these very characters. Why did I do this? Because this idea sounded like a lot of fun! This is also where I take the references and crank them up to eleven. Let the presentation of crazy training results begin!**

 **But before that, you'll need to excuse me. I need to cry in my corner after writing that emotional ending scene. Good thing I stocked up on tissue boxes.**

 **Please rate and review (when you're done weeping yourselves). VipeR out.**


	17. Chapter 15

**Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **Little can be said that hasn't been said already. On to the reviews:**

 **TheOrangeLord:** In principle, Lucina's eye-related skill works kind of like the basic Sharingan with aesthetics similar to Sans's eye. As for Jack, I've got something else in mind. I've already dropped a hint of what it is, but its true form will only be revealed in a future chapter. And for the last time; no Sharingan! The way Kishimoto portrays that ability, it might as well be named "Biological Deus ex Machina" for all the BS Sharingan wielders keep pulling out of their sleeves. Adding that in this fic would just make things more ridiculous than they already are, and not in the fun way.

 **3-13 Sniper:** Oh, I've got the Sparrow part covered. There's no way I'd let a chance for referencing the iconic pirate captain slip through my fingers that easily. Also, Lucina's parry skill basically works like the parry mechanic from Street Fighter: 3rd strike. And yes, I have plans for THAT moment. Eye of the exalt was a skill that I initially gave Lucina for the sake of making her look cooler, but it pairs well with her Block skill if used correctly.

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark:** Good eye on the thing with Lissa. It's a relationship that I simply find endearing. It also provides a funny contrast between her caring nature as a healer and Henry's destructive tendencies as a Dark Mage. And while this contrast is even clearer in Henry's interactions with Maribelle, Ricken won out on that matter.  
Also, Aversa addressing Jack by his military rank isn't even half the reference. Don't worry. I've got the Sparrow part covered.

 **Starwing1995:** A quarter bunny who fights like a dragon? While the idea sounds cool, it's not included in this fic. I have no plans on advancing beyond the second generation of Shepherds here.

 **Crossfire6:** Gaster blaster? Hah! Jack's got something far more destructive up his sleeve (depending on how you scale the blaster).

 **warrior of six blades:** Actually, the mixture of feelings Jack felt towards Grima-Robin runs in a bit of a different angle – one that he won't be aware of until much later, and therefore cannot figure out right now. Also, Henry waving back is supposed to be a hint at the guy being extremely well-informed thanks to his deep connection with the forest animals. It's kind of like Ricken's connection with squirrels, except much deeper due to how Henry grew up.

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _I know that parents will do anything for their children… But I also know how it feels when a child loses her parents. –_ Severa

* * *

 **Chapter 15:**

 **Mafia-style oppression!  
** **It's not like I want your help or anything…baka!**

As Lucina finally calms down from crying in Cordelia's arms, Chrom rubs his chin.

"Hold on, Lucina. You referred to Jack as "Master". What was that about?"

"That's simple, Father." Lucina replies as she slips out of Cordelia's embrace. "In the timeline where I come from, he trained me in how to fight. Do you remember when we faced off in Regna Ferox?" At Chrom nodding, Lucina continues. "Master Jack was the one who taught me how to move the way I did during our battle."

Lissa, who arrived some time after Cordelia hugged Lucina to her (armored) chest, looks at me in shock. "What?! Hang on. Does that mean you can move like that too, Jack?"

I shake my head. "No. While I am familiar with the techniques Lucina used in her duel with Chrom, I can't use those them myself. According to what Lucina told me, my future self managed to figure out how to perform the basics and then taught her. Lucina figured out the rest on her own." I smile proudly at the blue-haired princess. "That goes to show how much potential you have, Lucina. You succeeded where future-me hit a roadblock. At this point, I'm not even sure if I can consider you a student anymore."

Lucina smiles back. "Thank you, Master…" She shakes her head. "…but I believe I still have much to learn under your tutelage. I'd love to continue training with you in this timeline." Lucina rubs her arm nervously. "That is…if you'll have me?"

I rub my chin in thought. Well, if future-me can do it, I should be able to do it too. I mean, I've already trained Donnel in the basics of fighting, as well as a team of 99 (excluding Lon'qu).

I smile at Lucina. "Very well. I accept, Lucina. But be warned. My training is strict."

Lucina smiles back at me. "That's what your future self told me as well when he started training me. But I grew stronger as a result. I am up for the challenge."

A slightly sadistic grin forms on my lips. "Excellent. That means I can take off the kiddy gloves right out of the gate."

Chrom scowls at me. "Now wait just a minute, Jack. While I'm all for you helping my daughter train, I'm still her father. And as such, I should have the final say in how she trains."

"No, Chrom, that responsibility falls on _me_." Cordelia interjects. "After all, I'm Lucina's _mother_."

Robin rubs her head. "Guys, Lucina is an adult, for all intents and purposes. Can't we just let her decide on her own?"

Lucina gives her parents a pleading look. "Please, Mother? Father?"

Whatever confidence Cordelia had on the matter leaves her along with the air in her lungs as she sighs. "Oh, all right. I can't say "no" when you ask me like that. Just make sure to be careful, dear." Then she glares at me with eyes so fierce, it feels like I'm staring down a dragon's maw – with fire building up down the throat. "As for you, Jack; if I learn that you wounded my precious baby girl, I will personally hunt you down. I _will_ find you. And I _will_ make you rue the day you decided to train Lucina. Do I make myself clear?"

I gulp. "I'll be good!"

Hell hath no fury like a pissed-off Cordelia. Especially when she's in mama-mode.

"Speaking of students, there is something else I need to tell you all." Lucina interjects before I can discover more of the horrors that Cordelia's wrath can bring. "I did not arrive in this timeline alone. I made the journey with others, but…we became separated somewhere along the way. They all have one thing in common; they are all former students of yours, Master Jack."

I look at Lucina with a deadpan expression. "…Say what…?"

Lucina nods. "I had the fortune of growing up with many dear comrades before tragedy struck and Grima returned. One by one, they all wished to train under you when they witnessed how strong the others became. Had it not been for your training, I'm not sure if we would have lasted as long against the fell dragon's forces as we did."

Dude… I mean, sure, I like teaching, but I never expected to train the entire second generation of the Shepherds. And if Lucina is anything to go by, the results are bound to be crazy.

I rub my chin in thought. "Huh. If that's the case, finding them would prove to be a boon for us. We'll need all the help we can get, what with the war against Valm looming in the horizon, and gathering your comrades sounds like one way to bolster our forces."

Lucina nods. "I can vouch for the strength in each and every one of them. More importantly, they've remained loyal to me, even when we had the odds against us. It would make me so happy if we could find them." Her face grows somber. "The only problem is that I don't even know where to start. For all I know, they could be scattered across every corner of the world."

Lissa pats Lucina on the arm and gives her an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, Lucina. If they're out there, we'll find 'em!"

Lucina smiles at the blonde princess. "Thank you, Aunt Lissa."

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: Gathering the gang**  
 _Lucina's not the only time traveler to join your merry band. She arrived with several allies in your timeline, but they got separated down the line. Do your best in finding these wayward allies. Their help will prove to be most beneficial._  
 **Objective:** _Find all of Lucina's fellow time traveling comrades._  
 **Rewards:** _15 000 EXP, Greatly increased standing with Ylisse_

* * *

"Well, good thing I have that covered." I interject.

Lucina looks at me in shock. "You do? But how? I've never even mentioned them to you until this point."

I wink at my newest student. "Like I've told you before; I have my ways, Lucina."

I turn to some open space and give a sharp whistle. Moments later, ten small blurs burst out of the foliage, revealing them to be squirrels, all of them with distinguishing features, but with the common one being that they all wear coats made of blackened moss with red leaves fastened on the outside.

 **BGM: Akatsuki's theme, Naruto Shippuden OST**

I crouch down in front of the closest one. "Itachi, report."

The squirrel in front marches up. " _Our organization have scoured the continent these past two years. Our findings can be summarized in this scroll_."

I accept the tiny scroll from the squirrel and skim the contents (which is a bit challenging, due to how small the words are and the fact that it's written in Squirrel).

I nod as I finish the report. "Good work. Though I notice that information regarding several of the individuals I listed when I sent you on this mission two years ago is absent."

Itachi nods. " _Unfortunately, we couldn't find any trace of humans matching those descriptions during our search. We eventually concluded that they are not on this continent._ "

" _Do you have any idea how much I was forced to fly around?!_ " a squirrel with a curious eyepatch complains. " _I owe the owls more favors than I can repay them from their flying services. They're practically vultures! Hm!_ "

" _Shut up, Deidara._ " a squirrel with a wrapped bundle on his back squeaks irritably. " _I had to conduct my reconnaissance alone because those fowls refused to even let me on._ "

" _Sasori, my man, you have no idea how much nuttery you've been spared. Seriously, the owls never stop whining about anything!_ "

" _Enough, you two!_ " the squirrel in the middle squeaks. " _We delivered our mission report as ordered. Behave in front of our client, or you will know pain._ " Curiously enough, I think this squirrel's eyes have a ripple pattern.

Another squirrel, this one with a flower on her head, steps up. " _We will guide you to the locations of the humans we found as you travel the lands, Jack. Keep an eye out for us._ "

I nod. "Got it. Thanks, Konan."

A squirrel with the bottom half of his face covered up clears his throat. " _*Ahem* Now, as for the payment._ "

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Don't get your tail in a knot, Kakuzu. I've got your payment right here."

I unfasten my bag, open the flap on top, and turn the whole thing upside down. A torrent of nuts of all kinds pours out from my bag until a pile the size of a tree lies in front of me.

"There you go. Enough nuts to feed the entire village for a full year, as per the contract."

Kakuzu eyes the pile. " _You're one nut short._ " he squeaks annoyed.

I blink. "Really?" A few shakes of my bag, and one last walnut drops on top of the pile. "I guess that settles that issue."

 **BGM ends**

A squirrel with a piece of bark shaped eerily like a scythe looks at the giant (from his perspective) pile while rubbing his chin. " _Well, I'm glad we got that over with, but how the h-ll are we supposed to bring all of this back to the village?_ "

" _Simple._ " Kakuzu replies. " _You're the pack mule, Hidan._ "

" _Oh,_ *squeak* _you, Kakuzu! There's no way I'm getting along with that!_ "

" _Need I remind you of the list of your debts?_ "

"… _I hate you so much right now._ "

" _I said; enough!_ " the leader squirrel squeaks out loud. " _We shall inform the rest of the village about the nuts and have them all contribute to transporting them back home. After that, we will act as guides for these humans, as per our agreement._ "

"One more thing, Nagato." I interject. "Alert Hashirama and Madara. I have a special mission for them."

The leader squirrel nods. " _Very well. We shall expect payment accordingly. Furrytsuki, move out!_ "

The squirrels vanish in the blink of an eye, leaving only us humans and a big pile of nuts.

"…Jack, what was that?" Robin asks with a deadpan expression.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "That, Robin, was an elite band of squirrels trained for all sorts of assignments. They're dependable, but that's only matched by their crazy personalities."

"Soo… You can talk to squirrels?" Henry asks curiously.

I nod. "Yeah. A Dark Knight named Ricken taught me some two years ago. Turns out they've been a great help ever since, be it for scouting or communication. Only problem is, these guys are nutcases, every single one of them."

Henry's grin widens. "If that's the case, wait 'til you meet their Plegian cousins, the chipmunks. Those guys are a riot! Recently, three of their young ones decided to start a performer's band together."

I have a weird feeling about that. I give the Dark Mage a flat look. "Let me guess; their names are Alvin, Simon and Theodore."

"Nya ha! Got it in one! How'd you know?"

I roll my eyes at how absurd the situation is. "Let's call it instinct and leave it at that."

* * *

Some time after everything was sorted out, the rest of the Shepherds were brought up to speed regarding Lucina. While most had a hard time believing her backstory, Chrom's insistence and explanation of the relationship between their swords quelled just about any skepticism they had. After we established the fact that, yes, Lucina came from the future, hearing about what happened in her timeline unnerved the others greatly. Most prominently, Emmeryn was shaken about hearing how she was assassinated even before the war against Plegia had escalated to an all-out conflict, as well as how Lucina lost her family at a young age.

"I see." the exalt comments after she's taken everything in. "To think that my death was just the beginning of what would culminate in the fell dragon's return. I am truly sorry for all the hardship you had to endure, Lucina."

Lucina shakes her head. "Thank you for your sympathy, Your Grace, but that is the very reason why I came here. The fact that you stand before me, alive and well, has given me more hope than ever before that the future can be changed."

Emmeryn nods with a benevolent smile. "And change it we shall. Also, there is no need for you to be so formal with me. Please, call me "Aunt Emmeryn". I know your baby self will do that once she learns how to speak."

The blue-haired princess hesitates a bit before she returns the smile. "Ah, well… Thank you, Aunt Emmeryn. And I am honored to finally meet you. In the future where I came from, you passed away before I was born, so I never got to know you. All I know about you is second-hand knowledge passed down to me from Father and Aunt Lissa."

Emmeryn tilts her head curiously. "Well, that won't do. It seems we have much to talk about then – as a family."

"A family…" Lucina whispers in wonder. "We can finally be a family again…after all these years."

"Do you mind?"

"No, I- I mean, I have wished for this more than anything for a long time, but now that it is within my grasp, I just don't know what to do with this opportunity."

Cordelia hugs her daughter gently. "Take your time, dear. I'm sure you still have to take in everything that's happened. We'll make this whole family thing work. You'll see."

Lucina returns the hug. "Thank you, Mother. And, if you don't mind, would you like it if we spent some time together, alone?"

"I'd love to."

Seeing as the sun was already up, Chrom and Frederick rallied the rest of us to break camp and get off the isle immediately – much to the grievance of everyone except Emmeryn, since she actually got to sleep (How did she sleep through all that battle noise?), and me, since I have Gamer's Body. Since my head was as clear as usual, I decided to let Robin get what rest she could and had a bunch of clones pack all our stuff up. As for me, I picked up my wife in a princess carry and let her sleep there as we walked back. I felt the envious stares of all the other female Shepherds on Robin all the way, which only made me grin, knowing they would glare at their respective husbands next.

I might be spoiling my wife rotten, and I feel absolutely no remorse over it.

* * *

By the time we boarded the ship, Robin gathered Chrom, Emmeryn, Frederick, Lucina and me in the ship's war room for an impromptu meeting. So here we all stand around a table with a map of the continent in the middle.

Emmeryn raises an eyebrow. "And why do you want us to take a different route back to Port Ferox, Robin? I thought we needed to get back there as soon as possible to oversee preparations of the Plegian ships."

Robin nods. "And we shall return there as fast as possible, Your Grace." A frown grows on her face. "However, I am reluctant to take the same path back. Forgive us if we step out of line, but Jack and I suspect that last night's attack from the Risen was coordinated by an outside party. More specifically, we believe it was orchestrated by the Grimleal."

"The religion King Validar is part of?"

"The very same."

Lucina puts a hand under her chin. "Sadly, I am inclined to agree, Aunt Emmeryn. It was the Grimleal who summoned Grima in the future, and I have seen numerous instances where they conduct rituals that summon those very same horrid creatures who attacked you last night. I wouldn't put it past them to be the ones responsible for that incident either."

Emmeryn rubs her temples. "*Sigh* While I dearly hope you are wrong on this matter, I have nothing disprove your claims. Very well, what do you propose we do then, Robin?"

My wife places her finger on the map, right where Carrion Isle's port is. "This is the port we left just a few minutes ago. We originally traveled to Carrion Isle from the north, as it was the fastest traveling path there from Port Ferox. However, Jack and I suspect there could be more ambushes planned along the way, no matter _who_ planned them. To minimize the risk of running into such an ambush, we should take a different route." Robin slides her finger over the map, tracing a path that goes south, then counterclockwise through the continent. "If we travel along this route, we should be able to return to Port Ferox without retracing our steps, albeit with a few days' delay."

As I look at the path my wife demonstrated, a bell rings in the back of my head. If my gut feeling is correct, Robin's finger traced a path near several places of interest.

I pull out the tiny scroll Itachi gave me a few hours ago and read through the contents one more time, this time more carefully.

"Isn't that the scroll you received from one of the squirrels earlier today, Master Jack?" Lucina asks curiously.

I nod. "Yeah. Before I left for my journey to the Outrealms two years ago, I hired those squirrels to be my eyes and ears in my absence, scouring the continent for information about certain interesting people. The scroll I received is a summarized report on what they found." I follow the path Robin traced on the map. "And if I've interpreted the information correctly, we should be near several of the places reported in this scroll if we follow Robin's suggested travel path. In fact, we could probably make a quick stop at the capital if we wish."

Everyone looks at me with various degrees of disbelief.

"You found all of that out…by hiring squirrels." Chrom tells me flatly.

I shrug. "I know, not the most conventional practice, but I've learned that they're very skilled at gathering all sorts of information."

"Hold a moment." Lucina interjects. "These people you're talking about… Are they…who I think they are?"

I send the blue-haired princess a smile. "They may well be. Of course, we actually need to get there in order to find out."

Frederick frowns. "For your sake, I certainly hope this is not some jest you're trying to pull on us, Jack. We have a war to prepare for, so we can ill afford wasting our time on some wild goose chase across the continent, just because a pack of woodland critters happened to give you a piece of parchment with some vague directions."

I wave off his concerns. "Trust me, those critters are way more capable than you think. Besides, neither of us actually have the final say on this matter." I indicate Robin and Emmeryn. "That honor belongs to these two ladies."

Said two ladies blink at being put on the spot. All eyes are on them right now.

Robin clears her throat. "*Ahem* While I am indeed quite curious about what you hired those squirrels for, Frederick is right in that we should make haste, Jack. Though I suppose we could have a look at one of those places, if it's not too far out of the way."

Emmeryn tilts her head curiously. "Well, I see no harm in taking a small detour, so long as we return to Port Ferox in time. And I too am curious about what that message was about."

I nod with a pleased smile. "Great. That means we have our next destination in mind."

I take one last look on the scroll before I put my finger on a small island south of Carrion Isle. "The nearest place listed in my directions is this island. Since we're already traveling in that direction, I think that should be a good starting point."

* * *

Some time after the meeting, Lucina approached me with the desire to spar. I agreed, mainly to get a feel of how good she is in battle. That should be the first step if I'm going to pick up where future-me left off in her training.

"Hya!" *Whoosh, clack!*

Hmm… Good form. She makes good use of her entire body when swinging, while still being mindful of her balance. All in all, her sword technique is solid.

"Yah!" *Crack!*

She's got good footwork too, and that's before taking her movement tech into account. Judging by how she stays on the move constantly, that means she's worked well on her spacing.

"Hah!"

I lean to the side and dodge the stab directed at my torso before I retaliate with a stab of my own. To my pleasant surprise, Lucina dodges my training sword in the same manner. Hmm… Excellent reaction time.

We both take a step back and retake our stances while eyeing each other. We slowly circle the sparring ring on board the deck.

"Impressive." I comment. "You've shown impressive movement and ferocity when on the offensive, while still remaining wary in case your opponent exploits an opening and retaliates. I'd say you've built yourself a solid foundation to improve on."

Lucina smiles. "Thank you, Master Jack. I wasn't sure if my skills would be up to your standards, seeing as I spent more time on the battlefield than practicing in peace."

I shake my head. "I'd say that was time well spent. It doesn't matter how much you practice within closed-off walls if you can't put it to practical use in a real battle. The way you keep your balance shows that you've tempered your technique with real combat experience, even if it was mostly against mindless undead soldiers."

I stop and crouch lower. "That's just how I evaluate when you're on the offensive, however. Now, let's see how well you fare on the defensive."

I lunge for Lucina and stab. In response, Lucina redirects my blow to the side and retaliates with a horizontal swing. I go with the flow of my redirected attack and bend low to let her training sword swing over my head. Then I use the momentum to pivot on my left foot and transfer it all into a backhanded swing against her ribs. Lucina jumps and barely dodges my swing. She lands with an L-cancel and turns around for a diagonal swing. I roll under it and spring up with my training sword in full swing. Right, diagonal, stab, side-step, overhead, crouch, leg sweep, rising slash, surprise backhand aaand downward!

*Twack!*

Lucina managed to block or dodge every attack, though there were a few close calls when I feinted my attacks. The princess grits her teeth as she pushes against my training sword with both hands on hers. She struggles under my strength, but that's to be expected. I'm much stronger than her, so I try to hold back. I don't want a repeat of when Lon'qu and I had our last spar. That one was just ridiculous.

Even as I increase the pressure on our blade lock, I smile at her. "Good. Very good. I spar with my teammates regularly, and about half of them still fall for the trickier moves." I ease up one the blade lock and back away a few steps. "Looks like your defenses hold up."

Lucina releases the breath she held during my offensive. I note a drop of sweat forming on her brow. Well, I think I've got a good grasp on her basic abilities at this point. And according to the ship crew, we should land at that island soon.

"That should be enough for this time, Lucina." I declare. "Take some time to rest up."

"Thank you, Master. I look forward to continue my training under you."

I scratch my cheek. "Honestly, I'm not exactly sure how I'll train you from this point onwards. You've clearly formed a fighting style of your own, so I think the most I can do is assist you in improving your overall physical conditioning."

"Well, there is _one_ thing I could use your help with."

I raise an eyebrow. "Oh? What's that?"

"One of the most important lessons you taught me was the ability to block. While it constitutes the core of my defense, I only had time to master the basic version. I've yet to learn the advanced one – the one you call "parry"."

I nod in response. "I see. Yeah, parrying is a tricky maneuver. Not only do you need to learn how to intercept an incoming attack, you have to execute the block with split-second timing."

Lucina gives me a hopeful smile. "Then maybe we can focus on that during our next training session?"

I smile back. "Sure. I already have an idea on how we'll accomplish that." My smile turns sadistic. "Though for your sake, I hope you learn fast, because the method I have in mind can be quite…painful until you get the hang of it."

Lucina gulps before she steels herself. "Very well. I'll meet any challenge you set before me head-on."

I give my student a flat look. "Guess I can add another lesson before next time, then. Remember; there are more ways to attack an adversary than just from the front. There's no shame in flanking your enemy on a battlefield."

"O-of course I know that!" Lucina replies with a slight blush. "It's just…well, we usually don't practice that during spars."

"And that's one of the big differences between spars and actual war." I reply. "I'll be blunt, Lucina. Since you've decided to join us, that means you'll be fighting right alongside us on the battlefield. Now, I know both Chrom and Cordelia can be a bit overprotective, especially since they know about the tragic future you come from. However, chances are you'll find yourself on the frontlines together with them."

Lucina nods. "That much is to be expected. That's where I fought in the future as well, mainly to lead what remained of mankind in our struggle for survival."

I nod back. "Good. However, with the war waiting for us beyond the sea, you'll be fighting against enemies very unlike the Risen that were most likely your only adversaries before you traveled back in time."

"What do you mean, Master?"

"Lucina, we're not fighting against the undead in this war – we're fighting other humans. Surely you must be aware of this by now." At Lucina nodding, I continue. "Know this, my dear student; Risen may have the bodies of a human, but that's where the similarities end. Unlike Risen, human opponents have minds and souls. They can think. They can adapt. Most importantly, they are alive in the literal sense of the word. Defeating a Risen merely means you send a corpse back to its grave. Defeating a human in a war, on the other hand, means you end a life that could've continued, had things gone differently. Risen dissolve into mist upon defeat. A dead human will still remain, even when the battle is over, serving as a reminder of the life you took. I have already seen you take a few human lives ever since I met you, but I have to know; how far are you willing to go to achieve your goal? What is the extent of your resolve?"

Lucina stiffens as the weight of my words hit home for her. "I… I never thought about that… All I could think of when traveling back in time was to prevent Grima's resurrection. Alter the events that led to the fell dragon's return – that was my mission. Nothing else mattered. But this war against Valm… I don't think any of that is connected to my mission at all, other than helping Father and protect him, if need be."

I place a hand on Lucina's shoulder. "Take the time you need to sort out your thoughts. Don't hesitate to voice your concerns for anybody, least of all your parents. They may not have technically raised you, but you mean as much to them as they mean to you. What's more, they both have plenty of experience taking the lives of others, mainly to defend their home or the innocent."

Lucina bites her lip before she nods. "I will." Then she smiles at me. "Thank you for taking this time to help me, Master Jack."

I wave it off. "Eh, I'm just fulfilling my duty as your teacher. Though I have one last thing to tell you regarding the whole flanking-your-enemies approach." I look her dead in the eyes with a serious expression. "Showing mercy to your enemy is the same as asking to be killed, for you can never expect them to show you any. Remember this, because your life could depend on it."

My last lesson doesn't seem to sit well with Lucina, though she gives me a short bow before she walks off somewhere else.

* * *

 **Your relationship with Lucina has improved!**

* * *

Hmm… Between my team and a whole 2nd generation of grown-up Shepherds, it seems my role is becoming more and more like an instructor than a frontline military officer. Though I suppose I could get used to this role. I've been told I have a knack for teaching, and the way Lucina fights should be a testament to at least some of that ability.

Speaking of Lucina, I noticed something interesting while going through my menus after the last battle. Turns out my relationship with Lucina already sits on "Allies", despite me having little interaction with her up until this point. I'd chalk it up to future-me having already built a good rapport with Chrom's and Cordelia's daughter after training her for a while in her timeline. More importantly, the fact that I apparently had a hand in training the entire second generation of Shepherds indicates that I have just as good a relationship with all of them, if not better. That suits me just fine. No need to go through days of interactions and the occasional trust issue to make trustworthy allies on the battlefield – future-me already has that covered.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: A few hours later**_

We finally land on the island we set course for back on that meeting in the ship's war room. The place overall looks peaceful. That is, until we reach a settlement on the island. What grabs our attention is that the whole town seems to be gathered in the plaza. And they look distressed.

"This can't go on, Elder!" a man in the crowd exclaims in front of the oldest looking person present. "We barely have enough to get by as it is!"

"Their leader is a former Valmese general!" said elder replies sharply. "We'll be crushed if we resist…"

Chrom steps forward. "What's that about Valm?"

"Who are you?" the younger villager asks curiously.

"My name is Chrom." the prince replies.

The elder's eyes widen. "The prince of Ylisse?!"

"Elder, he may be able to help us!" another villager in the crowd interjects hopefully. That one sentence makes the gathered townsfolk stand straighter. Their eyes no longer look lifeless. There's hope back in their hearts.

Chrom gives the villager a flat look. "Um, I can hear you. But tell me your problem, and I'll see what I can do."

The elder bows. "Oh, thank you, sir!"

And so, the town elder tells us the story of how Nelson, a former general from the empire of Valm, arrived on the island a few years ago after he defected from his homeland. He took a few trusted elite soldiers with him, strong-armed the local bandits into joining his cause, and holed himself up in an abandoned castle on the northern end of the island. Using the building as his base of operations, Nelson's ruled the nearby settlements with an iron fist, demanding they pay him ludicrous monthly tributes in gold or provisions. Typical small-time rebel stuff. Small-time or no, the people have suffered under his oppression, to the point that they're almost bled dry.

Chrom scowls upon as he hears their story. Considering how he's handled bandits in the past, his next course of action is predictable.

"Shepherds! We march to the castle and put an end to this tyranny!"

Naturally, we all agree, much to the joy of the townspeople.

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: Ambivalence**  
 _The townsfolk on a small, remote island suffer under the oppression of a former Valmese general playing mafia boss. Put an end to his reign and restore the peace on the island!_  
 **Objective:** _Defeat Nelson_  
 **Rewards:** _10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objectives:** _?, ?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _1 000 EXP, ?_

* * *

As we get ready to leave for the castle, I approach Chrom with a smirk.

"Hey, Chrom?"

Chrom turns my way, silently asking what I want.

"I think you just netted us a golden opportunity in our upcoming campaign against Valm."

"How?" both Chrom and Robin ask me at the same time.

"Think about it." I explain. "The guy we're going up against is a former general of the Valmese army. With a position that high, he's bound to have a lot of knowledge on how the imperial army operates."

Cordelia scratches her head. "Well, I admit that the idea has some merit, though I'm not sure where you're going with this, Jack. The town elder told us he's a _former_ general from Valm. Even _if_ we manage to pry any information out of him, it would most likely be outdated."

I nod. "In most cases, you'd be correct, Cordelia. But not in this case." Seeing the Falcon Knight raise an eyebrow, I take it as my cue to elaborate. "According to what Virion and Cherche told us, the empire of Valm was established only in recent years."

Robin's eyes widen. "Hold on. Are you saying what I _think_ you're saying, Jack?"

I grin at my wife. "Great minds think alike, my love. With an army as big as the Conqueror's, it's going to take more than just a few years for that army to change dramatically. Whatever this "Nelson" fellow knows about the Valmese army, chances are his information is still up to date. If we can capture him, he could become a valuable source of information for our war preparations!"

Chrom scowls in the general direction the villagers pointed us at. "All the more reason for us to take him down, then."

"And there might be one more thing for us to search for in his stronghold." I interject.

Lissa looks at me in shock. "Huh? There's more?"

Right on cue, a nearby bush rustles. One of the squirrels who accompanied Itachi back on Carrion Isle stands in front of us. This one has a bundle on its back.

I crouch down in front of the squirrel. "So, you're my guide for this one, Sasori?"

" _About time you arrived, Jack._ " the squirrel squeaks annoyed." _Do you have any idea how long I've waited? You know full well how much I despise waiting._ "

I roll my eyes. "Yeesh. No need to get your puppet strings in a knot. And be thankful you were assigned this area. You're the first among your squad that we ran into. Had anyone else been sent here, you'd have to wait even longer."

" _Fair enough. All right, let's get going, already. We're burning daylight, and I want to be home before sunset._ "

I sigh in exasperation. Could this furball get _any_ more impatient? "Lead the way."

As Sasori walks ahead of us, Robin sidles up and leans against me with a smile. "Oh, so you think I have a great mind?"

I match her smile. "I know of none greater."

My wife giggles. "Oh, you flatterer."

" _Humans and their mating rituals…_ " Sasori mutters from the front.

* * *

About an hour of marching later, we find the abandoned castle just beyond a few hills. Doesn't look heavily guarded on the outside, but that says nothing about whoever could be waiting within the walls.

" _The human I was assigned to search for was here last I saw her. She's working for the human in charge, though she seems highly displeased with her situation._ "

I nod in reply. "Got it. Good work, Sasori. You can return to your duties now."

The squirrel stretches out his paw and gives me an expectant look. " _Well?_ "

I raise an eyebrow. Sasori's not moving an inch. I sigh again and rummage through my bag.

"Fine, twist my arm, would you." I mutter exasperated and hand him a walnut.

Sasori looks over the treat from any and every angle. " _Hmm… Yes. This should do for dinner. And if I crack it open carefully enough, the shell should make for fine material for my next puppet…_ "

I tune out the rest as the squirrel runs back into nearby vegetation. I swear, those squirrels get crazier by the minute.

Cordelia raises an eyebrow. "Let's see if I understand this correctly. You, Jack, have hired a group of squirrels to scout for potential allies while you were off training in the Outrealms. And one of those allies happens to be in that very castle."

I nod. "That just about sums it up. Of course, we need to talk to this person first, while still aiming to take the former Valmese general down."

Chrom takes point. "All right. Let's reclaim what's been stolen and return it to the villagers."

We make sure to use the hills as cover for as much of our approach as possible. The smaller the chances that we're detected, the greater our chances at getting the drop on our enemies. We eventually find a place relatively close to the front gate. Oddly enough, it's opened and only guarded by one person. Wait a minute… It's a girl – a red-headed girl with twin-tails!

* * *

 **Severa Lvl 26 Class: Mercenary**

* * *

Aha! Found you at last, Severa!

"There's just one guard outside the door." Frederick notices as well. "If we can knock them out, storming this castle should become significantly easier."

I stretch out my hand. "Hold on, Frederick. That girl matches the description of the person we came here for."

Everyone does a doubletake on the redhead standing guard.

"Ya sure about that?" Sully asks skeptically.

I nod. "First trait to look for was red hair, and hair of that color is pretty rare in these parts."

"Oh really?" Sully, Miriel, Gregor and Cordelia comment in perfect sync.

"Honest! It's just that Chrom somehow has a knack for recruiting redheads!"

"Well, whatever the case, talking to her is worth a try. It has certainly helped turn enemies into allies before." Chrom muses.

After we sent out Kellam to confirm that, yes, Severa is the only one standing guard at the moment, we decide to approach the redhead.

Chrom, being his usual, tactful self, blurts out the first thing that comes to mind.

"What's a child doing here?"

Severa bristles at the remark and turns to the prince. "Child? I'm not a child, you oaf! I'm-"

The redheaded Mercenary freezes as she spots Chrom. Her shock is palpable, put she quickly hides it under a mask of cold indifference. "Oh, it's you… Finally decided to show up, did you?"

Chrom raises an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, what?"

Severa huffs exasperated. "We noticed your approach ages ago. And what does that rat of a former general do? Station little old me to guard the front gate, all alone. And by the time you finally arrive, you're as clueless as the rest. Gawds, I'm surrounded by imbeciles!"

Snarky attitude aside, I guess she brings up a good point. I mean, Nelson already knows at this point that Chrom holds the Fire Emblem, yet the dude doesn't even prepare an ambush to get his hands on it. I suspect Walhart kicked Nelson out from his army for incompetence, rather than that the Sage decided to defect because he hated it there.

Seeing as the prince doesn't get through to Severa, Cordelia steps up and tries some diplomacy of her own.

"Listen, I understand if you don't like serving under this "Nelson" fellow, so if you'd like, you could join us instead. At least one of us believe you'd make a great ally."

The moment the two women make eye contact, Severa's demeanor changes from indifference to outright cold disdain.

"Oh, gods… It's you. Figures you'd be around here somewhere, what with your beloved prince prancing around the countryside."

Cordelia raises an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, have we met before?"

"Not really." Severa replies dismissively. "Not that you'd notice. Considering where you look all day, I'd probably fly right under your nose without you being any the wiser!"

Cordelia sighs. "Look, we don't have time for this. If you'd rather come with us than serve under some petty tyrant, now's your only chance. If not, stay out of Chrom's way."

Oh dear… Judging from how Severa's hair seems to defy gravity to a small extent, Cordelia struck a very sensitive nerve – and given what I know of the young Mercenary, I know exactly which one.

"Chrom! Chrom, Chrom, CHROM!" Severa shouts in fury. "It's ALWAYS about Chrom with you! Gods, hearing you gush about him makes me sick! That's it, I'm not taking anymore of this. I'm getting what I'm here for, and then I'm out!" Severa levels a finger at Lucina. "And you! Don't you dare start one of your speeches about the greater good! I'm doing my own thing, so stay out of my way!"

With that, Severa storms back into the castle.

Cordelia turns to Lucina. "Lucina, do you know this girl?" she asks curiously.

Lucina nods. "Yes, Mother. She's one of the people who traveled with me back in time. She's always been cold to others, but never to this extent."

 **BGM: Uncontrollable, Xenoblade Chronicles X music**

Chrom looks in the general direction of where the Mercenary went and draws Falchion. "Cold or not, she's one of your allies, and therefore one of ours as well. We'd better keep an eye on her while searching the castle."

"Leave that to me, Chrom." I reply as I draw Harvest Moon. "Lon'qu, Cherche, with me!"

I dash into the castle before either of them can reply. It's okay. Lon'qu's my lieutenant, so he's bound to follow anyway. And from what I've seen, Cherche follows the guy around a lot.

It's a good thing I have Mind's Eye. Unlike in the game, the castle interior here is almost like a maze! Good thing I can map a lot of the place in an instant, including where every person in here is. I manage to catch up to Severa in less than a minute.

"Hey, wait!" I call to her.

Severa stops and turns to look at me. "Huh. And here I thought someone else would run after me. Though you being my companion kind of makes sense."

"Look, I can tell you like the guy in charge here just as much as the rest of us, so why don't you just let us work with you? If nothing else, we could team up until Nelson's been taken down. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?"

"There they are!" a pair of Berserkers shout as they round the corner and charge us. Severa draws an elaborately decorated golden broadsword and prepares to engage.

*Clang!*

"And when did I ask for your help?" the redhead fires back as we engage a Berserker each. "Better yet, when did I ask for _anyone's_ help?"

"It's not about asking for help and you know it!" I reply as I redirect a vertical slash to the side and kick my opponent in the chest. "I don't care how high you estimate your abilities. Trying to take on an entire group of bandits led by a former general is a terrible idea when you're on your own."

"Like you being with me is any better!" Severa counters as she ducks under a horizontal swing and retaliates with a diagonal slash across her opponent's chest. "I'll have you know I can handle myself, and I worked hard to reach that level of strength!"

*Clang!*

"Rgh! What will it take for me to get through to you?!" I ask exasperated as I block an axe swing, grab my opponent's wrist before he can raise his weapon back up, kick him in the back of his head, and stab him through his spine. "Why do you have such a hard time accepting help when someone offers it to you?!"

*Clang! Shing!*

"It's not like that!" Severa shouts as she parries an axe strike and delivers a swift counter slash on her opponent's right leg. "It's just- Ugh! Just leave me alone and let me do my thing, okay?!"

The Berserker backs away after a surprise slash along his cheek. Severa lunges into the opening and stabs him right through the heart. The Berserker coughs out some blood before he falls backwards.

Severa flicks some blood off her sword. "If we're going the same way; fine. But don't expect me to be all buddy-buddy with you. Understand?!"

The redhead continues to run through the corridors, much to my chagrin.

"*Sigh* What is her problem?" I ask exasperated as I scratch my head. I know she can be difficult, but this level of cold attitude is ridiculous, even by Severa's canon standards.

"I somehow feel redundant." Cherche mutters annoyed behind me.

"Don't mind." Lon'qu assures her. "Things always get crazy around Jack. Surely you are aware of that by now?"

"Hey, I'm right here." I tell them flatly. I shake my head. "We can talk about that later. Right now, we have a stubborn, and possibly suicidal, girl to assist."

We thankfully manage to catch up to her fast. As we round the corner, Severa's in full swing against a Trickster.

"You'll regret going against the boss, you wench!" the Trickster taunts while flipping around Severa's slashes.

"Like I cared about that buffoon in the first place!" Severa fires back. "Each and every one of you are nothing more than petty thugs robbing the innocent for your own comfort. I'm not having any of that anymore!"

She's got guts, I'll give her that much. Though she lacks the skill and conditioning to back it up against her opponent. Sure, her swings have a lot of power, but they're too slow. And you never fight a Trickster if you're slow.

"We got them now!" we hear behind us. Turning around, we notice an Assassin and a Warrior charge us from behind.

"We'll handle them, Jack." Lon'qu tells me as he draws both swords at his hips. Minerva gives a menacing growl as she prepares to take off.

Seeing as my companions have that covered, I can focus on helping Severa. Which should be soon, since she's on the defensive against her agile opponent. Gotta wait for an opening.

*Clang!*

"Gotcha!" the Trickster exclaims as he blows Severa's guard wide open and prepares to slash her neck.

"Not today!" I shout and rush in.

*Clang!*

Both combatants are surprised as I get in between and push Severa a bit backwards while blocking the Silver Sword intended to take her life. I push back, and moments later, Severa rushes beside me and cuts down the ruffian.

"That was mine!" she shouts angrily as she turns to face me. "I already told you; I DO NOT need your help! Leave me alone!"

That's it. Even my patience has limits. "Enough with the bratty attitude already!" I shout back. "I don't know what your problem is, and frankly, I don't care anymore! I'm helping you accomplish whatever hairbrained task you've set out for yourself. End of story!"

"Are you daft or something?! No means NO! Why won't you leave me alone?! I said I can handle myself!"

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "How in the world does Lucina put up with you?" I mutter. "Would you just _shut up_ …" I grab hold of her shoulder. "…and LISTEN to me?!"

I yank Severa away from her spot. Moments later, a potent Arcthunder spell crashes down on where she stood. The redhead's eyes widen as she realizes how badly it could've ended for her.

"You don't see it, but they have spell casters in the corridor who'd love nothing more than to take potshots at you from the other side of the wall." I explain. I replace Harvest Moon on my back and face the nearest wall. "Well, that ends now."

I crouch in a low stance with my right fist reared back. Winds build up at the elbow, resulting in a miniature storm contained at that part of my arm.

"W-what are you doing?" Severa asks as she backs away apprehensively.

"Bringing the fight right in their faces." I reply as the winds behind my elbow whip around violently. One deep breath, aaaand… "Hurricane fist!"

*BOOM!*

With the winds propelling my Reinforced fist forward, I punch the wall with the force of a hurricane concentrated in a single clenched hand. As the dust settles, a massive hole has been blown open in the wall. The destruction continues beyond that, showing toppled pillars, as well as both ruffians and furniture strewn about from where the residual kinetic energy from my punch continued.

* * *

 **You have leveled up!**

* * *

 **BGM ends**

I dust off my hands. "There. That should clear the way forward."

Severa averts her eyes while blushing bashfully. "Um…thanks. I suppose."

"Are you going to stand there all day, or will you walk through the hole sometime this week?"

The blush intensifies on her face. "All right already, I'm going! Sheesh! No need to push me around!"

I look behind me and notice that Lon'qu and Cherche finished up as well. The Wyvern Rider and her mount gawk at the destruction I unleashed on the wall while the Swordmaster rubs his temples.

"How much wind magic did you put behind that punch, Jack?" Lon'qu asks as he and Cherche join me and Severa through the hole.

I frown as I run some rough calculations in my head. I give up after a few seconds. "A lot."

Three humans and a wyvern give me looks that roughly translate to "No s-it, Sherlock."

Severa shakes her head and presses on. "I can't believe I didn't see this coming. You always had a tendency to butt in whenever you didn't agree with something, Jack-sensei. And seven times out of ten, you go overkill on whatever problem you find. Seriously, you need to learn how to mind your business. And restraint."

Cherche blinks at hearing her comment. "You seem to be familiar with Jack."

"Of course I am!" the Mercenary huffs irritably. "The jerk used to be my instructor!"

I smirk proudly. "Sounds like I still have it, even several years from now. Go me!"

"How Lucina and the others put up with your craziness, I'll never understand." Severa sighs. "Though we _did_ have fun at times." she mutters.

"I'm sorry, could you speak louder?"

"I said: you're a crazy lunatic, and you're no fun!" she replies with an intense blush. Heh. She's way too easy to read.

The corridors after that are thankfully empty. Seems like Robin and the others drew the main portion of the ruffians to their position. Good. Protecting Severa would've been much harder if both groups got the same amount of resistance.

"So, mind telling me why you've been so set on running in here already?" I ask as we walk through the empty hallways.

"I got separated from Lucina and the others when we traveled back in time, but you already knew that." Severa eventually replies. "When I arrived, I had no idea where I was. Fortunately, a kind farmer and his wife took me in and gave me food and shelter, even though they had to work hard to make ends meet. It was somewhere around that time that Nelson and his ragtag group of thugs attacked the village I was staying in. The men in the village were given a choice: join him or die. Holland, the farmer who took me in, opted to join, if only to make sure he could still support his wife. I couldn't leave the poor sap to his fate, so I snuck after the thugs to figure out where their base of operations lay." Severa grits her teeth. "But I was careless. Before I knew it, Nelson had me in a bind. I had no choice but to join him too, both for my own sake, and for Holland's. But I'm done doing that rat's dirty work. I'm getting what I came for, find an escape route with Holland, and then I'm outta here."

I rub my temples. "You know, had you told us this from the start, everyone would've been more than happy to help out. We wouldn't be in this little mess that way."

"Don't you think I know?! I'm well aware of how Chrom and the others react to anything related to bandits." the redhead snarls. She rubs her arm and averts her eyes. "It's just, I wanted to do this by myself…to prove for myself that I can stand on my own. I wanted to prove that I'm not some dead weight." She glances at me. "Most importantly, I wanted to prove that the time you spent training me wasn't a waste, Sensei. I wanted to prove that I'm a worthy student."

I look the young Mercenary in the eyes as we walk in silence. Then I raise my hand…

*Whack!*

…and karate chop Severa over the head.

"Ow! What was that for?!" the redhead shouts as she clutches her head.

"For acting like a selfish brat." I reply sternly. "Granted, I technically haven't trained you yet, but I know myself well enough to know that future-me would never encourage this kind of reckless behavior. If you really wanted to take out this smalltime tyrant, you should've done so by asking the rest of us for help. True, future-me may have trained you in how to fight, but neither he nor I would ever try to instill some nonsensical hogwash like "honor in taking an army down on your own" into any student under our tutelage. We know better than that, and so should you, Severa."

"I know…" Severa mutters embarrassed. "Just… I know, okay? I get it, I was stupid for acting on my own when there were allies perfectly willing to help me." She chances a glance at me. "Um… You still won't mind if I tag along with you after this, do you?"

I give her an easy smile. "Nope. That's one of the reasons I came here in the first place; to pick you up."

She raises an eyebrow. "Hold on. How did you even know I was here?"

My smile turns into a smug smirk. "I have my ways. Long story short, I've had someone search and keep an eye on you up until now, so I knew exactly where to look by the time I got the report."

Severa stops mid-step, much to the confusion of everyone else.

"Hm? Something the matter?" I ask curiously.

"You…spied on me…" Severa mutters.

A question mark pops up over my head. "Uh… Care to repeat that? I don't follow."

A circle of flames erupts around the redhead as she glares at me with what can only be Female Rage.

"You sent someone to spy on me, and you didn't even tell me! Stalker! Pervert! Creep!"

As Severa moves with the circle of fire, I back away slowly with my hands raised in a placating gesture.

"Uh, hold on now, Severa. I think you're missing the point."

"Peeping tom! Lech! Baka-sensei!"

"Oi! Are you even listening to me?!"

"Um, am I interrupting something?" a male voice asks.

The tension, and Severa's conjured flames, briefly vanish as we turn to where the voice came from. Looks like a generic Villager.

Wait a minute.

* * *

 **Holland Lvl 10 Class: Villager**

* * *

Aha! Found him!

"Holland!" Severa exclaims surprised.

"Oh, it's you, Severa." the Villager sighs. "I heard a lot of noise a few moments ago and went to check what happened. When I reached this hallway, it looked like a storm had blown through the place. What happened here? And who are these people?"

"Never mind that." Severa replies, indignation towards me forgotten. "I'm leaving, Holland, and you're coming with me."

Holland's face pales. "Severa, I… I can't. You know I can't. If I don't earn Nelson's coin, she'll starve." The Villager looks down in shame. "I know it's blood money, but-"

"Your wife is PREGNANT, Holland!" Severa interrupts. "You know that, don't you?"

"Of course I know that!" Holland replies fearfully. "And it's none of your concern!"

I smirk as I take a potshot at my redheaded student. "Gee, this kind of stubborn refusal sounds _awfully_ familiar, eh, Severa? Guess it's true as they say; Birds of a feather flock together."

Severa pinches the bridge of her nose. "Rub it in, will you, Jack-sensei. Wait, that's not important right now!" She shakes her head. "Do you love your child, Holland? Do you love your wife?"

"Of course I do!" Holland answers.

"Then stop making excuses!" Severa snarls back. "I know that parents will do anything for their children… But I also know how it feels when a child loses her parents." Her eyes grow downcast. "This world's got far too many kids who've gone through that. If you stay, you'll be killed or worse. And your child deserves better!"

Huh. A quick check on Severa's stat sheet shows that that small speech bumped up her CHAR a bit. Nice, girl. You're improving by the minute.

Holland gulps. "Severa, I… I'm sorry. I didn't know. That must have been hard for you."

The hallway falls silent. But it's moments like these that remind me that silent moments can easily be on the productive side. Holland's expression shifts from fearful to determined with speeds I haven't seen since Cordelia decided that she'd fight in the final battle against Gangrel.

"You're right." Holland declares. "My child deserves better. Let's get out of here."

Severa looks at her friend (?) with wide eyes. "Really?!"

Holland nods with a smile. "Yes, really. But we have to hurry!"

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the little scamp and the tongue-tied coward. What are you two doing, shirking your duty like this while we're under attack, hmm?"

Any determination Holland may have had a second ago is replaced with a face so pale, he looks like a finely sculpted snow man. We turn towards where the slimy voice came from.

* * *

 **Nelson Lvl 45 Class: Sage**

* * *

Holland gulps fearfully. "N-Nelson…"

So that's our target. Huh. For a former imperial, I expected him to be more…well-kempt. His hair looks rather messy, and, non-physical fighter or not, he looks scrawnier than any proper soldier, much less a general, would find acceptable. Guess his little hiatus from army life did little good for his discipline.

The valmese sneers at the Villager. "Not only are you just standing there while we're under attack, you won't even raise your weapon when the enemy is right in front of you?! Pah! I knew you were worthless, but a traitor to boot? I would be better off getting rid of you now and have one less mouth to feed. Should give the rats something to chew on other than our precious rations."

"Look who's talking!" Severa snarls. "You're the biggest rat of them all, Nelson. You talk big, but all you do is scuttle around and pick on innocent people who can't defend themselves. And for what? Just to feed your fragile ego because you lack the strength to stand up for yourself against some real competition!"

I whistle in appreciation. Hearing Severa snark at someone else feels oddly satisfying, especially if they deserve it. Dang, she knows how to deliver a harsh burn, and that's before she conjures those flames.

Nelson scowls at the young Mercenary. "Well, aren't we mouthy all of a sudden. Looks like you decided to grow a backbone and rebel against me too, and at the worst possible moment, at that. You think I'll just let this slide, you little wench?! I can take care of Holland any time I wish. But you? I'll make an example out of you right here and now!"

"I was never loyal to you in the first place, you idiot!" Severa counters. She readies her golden broadsword. "You've done nothing but tick me off from the moment we met. Oppress the innocent, extort a poor, innocent girl like me… I'll show you that you messed with the wrong girl, you wretch! Fair warning; you had it coming a long time ago!"

 **BGM: Scarlet Warrioress, Fairy Tail OST**

Nelson pulls out a Thoron tome from within his Sage's robe. "I'll put you in your place, you brat!"

Severa dashes straight towards Nelson. "Make me!"

Nelson raises his hand. A yellow spell circle appears above where Severa's about to run. Severa catches a glimpse of the incoming spell and rolls to the side in the nick of time. Lightning crashes down on her previous position moments later.

"Gotcha!" Nelson shouts triumphantly and blasts Severa with another lightning spell. Severa blocks the spell with her sword, but is pushed back from the sheer force behind it. Sparks of residual lightning mana dance across the blade as she lowers it and glares at the smug Sage.

"What's the matter, little girl?" Nelson taunts. "Who exactly messed with the wrong person?"

"I'll make you eat those words." Severa growls as she charges the former general once more. Right as Nelson launches another spell, Severa jumps to a pillar and kicks off it. As Severa bounces around, Nelson's frustration mounts as the Mercenary becomes difficult to hit.

Severa's frantic movement pays off as she finally reaches her striking range. Flames envelop her sword as she lands in front of Nelson. The redhead swings her burning broadsword with a battle cry, leaving beautiful arcs of fire wherever she swings her weapon. Nelson backs away and dodges frantically, though the various singes that appear on his face and clothes show that Severa has him on the ropes.

That is, until Nelson coats his right hand in lightning magic and catches Severa's sword with it. His pained grimace shows that it still burns, but he manages to stop the assault, to Severa's shock. Then he points his opened tome towards the Mercenary. The pages begin to flutter rapidly as a ball of magic appears in front of them.

"Take this!" *Krrzz-Bram!*

Severa cries out in pain as she's hit point-blank by Nelson's Arcthunder spell. Nelson cackles triumphantly as Severa suffers under the potent spell.

"I won't…back down…from you!" Severa grits out, this time shocking Nelson with her resilience.

The flames around Severa's sword increase in size and temperature. Smoke rises from where Nelson holds the blade, until he shouts in pain and lets go. At the same time, the pain breaks his concentration on the spell, giving Severa a precious moment to breathe. Severa renews her assault, slashes Nelson's tome in half, burns it to ashes in the process, and then delivers a devastating series of slashes across his chest, legs and arms.

As Nelson stumbles, Severa crouches in a stance. The flames around her sword grow into a roaring inferno.

"I've had enough!" *Shing! BOOM!*

The swing, and the resulting explosion, launch Nelson straight through a wall. As the dust settles, the ruffian Sage lies on a pile of rubble, scorched and unconscious.

 **Severa has leveled up!**

 **BGM ends**

Severa falls on her butt panting. Right as she's about to fall backwards, I catch her.

"I'm impressed." I remark smiling. "I didn't expect you to pull a win like that against him."

Severa flips some hair over her shoulder and crosses her arms while a blush grows on her face. "W-well, it's to be expected! I was trained by you, Jack-sensei. Of course he didn't stand a chance."

My smile grows wry. "Sure, sure. Alright, let's meet up with the others."

I put my other arm under her legs and lift her up, which only makes her blush deepen.

"H-hey! What do you think you're doing?!"

"I doubt you have the strength to walk back on your own, so I'll just help you there until you've recovered." I reply. "Sound good to you?"

Severa looks at me wide-eyed before she averts her eyes. She's still blushing, and now she's pouting on top of that.

"Fine. But only because you asked so nicely…"

By the time we reunite with the other Shepherds, they've already routed the other members of Nelson's band, thus ending the former Valmese general's reign for good. The village elder is busy thanking Chrom for saving their village from starvation.

As for Nelson himself, I had a clone carry his burnt hide along with us for further…applications. Though my clone must've awakened my inner sadist, as he instead opted for making stone chains out of the rubble, hogtie Nelson with them and drag the Sage behind him with absolutely no regard for the valmese's wellbeing whatsoever. I admit, I was tempted to do something similar myself, but I didn't expect my clone to go through with it. Good thing the declaration of human rights hasn't been written down in this world, or I'd probably be court-martialed for treating a POW poorly.

* * *

 **BGM: Because I love you, Earthbound music**

Severa fiddles around in a chest before she lets out a whoop of joy. "Yes, here it is!"

Chrom looks at the tiny object in her hand. "Is that a ring?"

Severa immediately hugs the ring close to her. "It's MY ring, and I'll thank you to stop staring so lustily at it! It's worth more than anything in the world to me." Severa grits her teeth. "That rat Nelson stole it one night while I was sleeping. By the time I realized what had happened, that crook waved the ring around like some toy and forced me to work for him!"

Chrom smiles. "Well, I'm glad you were able to get it back."

Severa flips some hair over her shoulder as she turns her back on Chrom. "…Hmph."

*Whang!* "Ow!"

Though she only makes two steps before she walks right into Cordelia (and her breastplate).

The Falcon Knight has the decency to look sheepish. "Oh… My bad."

Severa rubs her nose gingerly. "That hurt! What the heck is that armor made of?! What do you even want?"

"Just to thank you for helping us." Cordelia replies smiling. "You thought bravely, er…"

"Severa… My name's Severa."

Cordelia nods. "It suits you, somehow." Then she notices something glitter on the floor. It's the ring Severa was looking for. "Oh, looks like you dropped your ring. Here, let me help."

It's only now that Severa realizes she dropped her ring when she bumped into Cordelia. As the Falcon Knight picks it up, her eyes widen.

"What- But how…is this possible?" she asks shaken.

"Something wrong, Cordelia?" Chrom asks curiously.

Cordelia faces her husband shaking. She shows him the ring. "C-Chrom, her ring… It bears the crest of House Ylisse!"

Lissa gapes at the news. "What?! But that's the ring our parents gave you, Chrom! Isn't there supposed to be only one of that ring?!"

Cordelia's eyes widen once more as she connects the dots. She faces Severa. "Wait… But that means…"

Severa nods. "Yes. I'm your and Chrom's daughter – and Lucina's sister."

Cordelia places her hands over her chest. "Goodness… To think we would be blessed with not one, but _two_ children."

Severa mutters something unintelligible. "…lonely…"

"What was that?"

"I SAID, I thought you'd be lonely, so I came here to see you!" Severa shuffles her feet. "You're welcome."

Cordelia smiles at her younger daughter. "That's so sweet."

"D-don't mock me!" Severa yells. "You don't care! You don't care at all…"

"How could you possibly think that?" Cordelia asks confused. "I'm thrilled beyond words to meet you."

Severa clenches her fists as her whole body shakes. Her slightly slumped pose hides her eyes under the shadow of her hair. "Then why'd you leave me?"

As she straightens up, her face is a myriad of emotions. Anger, sadness, resentment, confusion, loneliness…

"You said you had to go off to fight for what really mattered, and you never came back!" the younger redhead screams at her mother. A tear escapes her eye. "You picked Daddy over me!"

Cordelia looks at her younger daughter stunned before she sighs. "Now that's not fair, Severa. You may not know it yet, but someday, you'll meet a man who captures your heart completely. You will love him more than anything in the world." Cordelia places a hand over her heart as she smiles wistfully. "That's what Chrom means to me. And one day, there will be a man who means the same to you. But there's more to it than that. When I said I was fighting for what mattered, there was more than just Chrom. I think I meant both you and Lucina as well. I'd want nothing more than to build a world where my daughters could grow up happy and strong. At least, that's what I want right now."

Severa wipes the tear from her eye. "You think I don't know that? I mean, I DO know that, but…"

Guilt crosses Cordelia's face as she looks at the crying Mercenary. "I'm sorry I wasn't a better mother – neither to you _or_ Lucina."

"Well, you're still MY mother, which makes you the best mother in the world." Severa counters.

At that moment, Lucina steps in with a smile. "And I couldn't agree more, Severa. We're both blessed to have such a wonderful mother."

Severa gives her sister a sour look. "Oh, it's you…"

Lucina recoils in shock at the cold greeting. "I-I'm sorry? Did I do something to offend you, Severa? You've been like this ever since we finally met again outside the castle."

Severa stomps towards her sister. "Oh, so _now_ you feel like being the caring sister?! Well, can it! It was always about you! _You_ were born first, so you became Daddy's heir and Mom's golden little baby! The starling girl who everyone had their eyes on while growing up. You were always Little Miss Perfect, wowing the masses whenever you accomplished something. And what about me? You never payed me any mind – no one did! You just took me for granted! And when you convinced me to join you on this blasted trip through time, you didn't even bother to look for me when we got separated! You just ran straight to Daddy and watched him like you always did!" By this point, Severa is almost in Lucina's shocked face. "You just left me here without a second thought!"

Lucina scowls at the accusation. "Don't think for a second that I never cared for you! Did you honestly think I had it easy, finding myself all alone when I arrived in this point in time?! There's not a single waking moment that I spent worrying about our friends who traveled with us – even more so in your case! But I had to make sure Father and Mother survived. And I had to prevent Aunt Emmeryn's death at all costs!" Lucina clenches her fists until they shake. "Please believe me, Severa. You were the only family I had left. Not knowing how you fared tore at my mind every single day. But even if I had time to search for you, I had no idea where to start. You could be anywhere, even as far as the other side of the Long Sea."

"You didn't know where I was, so you didn't even _bother_ trying to find me?!" Severa yells back. "Some family you are!"

Lucina averts her eyes as guilt crosses her face. "I… I'm so sorry, Severa. You're right. I should have at least tried…"

Severa's entire body shakes. Tears stream down from her eyes. "Do you…have any idea how lonely I felt?"

Lucina looks at her surprised. "What?"

"I was devastated when I realized we were separated!" Severa yells while crying freely. "I was so scared! I know this is the same world as the one we grew up in, but I knew nothing about it! Everyone I knew was gone – even my own sister! I was all on my own, with no clue where to go! Every night, I clung to hope, wishing beyond any reason that you were out there somewhere, looking for me!"

By this point, Severa starts sobbing. "And every night, that hope died a little bit. I had almost given up… I thought I'd be stuck on this stupid island forever, spending every night from now on falling asleep alone. And what happens right when I'm about to give up? You show up with Daddy, Mother, Sensei, the whole army!"

Lucina looks at her sister confused. "But doesn't that make you happy?"

"Of course I'm happy, you dolt!" Severa yells. "You _finally_ came for me! How could I _not_ be happy?!" Severa hugs Lucina tight. "It's just… Did you have to take so long? I hate sleeping alone! And… I'm sorry for being so mean to you, Lucina. Both you and Mother."

Lucina returns the hug with a smile. "It's all right, Severa. I forgive you. I just want to hold my sister again."

And so, the sisters reconcile with hugs and tears. Well, mostly tears for Severa's part.

"It seems we're the luckiest parents alive, wouldn't you agree, Chrom?" Cordelia asks her husband as she sidles up to him.

Chrom smiles at seeing his two daughters. "I'm not completely certain yet, but for now, I'm inclined to agree."

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: Ambivalence**  
 _Nelson's castle falls after a violent battle. With the petty tyrant and his group of ruffians out of the picture, the people can finally live peacefully again, without running the risk of starving. Now to handle Nelson himself._  
 **Objective:** _Defeat Nelson_ **  
Objective completed!  
Rewards: **_You gain 10 000 EXP! You gain 10 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objectives:** _Don't let Severa die. Help Severa reach Holland  
_ **All bonus objectives cleared!  
Bonus rewards: **_You gain 1 000 EXP! Your relationship with Severa has improved!_

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Severa's character sheet**

 **Severa Lvl 27 Class: Mercenary  
** _Cordelia's daughter from the future. Having grown up in the shadow of such a prestigious family as hers has left her with an inferiority complex with an attitude to match it. However, despite her snarky behavior, she cares for her family deep down – she just doesn't admit it easily. Under Jack's tutelage, she developed a skillset and personality traits similar to those of the Crimson Princess, Stella Vermillion. The hottest tsundere alive – in more ways than one.  
Born on January 21_ _st_ _._

 **Titles: Second princess of Ylisse (+ 4 % CHAR)  
Firebrand (+ 15 % Fire damage)**

 **HP: 4 450 / 4 450  
MP: 1 900 / 1 900**

 **STR: 39.1 (38 * 1.03)  
VIT: 38.1 (37 * 1.03)  
DEX: 37.1 (36 * 1.03)  
INT: 22  
WIS: 21  
CHAR: 10.4 (10 * 1.04)  
LUCK: 15**

 **ITEMS:  
Laevateinn (Equipped)  
Concoction**

 **Skills:**

 **Sword mastery, Lvl 37 [41 %], Passive  
** _The sword is quite possibly the most well-known weapon in history, often being depicted as the weapon of choice by hero and villain alike or even as a symbol of power. While swords generally deal less damage than other weapons, they make up for it by being easier to wield.  
Increases attack speed and attack power by 185 % when attacking with a sword or dagger of any kind._

 **Fire mastery, Lvl 30 [12 %], Passive  
** _Fire is the element of power. With great power comes great responsibility, and never is this more apparent than when one wields the element that embodies heat. If carefully contained, fire provides warmth and light when the night grows cold and dark. However, if left unsupervised, even the smallest flame can raze an entire city to the ground with no hope of stopping it.  
Passively increases damage dealt with fire element magic by 150 %. The cost of all fire-related skills is reduced by 11 %.  
Mastered spells:  
Fire  
Elfire  
Arcfire  
Dragon Fang_

 **Spell Blade, Lvl 47 [33 %], Active, Cost: 40 MP per minute  
** _While channeling mana through specially designed weapons is nothing new, few have learned how to convert that mana into a spell to be wielded along with the weapon itself. This is mainly due to the difficulty of balancing physical and magical prowess at the same time. But the benefits of accomplishing this task are often very rewarding. Not only do your attacks become stronger – they can penetrate defenses more easily, since it's rare for adversaries to be able to defend themselves on both fronts simultaneously.  
Allows the caster to wield their magic by using a weapon as the medium. Attack power increases by 144 % of the caster's INT. Should the spell be of any element, any attack with the wielded weapon will have that element as well._

 **Dragon Fang, Lvl 28 [16 %], Active, Cost: 180 MP  
** _A fire-elemental spell with enough power to melt stone with ease. Summons a massive serpent made entirely of fire, which the caster can control freely. While extremely hot, the serpent does not burn immediately upon contact. It only does so at the whim of the caster, making it both destructive and versatile.  
Base damage: 1 460 % of the caster's INT. Element: Fire_

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

*Camera shows two opposing armies at a stand-off in a village.*

 **Cavalry:** Move it, oafs! We claimed these lands first!

 **Knights:** Fat chance, bub! We move for no one!

 **Chrom:** *Sigh* Great, just what this village needed – two armies about to turn it into a warzone.

 **Yarne:** Hey, at least the fight will be epic!

 **Jack:** Hm… I remember that bunny to be more…cowardly.

 **Both armies:** Hey, you there! Help us out!

 **Also both armies:** Back off, amateurs! We saw them first!

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Unstoppable force vs immovable object! Clash in the no-man's land!**

 **Chrom:** So, which army are supporting, Robin?

* * *

 **Omake: Comedy troupe**

"…and that's the secret behind the mouse, the spoon, and the most gruesome torture method in Plegian history." Henry finishes with a flourish.

Jack and Ricken snicker at the Dark Mage's joke.

"Hah! That has to be one of the funniest jokes I've ever heard." Ricken comments grinning.

Henry grins back. "And do you know what the best part is? It's a true story!"

Jack's own grin falters a bit. "Huh. No offense, Henry, but you plegians have a twisted sense of humor."

The Dark Mage shrugs. "Can't argue with that. From what the ravens tell me, that's the main reason why pretty much no one wants to help Plegia if they ever go to war. Nobody really likes us."

Ricken snaps his fingers. "Speaking of humor, maybe the three of us could start something together."

Jack raises an eyebrow. "Like what?"

Ricken grins. "A comedy routine. I mean, we need to keep the mood up in our camp _somehow_."

Jack rubs his chin. "Hey, that sounds like a great idea. The two of us already tried our hands at it right before the war against Plegia started. And Henry will fit right in."

"Oh, you didn't tell me you had a history in comedy before." Henry replies smiling. "Sign me up. This is gonna be awesome!"

Ricken matches his smile. "It's a deal, then. Starting today, we'll work on some stuff to bring smiles and laughter to the rest of our army."

Jack joins in with a grin. "And I have the perfect start to lay our groundwork. How about this one? An ylissean, a feroxi and a dynast walk into a bar…"

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Hurricane fist, Lvl 23 [12 %], Active, Cost: 108 MP  
** _A skill where the caster concentrates a massive amount of mana-infused air behind their elbow while preparing a punch. Upon striking, all the compressed air is unleashed at once to propel the arm forward. The more air compressed behind the elbow, the greater the propulsive force. Just make sure your fist can handle the impact, or you'll run the risk of never being able to use it again.  
Base damage: 300 % of the user's STR + 1 400 % of the user's INT. Element: Wind  
Note: Using this skill counts as attacking barehanded._

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner:**

 **Laevateinn, Sword, Base damage: 80, Unique  
** _A golden broadsword originally wielded by Stella Vermillion, the Crimson Princess. Runes are carved into the blade to make channeling mana through it easier. While golden in color, this weapon is not made of actual gold, but of a metal that is especially well-suited for channeling fire magic.  
Damage dealt increases by 10 % if mana is being channeled through the blade._

 **Falcon Knight, Class  
** _A seasoned Pegasus Knight who has devoted herself to mastering the lance. They do not commit wholly to the lance, however. By drawing on their innate magic capacity, these fliers also wield healing magic to mend the wounds of injured comrades. These skills, combined with their mastery of their winged mounts, have earned them illustrious reputations both on and off the battlefield; Angelic helpers when with their allies, but ruthless bringers of death when facing their enemies.  
Attack power, attack speed and accuracy increase by 10 % when attacking with a polearm. All skills related to polearms gain 5 % more EXP. HP restored through healing magic increases by 5 %. Damage taken from physical attacks increase by 7 %. This unit counts both as a mounted unit and a flier._

 **Ruin, Tome, Rare  
** _An advanced dark magic tome that amplifies the wielder's bloodlust and destructive tendencies. It is said that when a Sorcerer's apprentice once tried to copy one such tome, the sinister power within the pages drove him mad and sent him on a rampage. The only thing that could stop the crazed student was for his own master to put him down. Ever since this incident, only masters of the dark arts are permitted to write and enchant these tomes for any sort of use. While the risks of channeling mana through this tome are great, the rewards are greater still, as they give a taste of the true fury of dark magic.  
Increases damage dealt from dark-element spells by 13 %. Critical hit rate of dark-element spells increases by 50 %. Accuracy of dark-element spells decreases by 20 %._

* * *

 **Introducing the furry counterpart to Akatsuki!  
Remember when Jack contacted Itachi near the end of chapter 10? Itachi mentioned that he would need the help of a certain group of individuals in order to accomplish the task Jack gave him. This group was the nutty little squad shown in this chapter. I think I really need to stop with these squirrel parodies, but I don't want to! I have way too much fun!**

 **Severa, Severa, Severa… Where do I even begin with this girl? Seriously, she probably has one of the hardest recruitment criteria among the 2** **nd** **-gen Shepherds, if not the entire game. Not only does she have to make it all the way to Holland with all those ruffians standing in her way, she does it by placing herself right where they can snipe her from the other side of a wall. I just- Why, Severa?! It only gets worse on the higher difficulties when the ruffians are both stronger and there's more of them. I mean, sure, she inherits Cordelia's amazing class lineup and available skills on top of whatever she can get from her father, but the big problem is getting her on your side. Just… Ugh! Getting her can be such a pain!**

 **Though I can see why she's so popular. This young lady just oozes personality. The tsundere schtick is just the outermost layer of her character. Peel it away, and you'll find a girl with an eye for fashion, a surprising work ethic when properly motivated, and a really sweet side for those who can thaw her out. Heck, when I first saw her, I thought she'd fit better as Maribelle's child, since the similarities seemed stronger for Maribelle than for Cordelia. That is, until I understood Severa's backstory. To be fair, living in Cordelia's shadow would be difficult for just about anyone. And, I'll admit, adding both Chrom's and Lucina's shadows on top of that in this fic was a jerk-ish move on my part, even though that was a direct consequence of pairing Chrom with Cordelia. Still, I believe this setting for Severa has some potential for awesome interactions. She'll have her moments.**

 **In case you don't know who Stella Vermillion is, look her up. She is, in my own opinion, the hottest tsundere-type character conceived in Japanese fictional history, not only due to her physical appearance (She's smoking hot!), but also due to her caring personality and her being an accomplished pyromancer. And my comments regarding her physical appearance will probably send me to jail, because she's underage in most countries. Worth it.**

 **In case you're wondering, I don't have any punchline for Jack's joke at the end of the omake. That's something you'll have to make yourself, in case you want to.**

 **That's all for now. Please rate and review. VipeR out.**


	18. Chapter 16

**Passover, or Easter, as some people like to call it… A time often associated with eggs, rabbits, candy, chickens and the color yellow. Or, at least it is where I live. And then there are those who see this holiday for its spiritual aspects, myself included.**

 **Greetings, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening, just in time for Passover. And what better way to signify this than by giving the resident bunnies of the Shepherds some spotlight? Well, you already knew that if you read the preview I left in the last chapter.**

 **From what I read in the reviews, the overall response regarding the squirrels that Jack hired was positive. Good to know that idea payed off. Seems you guys have as much fun with those nutty critters as I do.**

 **Before we begin, let's address some reviews.**

 **1silvergamer2:** Shining Finger Sword? Nice try, but I have something potentially even more over-the-top for the Scion of legend. I admit I'm a bit biased towards Owain in a positive manner, which is why I've planned some insane stuff for him. Lissa might have my head if she found out I'm the one responsible.

 **3-13 Sniper:** You're definitely on to something regarding Lucina. Let's just say, she's got some iconic fighting game references queued up in the future, simply because she's that awesome.  
And I agree with you on the lyrics of "Uncontrollable". The context in which it's played makes for some of the most confusing choices in video game music I've ever heard. I mean, sure, it's a cool song. It just…doesn't seem to fit when you're fighting, say, a giant four-armed gorilla who's totally out of your league for the better part of the entire main campaign.

 **Shadowphoenix34:** Henry _did_ mention that they're chipmunks, so there. Also, the Kakuzu moment is pretty much a jab at how much of a stickler for money the manga counterpart of the squirrel is.

 **Ittehgaps & Sapphireweapon12:** Nah, the squirrels just emulate the personality of certain Naruto characters, with a few extra traits or objects thrown in for good measure. I mean, if the squirrels _really_ emulated the abilities as well, they could probably conquer the whole continent in months. Can you imagine squirrel-Nagato perform a tree-sized Planetary Devastation? That thought is just frightening.

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _Even if I can't take credit for it, I'm proud of my heritage. –_ Yarne

* * *

 **Chapter 16:**

 **Unstoppable force vs immovable object!  
** **Clash in the no-man's land!**

 **POV: General**

Nelson slowly opens his eyes. His body aches all over from his last battle against the redheaded girl. Curses, but that traitorous wench hits hard! The last thing he remembers before he lost consciousness was being on the receiving end of her blazing sword, a violent explosion, and a stone wall that, by all rights, should've stood firm instead of him crashing right through it like it was some botched amateur build. He had already had every wall in that castle checked; they could have easily passed even the empire's strict standards.

" _More importantly…_ " Nelson muses for himself. " _…what happened afterwards?_ "

That's when he notices his lack of mobility. As his eyes fully open, Nelson finds himself tied to a chair to the point that the only part he can move is his neck.

"Oh, finally awake, I see." a voice remarks slightly to his left.

Nelson raises his head and takes in his surroundings. The fabric walls indicate that he's in a tent of some sort. With him are three people: Prince Chrom, a silver-haired woman and a man in dark purple robes and a white great sword on his back.

Nelson narrows his eyes at the robed man. "Wait… I remember you. You were with that backstabbing redhead who turned on me."

Jack grins. "Sure was. And for your information, that was one of my students."

Nelson struggles against his bonds. "You! So you're the reason my ambitions for an empire fell apart! Mark my words; when I get out of here I will make you-" *Whack!* "Ow!"

Jack pulls back his hand from the karate chop. "Unless your megalomaniac mind has noticed, you're hardly in any position to make any threats, Nelson."

Nelson growls. "Well, out with it, then! What do you want from me?!"

Chrom approaches with a scowl. "We want to know everything you can tell us about the Valmese empire."

Robin picks up from there. "Command hierarchy, troop numbers, military organization, supply lines, no detail is too small."

The former Valmese general scoffs. "Hah! And what makes you think I would divulge such information willingly? Granted, I've no more love for the empire than you do, but that's not nearly enough to make us allies."

As a wicked grin appears on Jack's face, Nelson realizes that he should have considered his answer more thoroughly. "Oh, we never expected you to comply without question. Of course, if you _did_ share your knowledge willingly, we would have simply sent you to be judged in the capital for your crimes." Jack mockingly waggles a finger close to Nelson's face, much to the captive's ire. "Buuut since you decided to be tight-lipped, it means we have to pry that information out of you in a less…civilized manner."

At that moment, two more people enter the tent. One is an Assassin who places a small desk on the ground near Nelson. The other is a Dark Mage carrying a chair with writing supplies placed on top of it.

"Hup. There you go. One desk for Bubbles to write on." Gaius reports as he dusts off his hands.

Henry follows suit. "Soo…what now? Do we ask him nicely while Robin takes notes?"

Jack shakes his head. "Unfortunately, it won't go that smoothly. We'll just have to convince him to share his knowledge. That's where I'll need your help again, Henry."

The Dark Mage points at himself. "Who, me? Whatcha need?"

Jack's wicked grin returns with a vengeance. "I figured you've been a bit bored as of late. Why don't you play with our guest for a while, and we'll come back later to see if he's more cooperative by then."

Henry's face lights up in a delighted smile. "Really? Sweet!"

Jack raises two fingers. "However, there's two rules that you must always follow; he must remained tied to his chair, and he will remain in this tent until we return."

Henry nods. "He stays tied to the chair, and stays in the tent until you get back. Got it."

"Good. Aside from that, you can do anything you want."

Jack turns to the tent's exit. "Well, we're done here for now. We'll be back in a few minutes, Henry. Have fun."

Chrom, Robin and Gaius follow suit. The tent falls silent. Nelson, for his part, raises an eyebrow. Really, they effectively left him with a child in a man's body. What could this buffoon possibly do to him?

Henry giggles as he turns towards Nelson. "Tee hee hee…"

"And what's so funny?" Nelson huffs.

"Oh, just thinking of all the fun we're gonna have." Henry replies.

Nelson feels a chill through his spine. There's something about this boy that just screams _wrong_. He could swear the inside of the tent was warmer before this Dark Mage entered. Nelson's eyes widen in shock as he notes what happens as Henry's giggling intensifies. Dark purple mist seemingly billows out from the bottom of his robes, until the whole ground is covered by the sinister miasma. Dark wisps slowly rise into the air. Come to think of it, the inside of the tent seems darker as well. With dark mist filling the air, Henry's giggling seems to take a distorted undertone that flows with the dark atmosphere. And all the while, alarm bells keep going off in Nelson's head. The more he's in the presence of this…whatever he is (Nelson stopped seeing him as a mere boy a while ago), the more unnerving this whole situation gets. No, not unnerving. _Frightening_.

And then, Henry opens his eyes.

* * *

 **POV: Jack**

Despite having about half the camp between me and Nelson's current position, I can hear his terrified screams loud and clear.

Gaius gives me a flat look. "You're evil, Buttercup. _Evil_."

I smirk. "Heh. I prefer "low-key sadistic", thank you very much."

Robin frowns. "And what part of leaving that man tied up and alone with Henry counts as low-key? I'm not sure what to think about Henry, but there's something about him that just unnerves me."

I glance at my wife. "Would you rather I left him alone with Tharja?"

All three of my companions recoil in shock. "NO!"

Gaius clears his throat. "I mean, that's not the point. Why the heck did you resort to torture to get the information out of him?"

I shrug. "Hey, I wouldn't do this if he just agreed to cooperate with us from the beginning. I mean, really. He should've realized how hopeless his situation was the moment he found himself bound to a chair in the middle of the enemy's camp with no means to escape."

"GYAAAHH!"

Chrom sweatdrops. "Uh… Will we even be able to get anything out of him by the time we get back?"

I nod. "I think he'll open up once we remind him that refusing to cooperate will lead to another session with Henry. If that fails, having Lissa whisper sweet nothings in his ear should mellow him out a bit."

Never let it be said that I'm above psychological manipulation. Some good old good cop / bad cop can work wonders against tight-lipped prisoners.

A few minutes later, I approach the tent again with Robin and Chrom in tow.

"Ooh, what happens if I press here?" we hear Henry ask from within the tent.

"Aaaaaaahh!"

"Nya ha ha! Hey, that was a funny sound. Let's do it again!"

"AAAAAAAAaaahh~…"

I lift up the flap to a strange sight. Nelson's been reduced to a shivering, sobbing wreck while Henry's poking him on the cheek.

"I think he's broken, Jack." Henry mutters disappointed. "And we had so much fun too."

"Those eyes…" Nelson whimpers. "Those dark, soulless eyes… I don't want to be dragged into the abyss. Make it stop, Mommy. Make it stop!"

I sweatdrop at the scene for a bit before I shake my head. "Ah, well, I guess it was good while it lasted. Nice work, Henry. You can go now."

"Really? But I wanna stay." Henry whines.

Nelson freezes up and looks at me desperately "No! Please! I'll tell you everything! Just don't leave me with that- Whatever he is! I'm begging you!"

I glance at Chrom with a smirk. "I'd say he's coherent enough for interrogation." I place a hand on Henry's shoulder. "Listen, Henry. How about you go and play with Nowi? She's in dire need of a playmate, but she hardly plays with anyone but me, and I'll be busy here for a while. Since you still look like you're in a playful mood, why not kill two birds with one stone?"

The Dark Mage rubs his chin before he smiles at me expectantly. "Do you mean literally?"

"*Sigh* No, Henry. It was a figure of speech. Nowi will get upset if you kill a bird for fun."

Henry's face lights up in realization. "Ooh… Okay, gotcha." As he leaves the tent, Henry briefly turns back to wave at Nelson with a cheerful smile. "Bye bye!"

The moment Henry is out of earshot, Nelson deflates from relief. I glance at Robin to find her already seated at the small desk, notebook open and the quill in her hand. All right, she's ready. Now to get our dear prisoner started.

I lean down until my face is right in front of Nelson's. "I believe this makes it clear what happens if you refuse to tell us everything you know. Now, then. My wife will ask most of the questions, but Chrom and I may have some of our own." I narrow my eyes. "Leave nothing out, no matter how small the detail. If I find out you did, I'll let Henry play with you for the rest of the day."

* * *

Needless to say, Nelson sang like a bird after that last threat. Seeing the man's bravado be reduced to nothing after just a few minutes alone with Henry greatly unnerved Robin and Chrom, but a few hours of interrogation later, Robin felt she had all the information she needed.

My wife casts a quick wind spell to dry the ink quickly – a trick that she picked up from Miriel. The pages soon stop fluttering, in which she closes the notebook with a satisfied sigh.

I cast one last glance at Nelson. "That _was_ everything, right?"

The former general nods frantically. "Yes! Everything! I swear!"

I nod satisfied. "All right. Guess it's off to the trial for you then."

"What?! But I complied with all your terms!" Nelson protests. "How dare you!? This cruelty will not go unpunished!"

I smirk at Nelson. "To be clear, we put you under that interrogation as a prisoner of war. You still have to face justice for the tyranny you put the people under. To make sure you face a fair trial, we'll send you to the capital of Ylisse." My smirk turns into a predatory grin. "Or would you rather remain our prisoner, right where Henry can find you at any time?"

Nelson freaks out upon hearing the alternative. "I'll stand trial! I promise! Just take me away from him!"

*Poof*

A Shadow clone appears in a puff of smoke, mock salutes me, and picks Nelson up like a sack of potatoes.

"All right. Next stop: Ylisstol." my clone declares.

"What the- Hey! Put me down! What are you, and why do you look like the freak in the robes?!" Nelson shouts as my clone carries him out of the tent.

"Try talking my ears off, would you?" my clone replies grumpily. "If you don't shut up, I'll drag you along the ground all the way to Ylisstol…" *Poof* "…while looking like this. Nya ha ha!"

"AAAAAAAHH!"

Sounds like my clone Mimicked Henry. I'd say I'm proud of him, but that could easily be interpreted as narcissism.

* * *

"Hah! Yah!"

Severa swings her training sword fiercely. I sidestep one swing, parry the next, and simply block the third.

*Twack!*

"Hmm… Plenty of strength, and a good form that makes use of it." I comment for my initial assessment. "A bit slow due to emphasis on strength, but your technique is solid."

I push her back and retake my stance. "All in all, a viable fighting style for someone on your level, though there's quite a lot of room for improvement."

Severa huffs as she flips some hair over her shoulder. "It's always speed and technique with you, isn't it, Jack-sensei? Fighting fast doesn't amount to anything if you can't hit hard. Besides, we both know I can hit harder if I channel fire magic through my weapon."

I nod. "I'm well aware of that, Severa. However, how much have you considered fighting without your magic?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" the redhead returns annoyed. "You spent months training me in channeling magic through my weapon until it became second nature, and now you're telling me I have to learn how to fight without it?! Make up your mind already!"

"It's not that. In fact, I used to have a problem similar to yours when I myself first learned how to fight."

Severa raises an eyebrow. "You rarely talk about how you learned to fight. What brought this on?"

"I believe you can learn from my own experience." I Trace a sword in demonstration. "As you probably already know, I can use my mana to recreate any weapon I've seen."

Severa nods. "Yeah, you showed us that a lot when me and Lucina were kids. Though you mostly only showed silly weapons. Seriously, who fights with giant keys?"

I give her a knowing smile. "Oh, if only you knew, my dear student." My face instantly turns serious again. "Back on topic, though, there were some glaring weaknesses in me relying on weapons conjured by mana. Not only was I inexperienced in the craft, which resulted in brittle weapons, but I always needed a little time to concentrate and shape my mana to conjure the weapon – time that an opponent would never give me in a real fight. And I learned that lesson right in the middle of an important battle. Had I lost that one, I'm not even sure if I'd be around anymore."

Severa puts her hand under her chin. "So what you're telling me is that relying on my mana too much could put me in a bad spot in a fight. Did I get that right?"

I nod. "Exactly. If you rely on your ability to channel magic through your weapon too much, you will eventually reach a point where it becomes a crutch. What I want to achieve in your training is to turn that ability into a trump card instead. Learn to fight without your magic, and only use it against a challenging opponent. Of course, it's important that you train in how to use your magic to full effect as well. But it's just as important to learn _when_ to use it, as it is _how_ to use it."

"Well, out with it then. How do I learn to fight without my magic?"

"Well, you already have the basics down. I noticed during our spar that your moves remind me a lot of how Chrom fights."

Severa nods. "Yeah. Daddy told me it's a fencing style that's been passed down in the Ylissean royal family for generations. When I first showed you that style, you told me we would use that as the starting point for my training under you, Sensei."

"Hm, yeah. I get what future-me thought. In that case, maybe you should ask your father for some pointers for your training, since he knows a lot more about that fencing style than I do." I smile. "That should make a great point to end it for today. Now that I have a rough idea on how good you are in a fight, I can figure out how best to train you in the future. All in all, I think you're a bit rough around the edges, but you have a solid foundation to work on."

Severa huffs while she wipes some sweat off her brow. "Finally! Ugh, I HATE how sweaty I get during training. Did you have to push me so hard?"

"You know what they say." I reply grinning. "No pain, no gain."

Severa shudders. "You told me the exact same thing in the future. And then you forced me through all kinds of hellish exercises and spars, all while telling me that it's the best way for me to learn. You're a real slave driver, you know that?"

My grin turns sinister. "I _do_ believe I warned you before your training started. You only have yourself to blame for going through with it, Severa. Oh, and one more thing."

"Yes?"

*Whack!*

Severa holds her head in pain. "Ow! What was that for?"

"I heard that Nelson managed to steal your mother's ring because he snuck up on you while you slept. I could understand if he forced your hand, but having the thing stolen because you let your guard down? That's unacceptable!"

* * *

 **AN: It honestly boggles my mind how easily Nelson managed to steal Cordelia's ring. It's almost like the writers couldn't find any realistic way for him to pull it off, so they just went with something simple. Personally, I consider it a plot hole to place Severa in the spot you find her in when you meet her.**

* * *

"And how was I even supposed to know he was coming? You can't expect me to sleep with one eye open!"

"No, but I at least expect you to remain vigilant. Seriously, you've been fighting against Risen enemies for how long? Those walking corpses don't even need sleep, meaning they can attack at any point during the day. How the heck did you and the others survive against those abominations if you let your guard down when sleeping?"

Severa shuffles her feet. "It's- Well, I…" Then she pouts. "I'm a heavy sleeper, okay?! And I always used excuses to skip out on night watch."

I Trace my Bat of Discipline and slam the heavy weapon into the ground. " _Do_ explain this blatant lack of solidarity and discipline – _now_."

Severa gulps. "Uh… Well…"

"You're a spoiled brat, aren't you?"

"Hey, that's low!"

"Am I wrong?"

Severa looks like she wants to yell in my face, but holds herself back. Heh. Looks like I hit the nail on the head.

"Sometimes, I can't decide whether I respect you or hate you." she huffs eventually. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a father to butter up." Severa leaves the sparring area with a cheerful smile plastered over her face and a skip in her step. "Oh, Daddy~!"

Chrom, your youngest daughter is on the loose! Send word to Ylisstol and tell the guards to lock the royal coffers – now!

 **Your relationship with Severa has improved!**

* * *

As we all sit down for dinner, none of can miss the antics that have sprung up due to Lucina and Severa being a whole family again. Despite the bleak future the two girls came from, they show a remarkable amount emotional stability in that they trade banter with each other and their parents as casually as if nothing had actually happened in their timeline. That, or they're still trying to figure out this whole family thing again for the first time in years, and simply go with the flow for a lack of better options.

"How curious." Panne muses from my left.

I glance at the taguel. "How do you mean?"

"I was always under the impression that high-standing members of human society held their meals with more…how do you call it again? Ah, yes. Formality. Yet these two young ones show little of it when sharing a meal with their parents. In the case of the red-haired one, there is practically none at all."

I shrug. "Well, Chrom's never been one for formality. You know that just as well as I do. If someone means a lot to him, he shows it – in his own way."

Panne nods. "Indeed he does." Her expression turns wistful. "Seeing them like this, it makes me curious. What would it be like to raise a family?"

I raise an eyebrow. "You never struck me as the maternal kind of person, Panne. Stoic and protective, sure, but I have no memory of seeing you as affectionate."

"I am simply careful with whom I consider worthy of caring for." Panne answers curtly. "A taguel's bond is meant to last for life. With such deep commitment, having many bonds would make life very exhausting for my kind. Hence, we are usually very selective about who we bond with." The taguel frowns as she clenches the wooden spoon in her hand. "Though I can only speak for myself, seeing as I am the last taguel alive."

How in the world do you console someone in a situation like that? I, for one, have no idea, so I simply settle for nodding and showing that I at least try to show my condolences – for what they're worth.

 **Your relationship with Panne has improved!**

* * *

"I'm still surprised how well it all worked out back there." Robin muses back in our tent. "Not only did we help some townsfolk get rid of a local tyrant, we managed to find Lucina's sister and even got valuable information on the Valmese army. If things continue at this rate, our incoming campaign may become easier than expected." She sighs. "Which would be for the best. The last war we were in was exhausting."

I nod. "Oh, I remember. Even when you tried to put up a strong front, you worked yourself to the bone. I'm still amazed you only collapsed once during preparations due to overworking."

Robin rubs her temples. "Please don't remind me. That was one of my weaker moments."

I place a hand on her shoulder. "No, not weakness. You simply forgot about yourself in your commitment to help Ylisse in a war. You're one of the most dependable people I know, Robin. No one who knows you would ever blame you for straining under the workload you carry every day, least of all me. I've said it before, and I'll say it again; I will support you every step of the way, in any way I can. That way, you'll always have someone to depend on, just like this army always depends on you."

Robin smiles. "Thank you, Jack." Then she turns back to the map she's laid out on her desk. "During our last war room meeting, you told me the route I have planned for us to travel back to Port Ferox passes by several points which the squirrels reported that interesting people are located in. Seeing as we found such an important ally in Severa when we followed that route, I think we should try out more of those places. Where should we head next?"

I study the map carefully. If I remember correctly, there's an important town south of our travel route. I eventually find it on the map and put my finger on it. "This town. It shouldn't be too far off our path, and I know for sure that's the next point of interest."

Robin nods and jots down a few words in her notebook. To this day, she remains secretive about what she writes in there, no matter how much I try to pry her secrets open. One time, she said, and I quote: "So long as you keep secrets for me, Jack, I keep secrets from you. It's only fair, wouldn't you say?"

I can't really argue with that logic, especially not when she bats her eyelashes at me like when she did that time.

I'm a sucker for my wife's feminine wiles.

Robin rises from her chair and stretches her body. A satisfied sigh escapes her lips as she relaxes. "Phew. That should be everything we need before tomorrow's march. I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted."

I nod. "Yeah, it's getting pretty late. Might as well get some extra sleep."

Decisions made, we both strip down to our shirts and pants before we wiggle into our shared bedroll. A few turns on the knob, and the lantern goes out. In the dark of the approaching night, Robin snuggles up to me.

"Love you." she mumbles tiredly.

I kiss her on the forehead. "Love you back – with all my heart."

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: The next morning**_

The convoy's traveled quite some distance since we broke camp this morning. If I read the map right, we should be reaching a fork in the road pretty soon. Right on cue, I notice a bush near the road rustle. A squirrel carrying what looks like a paddle wrapped in leaves appears before me.

I crouch down in front of the small critter. "Good morning, Kisame. So you're my guide for this location?"

Kisame nods (with what looks like some kind of grin). " _Indeed I am, Jack. I was hoping you would pass by soon._ "

I signal for the rest of our convoy to follow my lead. After Robin and I decided on the traveling plans last night, she informed the others that I may give this very signal in case one of the reported locations Itachi and co. scoped out would be nearby.

I hand Kisame a nut, in case he would ask for one down the road. "All right, lead the way."

Kisame gobbles down the treat in record time. " _My thanks. Now, please follow me._ "

As we travel down the road, Severa sidles up to me. "Jack-sensei, do you think we'll find more of mine and Lucina's comrades along the road?"

I nod. "I have good reason to believe we'll find them. See the squirrel leading our way? That's how we found you."

Severa gives the critter another look. "Huh. And here I thought you were just having an eccentric moment whenever someone told me you talk to squirrels. They seem more capable than I thought."

I smile knowingly. "You don't even know half of it."

About half an hour later, we spot a town in the distance.

"That's the place, everyone!" I shout behind me. "We might as well stock up on provisions while we're there!"

"Wonderful!" Stahl exclaims happily. "I'm starting to run out of ingredients for my stews."

Turns out shopping has to wait. We barely clear the outer parts of the town when we note two armies at a standoff among the buildings. On one side are mainly heavily armored infantrymen led by a General. On the other, just about every single one in their ranks sits on a mount. A Paladin leads that group.

* * *

 **Gyral Lvl 45 Class: General**

 **Dalen Lvl 45 Class: Paladin**

* * *

"Turn around and get lost, swine! This land belongs to the Stonewall Knights!" Gyral growls. "If you need a second notice, I'll write it down on your men's corpses!"

Dalen sneers. "Ya-har! A pile of corpses could _still_ outfight you sorry lot! This is _our_ territory, and no one gives orders to the Riders of Dawn!"

As both commanders stick to hurling insults at each other, Chrom rubs his chin. "What do you make of that?"

"Mercenaries, from the look." Frederick assesses. "Rival bands squabbling over some petty matter. A common enough sight in these dark times, milord. But if it comes to bloodletting, the nearby villages will pay for it."

Chrom scowls at the increasingly heated shouting match. "Then let's make sure it doesn't."

At that moment, Gyral slams his armored foot on the ground. "Stick 'em full'a holes, boys!"

Dalen has his horse rear back on its rear hooves. "Time to fertilize the fields, soldiers!"

Chrom facepalms. "Well, diplomacy is probably out."

Frederick nods. "Seems the best option is to end the fighting as quickly as possible. Allying ourselves with one side or the other would certainly expedite things."

"A band of riders or a band of knights…" Chrom muses. "Time to make our choice."

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: Rival bands**  
 _A turf war between two bands of mercenaries is about to get violent. With diplomacy crossed off the list of options, the next best is to end the fighting as soon as possible. In fact, joining forces with one side could put an end to the violence faster than letting both sides duke it out. The question remains; Which side do you choose?_  
 **Objective:** _Join forces with one band, and defeat the opposing one._  
 **Rewards:** _10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _20 000 EXP, 20 000 gold_

* * *

I notice that Kisame left some time ago, meaning we should be at the place he wanted to lead me to. That means the person we're looking for should be somewhere nearby. I squint as I scan the assembled mercenaries. If I remember correctly, he should be among the knights.

* * *

 **Yarne Lvl 27 Class: Taguel**

* * *

Aha! Found him! Based on the circumstances, things should be the easiest if we side with the knights, as that would technically make Yarne our ally before Panne can recruit him officially. Then again, I'm not the one to decide which side to pick. I do, however, nudge Panne on the arm.

"Something you wish to tell me, Jack?" the taguel asks.

"You told me yesterday that you're the last taguel alive." I point at Yarne. "If that's the case, what do you make of _him_?"

Panne follows the direction my finger points in. Her eyes widen in shock as she spots Yarne. "Wha- But how?!"

"Something the matter, Panne?" Stahl asks concerned.

Panne points at Yarne. "Stahl, I have often told you that I am the last of my race. And yet, there is one more standing over there among those mercenaries."

Stahl has a similar reaction when he spots the male taguel. "What the- Do you mean to tell me you had a living relative all this time?!"

Panne shakes her head. "If I did, I was not aware of it." Her gaze sharpens. "Whatever the case, I _must_ speak to him."

"Everyone ready?" Robin asks us as a whole. Nods are our reply through our ranks. Our weapons are raised, spell tomes are held tightly, and our mounts are ready to take off at a moment's notice. Robin nods back. "Good. Then let's go."

Both mercenary bands pick up on our approach.

Gyral is the first to greet us. "More sellswords? Ha! Your timing is right impeccable. I'll buy your steel and see you're well compensated for the trouble!"

Chrom turns to Robin. "Well, Robin? Shall we back the knights?"

Robin stands stock-still with her eyes closed. She eventually opens them with her face set in determination.

"No." is her answer.

Naturally, this earns us the ire of the knight band. Yarne throws us a glance, but quickly returns to sizing up the riders. He _does_ do a quick double take, however, after his gaze falls on Panne.

Dalen picks up on Robin's answer in a flash. "Ya-har! There's a sensible lass!" The Paladin stretches out his hand in an offering gesture. "Come fight with us instead! I'll pay you twice what that fool would!"

"Stay out of this, you pony prattler!" Gyral shouts from the other side of the soon-to-be battlefield. "If they have no intention of backing the mighty Stonewall Knights, they're better off being on their way!"

Dalen scoffs. "That simply means they realize the superior might of the Dawn Riders, you overweight buffoon! Let them go as they please! We both know these soldiers will make the wiser choice in the end – and that is siding with us!"

"Humph! You and what army? All I see is a bunch of pansies thinking they're great because they sit on high horses!"

"The reason that is all you see is because of how small of a man you are!"

As the insults fly between both sides anew, Chrom gives Robin an apprehensive look. "See if I understand this correctly, Robin. We side with neither band? Which means we fight them both?"

Nowi pulls at my robes. "Jack, Robin doesn't seriously consider that option, does she?"

I take a closer look at Robin. It's rare to see her this determined. "Judging from what I can see, it seems to be the case."

"I don't believe it!" the manakete whispers exasperated. "She's become just as crazy and reckless as you are!"

I give her a raised eyebrow. "Well, we've been married for about a year now. Some of our personality traits were bound to rub off on the other sooner or later." I place a hand under my chin. "Though I think it has more to do with Robin having a plan. Robin _always_ has a plan."

Chrom rubs his temples. "I should have known you'd go for that. Jack's rubbed off on you, hasn't he? Are you sure about this? There may be more of them hiding nearby, you know."

Robin scowls at the mercenaries getting ready to fight. "Yes, I considered that as well, Chrom. But this is about more than just ending one battle as fast as possible. Say we side with one band and end it quickly. What happens after that? We continue our trek back to Port Ferox, and the victors head towards their next battle. These are _mercenaries_ , Chrom. While there are definitely some who have a sense of honor, Gregor being a good example, sellswords in general let their purses guide them. What's to stop the winning side from sacking villages that supported their rivals? Or take over villages who support neither? If we let one side continue like this, chances are we will have another incident like with Nelson in just a few short months, while we are busy waging war in Valm." Robin shakes her head. "I cannot in good conscience leave things like that. As Shepherds, our main mission is to protect those who cannot protect themselves. If that means we have to fight both mercenary bands at the same time, then so be it."

Robin turns back to address both Gyral and Dalen. "We refuse both of your offers! We will fight, but our battle won't end until both of you have been defeated! It's high time you learned that there is more to fight for than just mere territory!"

Dalen growls. "And here I thought you a sensible one. Do you honestly think you can match our combined might?!"

Gyral points his axe at her. "There's a good reason we're the only mercenary bands around these parts. Any and every other mercenary band who stood in our way either surrendered and joined our ranks, or were wiped out to the last man."

As both commanders rally their forces, more of their numbers join their sides, all directing their less-than-friendly gazes at us.

I throw my arms into the air in frustration. "Oh, come ON! Less than a minute ago, you two were ready to tear each other apart. But the moment a third group of soldiers passes through the area and refuses to side with either of you, you simply put your differences aside to wipe out said third party?! You morons _suck_!"

 **Taunt successful!**

Huh. Even though I've been on the receiving end of much murderous intent during my travels through the Outrealms, the amount of killing intent directed towards me from both mercenary bands is enough to increase the level of Detect Bloodlust by 1. Guess I struck a nerve. I idly note Severa hug Lucina tight and cry about something that sounds like "crazy teachers and their even crazier tactician wives".

Robin gives Chrom a smirk. "You didn't think I'd just challenge two enemy bands without a strategy, did you? I already have one in mind."

Chrom sighs. " _Finally_ some good news." The sound on Falchion leaving its sheath rings throughout our ranks, which serves as a signal for us to get ready for battle. "So be it. Shepherds! To arms!"

 **BGM: Mysterious Project (SP version), Project X Zone music**

Robin turns to me. "Jack, we'll handle the knights. Can you handle the riders?"

A predatory grin splits my face. "Consider it done, honey!"

I look back at our ranks. Let's see…

"Lon'qu, Cherche, Miriel, Kellam, Gaius, Tharja, Severa, Gregor, Lissa, Henry, Nowi, Donnel, Libra, with me!"

The Shepherds in question nod and gather close to me.

"If we can contain them in the forest, they won't be able to use their full mobility. Use the trees as cover and flank them before they can find enough space to move effectively!" I shout as I draw Harvest Moon and rush into the forest.

A few dozen paces in, we meet our first adversaries in a Bow Knight and a Valkyrie. The Bow Knight nocks an arrow and aims for Libra. The War Monk dodges behind a tree before he runs out from cover to face an incoming Paladin.

Miriel is locked into spell-slinging combat with the Valkyrie. The two spellcasters match each other spell for spell, until the Valkyrie's horse rears back startled. What the Valkyrie doesn't realize is that Kellam snuck up form behind and jumped on the horse. Then he uses the mare as a springboard to get up in the trees. At the same time, Miriel scores a direct hit with an Arcthunder spell that slams the Valkyrie into a nearby tree and out of the fight.

The Bow Knight rides from tree to tree while trying to snipe us from between trunks. Good thing we can use the same cover more effectively, considering how dense the forest is.

"Timber!"

The Bow Knight looks in front of him and screams in terror as a massive tree comes tipping down on him. He manages to dodge the falling tree in time, but by the time he regains his bearings, Donnel is already upon him and slices him in two.

"Did you really have to chop down the whole tree, Donnel?" Nowi asks upset.

The Fighter shrugs. "I dunno, it jus' felt right. Like fellin' that tree would send 'im flyin' over the yonder."

Don't think of the Smash Villager, don't think of the Smash Villager, DON'T THINK OF THE SMASH VILLAGER!

I take a deep breath, and exhale. I am _this_ close to show symptoms of tree-induced PTSD, and Donnel's not helping!

"There they are!"

Dozens more of the riders approach us through the woods. We're once again saved by the fact that mounted units have a hard time moving around in dense forests, simply because horses aren't good at maneuvering between the trees as effectively as, say, open plains. Why else would I pick the ones I chose to join me on this front? Everyone else is either too closely tied to Chrom to separate from him voluntarily, is a rider themselves, or is married to one.

"Gawds, the just keep coming." Severa says as she gets ready to engage.

"And there's more to come." I reply. "Just be careful with your fire, or you could set the whole forest ablaze."

"Is that why you trained me in fighting without my fire magic?"

"Not really, but this should make for great training."

"Only you would be crazy enough to consider a real fight as a form of training! Well, you and a certain pair of training nuts that you took under your wing."

"If it makes you stronger, it counts as training." I stack Reinforcement to the max and step closer to Severa. "Get ready. Make sure to pay attention to where the trees are, or they could get in the way of your swings."

"Okay, already! Sheesh, you don't have to make this another lecture!"

We rush in with Henry and Tharja providing covering fire from the sides. Our focused assault forces the riders' advance to a halt. A Paladin stabs at me with a Silver Sword. A quick sidestep and parry makes the blade slip to my left instead. I jump into the brief opening and swing at his neck. The Paladin leans to the side, making my swing knock off his helmet instead of cleaving his neck. I land briefly on the ground before I spring back and swing downwards.

*Shing!*

Hah! Silver Swords may be good, but that somewhat generic piece of metal can't hold a candle to my prized blade! The Paladin learns this too upon seeing his Silver Sword split in two, while he himself collapses from a deep wound running straight down the left side of his torso.

Severa lunges straight for a Valkyrie. The spell-wielding rider responds with an Arcfire spell, but finds her efforts fruitless as Severa simply stabs the spell and makes the mana-fueled fire coil around Laevateinn instead.

*Shing! Fwoom!*

The Valkyrie screams as the cut sets her entire body on fire from the very flames she conjured.

"That doesn't count as me using magic, right?" Severa asks.

I shrug. "No, but you might want to watch out for any flames you may have spread."

Severa raises an eyebrow before she smells smoke. Her eyes widen upon seeing a nearby bush set on fire from her previous engagement.

A slap on the ground, and I have a wave of dirt cover the burning bush and smother the flames before they can spread.

"Good thing it didn't spread too far." I mutter before turning to see how the rest are faring. Severa blushes at her mistake and looks like she wants to yell something, but she holds her tongue.

More riders still try to pin us down. I think I'm starting to share Severa's sentiment. Seriously, they have _a lot_ of riders in their ranks.

Lissa and Gregor raise their respective weapons. As the riders get close, Gregor lunges forward.

"Attack!"

A Bow Knight swings at Gregor, but to the Hero's surprise, that slash was only a distraction. A Paladin rides in moments later with the intent to impale Gregor on a Silver Lance. Gregor buckles down and parries the stab with his arm guard before retaliating with brutal swings. The Paladin manages to stand his ground, but quickly gets overwhelmed by Gregor's tricky and agile swordplay. His eyes widen as his horse bumps against a tree trunk. That moment of distraction costs him dearly, as Gregor's next slash sends him right off his horse.

"Who wants seconds?" *Thunk!*

Ah, I was wondering where Gaius went. Turns out the Assassin climbed the trees as fast as he could and tried to find a good sniping spot to harass the riders. The arrow sticking out of the now dead Paladin's head means he's found a good spot.

Gregor shoves a thumbs-up into the air. "Many thanks."

That triumph is short-lived as another Paladin finally finds a clear path between the trees and makes a full-frontal assault on Gregor. The Hero gets ready for the clash.

*Shing! Wham!*

Except the clash doesn't come, as Libra and Lissa jump out from behind a pair of trees and nail the surprised rider with their respective weapons. Libra's axe sends him off his horse, and Lissa's hammer sends him right into a tree. Judging by how his back bends along the circumference of the trunk, he's dead.

Lissa gives the War Monk a thumbs-up. "Nice save!"

Libra, in turn, bows gracefully. "Bless you."

A quick scan of our immediate surroundings reveal that no riders are around for now. I jog ahead and wave the others to me.

"Let's push ahead. I'll alert you if any more riders come our way."

Though I wonder were the final two of our party went. Considering Cherche can fly Minerva over the trees, chances are she's gone ahead with Lon'qu close behind. Lon'qu, you'd better cut down any archers and wind-element spellcasters who get any funny ideas the moment they spot Cherche.

*Screech! Shing!*

Well, what do you know… Cherche managed to stay within the tree line. And now Minerva swings around her tail while Cherche sits on top and swings her axe at any rider who gets too close. Even crazier is that Lon'qu stays surprisingly in sync with the wyvern and not only jumps over the spiked tail whenever Minerva swings it, but he even uses the tail as an occasional springboard for some insane acrobatics before he lunges directly for incoming riders.

Eat your heart out, Chrom. My lieutenant is more badass than yours. Not that Frederick is lame. Just…less badass.

A sudden Elwind spell detonates right behind Minerva, making the wyvern flip end over end through the air and Cherche to lose her grip on her trusty mount. A trio of Valkyries ride on from the flank, all of them holding wind tomes. Drat! Lon'qu can only handle one of them!

*Flash!* " **You big bully!** "

Nowi barrels right through the trees and blindsides one of the Valkyries with a ram on her flank. With the momentary distraction catching the other two Valkyries' attention, I sprint ahead and catch up with Lon'qu.

* * *

 **Union Strike: Swords Dance**

"Lon'qu!"

"Prepare yourself."

We both clear the remaining distance between the remaining Valkyries in a burst of speed. I slip right in between the Valkyries while I land a quick slash on the right one's abdomen. A split-second later, Lon'qu attacks from the front with both his swords drawn by jumping and spinning with both swords like a bladed top.

From that position, we zip around our enemies in sync, always staying on opposite sides as we deliver slash after slash. If I go clockwise, Lon'qu does the same. If I attack high, Lon'qu goes low. If I slip between the enemy units, I align Harvest Moon to let Lon'qu jump on the blade to the other side.

A dozen coordinated slashes later, Lon'qu and I stand back-to-back in crouched stances.

"Try to keep up."

"Challenge accepted."

We take it up a notch by going even faster. At this point, we don't care about syncing up – we just go as fast as we can, with our two enemies locked in-between. Any wounds they sustained during our first assault pales in comparison to the absolute shredding we deliver with the next one, be it on themselves or on their horses.

We both skid to a stop on opposite sides of the enemies once more. I flip Harvest Moon in a reverse grip. "You're right where we want you!"

Lon'qu crosses his arms in front of his chest. "I'll make this quick."

*SHING!*

Our positions invert in the blink of an eye. One second later, the Valkyries slowly fall apart in neatly sliced pieces. The horses follow suit after the Valkyries are done.

Lon'qu flicks some blood of his blades while he smirks at me. "Huh. Not half bad."

I grin in return. "Hah! We were AWESOME!"

* * *

"Wow! How did you two do that?" Henry asks excited.

I grin at the Dark Mage. "Lots of practice, sparring, and a relationship built on friendship and trust."

Henry rubs his chin before he snaps his fingers while the proverbial candle lights up over his head. He turns to Lissa. "Hey, Lissa! Let's do that too! That looks fun!"

"Absolutely not!" the War Cleric replies sternly. "Don't even think about attempting that until we manage to develop some good teamwork! The only reason why Jack can do that kind of stuff is because he's the only one crazy enough to even try."

"But I'm crazy too!"

"And I'm your voice of reason, and I say "No"!"

Henry deflates. "Aw…"

Cherche clears her throat. "*Ahem* If you two are done with your little discussion, I would prefer if you got ready for the next wave of riders. Minerva tells me it's only a matter of moments before they reach us."

The tome in Tharja's hand starts floating above her palm. "Hee hee hee. Wonderful. I'm still not satisfied with today's killing spree yet."

Severa takes a few steps in my direction. "Jack-sensei, I never thought I'd say this, but the more time I spend in this army, the more I'm convinced that you're _not_ the craziest person around."

I pat her on the head (much to her annoyance). "Oh, that's because everyone is quirky in their own way. See, Tharja and Henry are more along the killing variant of crazy, while I emphasize the daredevil kind."

"I'd say it's more like the sadistic version."

"Hey, I'm only a sadist if the other person deserves it."

"Like your stunningly beautiful student?! For shame, Sensei!"

I give Severa a flat look. "Yeah, way to inflate your ego, Severa."

"There they are! Attack!"

We turn our heads and spot the next wave of riders approach us through the woods. Welp, back to kicking the ever-loving snot out of some cavalry.

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

Phew. Taking the rest of the riders out took a bit more time than I thought. Our party took a few hard hits, Cherche and Minerva in particular due to them constantly fighting on the front. It's a good thing wyverns and their riders are so resilient against physical attacks, or Cherche might be a goner at this point. That, and Lissa and Libra showed some impressive teamwork in healing any wounds we sustained.

There's one thing that bothers me, though. For all the riders we fought in the forest, we never caught a single glimpse of Dalen. Where in the world did the leader of those riders go?

Seeing as the woods seem cleared, I direct the others towards the nearby town to reunite with Robin and the rest of our crew. We just arrive at the gates when we discover that the fighting is still in full swing.

*Krang! Bam!*

I look to my left and see a General slumped against the town's wall. The massive dent in the stonework indicates that he got hit by an insanely powerful impact. Frederick?

"Hey, there you are, Master Jack. Am I glad to see you."

I blink at the greeting. I turn my head in the direction it came from and spot Yarne, grinning happily and rolling his right arm.

I do a double take at the General. Then back at Yarne. I point at the armored knight. "Was that you?"

"Sure was." Yarne replies cheerfully. "It's been a while since I got to cut loose."

Whoa, whoa, wait! I thought Yarne was the resident coward! What's with the lack of fright?! More importantly:

"I was under the impression that you were on _their_ side." I comment with a raised eyebrow.

Yarne shrugs. "Meh, it was just temporary. After I met a few interesting people, I changed my mind and joined up with you instead." The taguel waves towards my companions. "Hey, Severa! I met Lucina a while ago. Sounds like you're gathering the team again. This is great!"

"Yeah, sure…" Severa mutters indifferently with her arms crossed. "At least _someone's_ enthusiastic about it."

"Huh? What's the deal? I thought you'd be happy to see your old friends again."

"For the record, we're _not_ friends!" Severa snarls. "We're just…" she gradually averts her eyes as a blush creeps up her cheeks. "…you know… allies by necessity and all that."

Yarne walks up and slaps Severa on the back. "Yeah, that's the Severa I know. Glad to have you back!"

"I joined up before you, you buffoon! Don't make it sound like you got in first!"

Yarne's good mood stays undeterred. "Heh. Just like old times."

Severa looks like she's is about to erupt in flam- Oh, wait. That's just her manipulating fire unconsciously. She reigns it in with a "Humph!" and walks away while she throws some hair over her shoulder.

I give Yarne a raised eyebrow. "Were you always like that?"

The male taguel shrugs. "More or less. In fact, I think this is the liveliest I've seen her in weeks, even before we began our trip here."

I'm still surprised over how bold Yarne is. This guy is supposed to be scared of just about anything, for the simple reason that he sees almost anything as an incident that could wipe out his race (i.e. him). That, and the fact that he seemingly sent a General flying with his bare hands.

Hmm… That's an interesting character profile. Never expected his training to make him take after _that_ man, of all characters.

"Jack, there you are." I hear Stahl call out. The Great Knight rides in from my left. "Did you finish off the riders?"

I nod. "Well, most of them, I think, but we couldn't find their leader in the woods." I rub my chin. "Wherever he went, it must've been out of the forest."

Stahl nods. "Well, we can worry about him later. The others should be done with the knights soon. Let's meet up with them."

"Sounds good. Lead the way, Stahl."

By the time we arrive, Robin and co defeat the last of the knights. All that remains is their leader, Gyral.

The General backs away slightly upon seeing the complete defeat of his band. Nevertheless, he buckles down and slams his shield into the ground. He wants to go down fighting? Fine by me. The General remains like that, until he glances our way and spots Yarne.

"You…" Gyral growls and brandishes his Tomahawk against Yarne. "You traitor! We allowed you to travel with us! We gave you food and shelter! And how do you repay us? By abandoning us for some other group of soldiers traveling by?! I'll show you how we deal with traitors!"

Yarne shrugs uncaring. "Meh, I could do without all that stuff. I've slept better outside than on those things you call bedrolls. And those portions were horribly measly."

"Your stomach's a bottomless pit! At the rate you kept eating, we'd run out of food in a matter of weeks!"

Yarne smiles. "Well, at least it was good. Thanks for that."

A vein on Gyral's forehead throbs with alarming pressure. "Not only do you repay our hospitality with betrayal, you even have the nerve to mock us for it… That's it, I'm taking you down first! And the rest of your new friends are next!"

"Now, don't be so hasty!" someone calls out from behind a few houses. Dalen rides onto the town plaza on his horse, visibly displeased.

The Paladin points his Spear in our direction. "I found it strange that none of my soldiers reported in, even when it was clear the battle had started. And by the time I find them, I realize that they've all been wounded or even killed! I will not stand for this!"

"So, you've got a beef with this lot too, huh?" Gyral asks his rival.

"Yes." Dalen hisses. "And I will take great pleasure in impaling them where they stand. They will rue the day they crossed into my territory."

"You mean _our_ territory."

Yarne punches his fists together as he approaches the two mercenary leaders with a grin. "So, you two wanna fight? I'm all for it. Bring it on."

"I will skin you alive and see if I can have you for a fur coat." Gyral growls.

"Hold." Dalen interjects. "I too wish to join the hunt. I shall savor the moment I run my spear through his pathetic hide."

"They're both fighting him at the same time?!" Severa asks shocked. "Sensei, Yarne may be strong, but those two are too much for him on his own!"

"Then it's a good thing he's _not_ fighting alone." I reply as I stab Harvest Moon into the ground.

"Huh?"

A deft swipe pulls my robe off my body. The chainmail and black clothes worn underneath are shown to the world. "Hold my robe, Nowi."

The manakete catches the purple clothing I throw at her with a shocked expression. She blinks a few times. "Did I miss something? And since when am I Jack's maid?"

"Hey!" I call out as I walk up beside Yarne and crack my knuckles. "You two think I'm just going to let you gang up on our newest recruit? Let's make it more interesting, shall we? Us two against whatever you can muster at this point."

Yarne looks at me in surprise. "You're fighting too, Master?"

I smile at him. "Hey, it's only fair. Besides, judging by the way you address me, I have every reason to see what you're capable of."

The taguel grins back. "Heh. Never thought I'd live to see the day when we team up. I'll meet your expectations, you'll see."

I nod. "Something tells me you already have."

"I'm not one to join forces with a foe…" Gyral growls. He slams his armored foot on the ground. "…but if that's what it takes to get rid of you, I'll even lend my steel to those blasted riders! No matter what you try, you'll never breach the impenetrable strength of the Stonewall Knights!"

"Humph! It is _I_ who lends my strength for this cause." Dalen adds. "I care not if I must swallow my pride. If that's what it takes to claim these lands, then so be it. Struggle all you want, but you'll never stop the unending march of the Dawn Riders!"

I roll my eyes as Yarne and I crouch into combat stances. "Oh, sure. You hate each other's guts, but you'll gladly team up if you think you can't win against a third party. You two are just ridiculous."

 **BGM: Ultimate battle (official guitar version), Dragon Ball Super OST**

Yarne and I dash straight towards our opponents with our fists reared back.

"Rrrah!" *Krang!*

Fists meet shields as we make contact with out opponents. Yarne against Gyral, and me against Dalen. I lean sideways to avoid his Spear. Then I deflect it to the right with a deft swipe with the hand, pivot on my left, and send a snap kick against Dalen's torso. Dalen intercepts with his shield again and then maneuvers his horse into gallop. He makes a quick circle around the plaza before he commands his horse to rush straight at me. I smirk and crouch in a stance. Wait for it. Wait for it…

Right as Dalen thrusts his Spear at me, I jump straight up with assistance of Gale Step, then I angle a Gale Step upwards to send myself back down. I flip in midair and send an axe kick right at the Paladin's head.

*Krang!*

The sound of my foot against the sturdy shield rings throughout the plaza. Before I can follow up, Dalen has already ridden out of my melee range.

He's trained that horse well. If I want to line up a good shot, I'll need to get him off the mount first. Now to figure out how to do that.

While Dalen circles me carefully, I sneak a glance at how Yarne's faring against Gyral.

"Da da da da da da-"

Dang, those fists come in _fast_. Yarne's arms are practically blurs as he rains down punches on Gyral's shield, to the point that the General gets pushed back by the intense onslaught. There's a momentary lull in Yarne's offensive, and Gyral capitalizes on it with a swing of his shield arm to get some space. Right afterwards, he swings his Tomahawk right at Yarne's mid-section. The taguel jumps over the swing and retaliates with a snap kick. Gyral blocks and attempts a shot at the airborne taguel, only for Yarne to kick off the shield with his second foot and lunge right back in with a punch backed with a battle cry. Gyral intercepts with his shield, then replies with a rising swing. From there, their showdown turns into a back and forth of offense and defense, with Gyral blocking with his shield while Yarne dodges with nimble moves.

"Never let your eyes off your enemy!" Dalen shouts as the hooves of his horse thunders into my ears.

I send the Paladin an annoyed glare and run right at him. "I've fought stronger foes."

As we get close, I send a dive kick right at his face. Even as his shield blocks the blow, the force almost knocks Dalen off his saddle.

Wait, that's it!

Dalen rides another turn before he makes another attack run against me. In response, I Gale Step to the side and then lunge for a left hook – or so I want Dalen to think. As predicted, the Paladin raises his shield to block the blow.

So instead of following through with a punch, I grab hold of the shield with one hand and his arm with the other. Then I place both feet on the side of his horse, and PULL!

"Ooorah!"

The unexpected move catches Dalen off-guard, allowing me to pull him off his mount and throw him at Gyral.

Said General gets blindsided when his rival crashes right into his armor and bounces off to the side. That momentary distraction gives Yarne the opening for a corkscrew punch right in his face.

"Switch!" I shout to Yarne as I sprint towards Gyral.

Yarne grins and moves to engage Dalen, who just got up and looks notably pissed over being pulled off his horse and thrown like a ragdoll.

Meanwhile, I get up close and personal with Gyral. I quickly get in range and start throwing jabs at him. The General blocks the hits easily enough, but I manage to deter any counterattacks by switching my rhythm every now and then.

That shield of his is a big pain. With a hunk of metal that big between us, lining up a good shot at him will be difficult. I need to catch him when his grip on the shield is weak.

I take a step back and let Gyral approach me. Taking my retreat as an opening, the General comes in with his Tomahawk in full swing. Duck, sidestep, weave, jump. Heh. For all the protection his armor grants him, all that metal must weigh a lot too. With moves that slow, reading his next attack is easy, and it only gets easier as he keeps the same pace. Now to find the perfect opening…

There!

I slip to the right as Gyral brings down his Tomahawk for another brutal overhead swing. As the axe hits the ground, I pivot on my right leg. Gyral immediately brings in his shield to intercept the incoming kick.

Too bad for him I'm not aiming straight. Instead, I extend my leg mid-pivot and launch a hook kick instead.

"Hee-yah!" *Krang!*

My leg strikes the side of the shield with enough momentum to send it flying out of Gyral's grip. While the General is busy gawking at the maneuver, I switch my body weight to my left leg and bring in my other for a follow-up kick right to his temple.

At the same time, Yarne slips into Dalen's guard and sends an elbow into the Paladin's face. Then he grabs the stunned rider's arm and throws him back at Gyral.

"Let's finish this!" I shout as I summon two clones and rush the two commanders. Yarne crouches and cups his hands by the side of his body.

"Ka… Me…"

Mana swirls to life in the space between his palms. The shining sphere that forms gives off a high-pitched hum of power.

My clones knock Gyral and Dalen around like pinballs while I crouch and rear back my arm for a Hurricane Fist. Wind mana builds up around my body until a miniature tornado forms around me.

"Ha… Me…"

My clones throw both mercenary leaders at me. Time to take a leaf out of Ryu's book.

"Shoryuken!"

My fist makes contact with Gyral's torso with enough force to send both him and Dalen into the air. I turn to Yarne.

"Now!"

"HAAAAA!"

Yarne launches a massive wave of mana that engulfs both mercenary leaders in a matter of seconds. By the time the dust settles, no trace is left of either of them.

 **Gyral has been obliterated! Dalen has been obliterated!**

 **Yarne has leveled up!**

 **BGM ends**

Yarne places his hands on his knees and pants for air. "Phew! That move still takes a lot out of me. I need more training."

The other Shepherds gape at Yarne in shock.

"He wants even more training after _that_?!" Severa shouts exasperated. "If that doesn't make him as crazy as Jack-sensei, I don't know what does!"

* * *

"The fighting is over, milord." Frederick reports. "That should spare the villages from any further damage."

Chrom sighs in relief. "Good. Though I still don't understand why they had to fight in the first place."

"Competition, milord. A sad consequence of this war. Farm the land, and your fields are pillaged. Open a shop, and your goods are stolen." Frederick frowns. "It's little wonder men take up steel and become mercenaries…or worse. There's only so much gold to go around, and so they fight for dominance."

"Seems they'll continue to do so until it's safe to be a farmer or merchant again." Chrom muses. A scowl grows on his face. "All the more reason for us to end things as quickly as possible."

Frederick nods sagely. "Well put, milord. Shall we be on our way?"

As we pack everything back into our convoy, some of the townspeople approach us with a small cart in tow.

One of them steps up to Chrom smiling. "We're relieved to be rid of the lot of 'em! No better than brigands, they were. You have our thanks, sir. Please accept this as a token of our gratitude."

Lissa takes a look into the contents carried in the cart. There's cloth, sturdy wood, some tools, food that will last for a long time, all sorts of supplies that will be useful for traveling. Oh, and there's a bag containing gold as well. Severa, I know you're eyeing that bag with less-than-pure intent.

"Chrom, this is amazing! This stuff should help us patch things up in camp if anything ever gets broken!" Lissa exclaims happily.

Chrom nods to the villager. "You're very kind. Thank you."

The villager shakes his head. "No, it's we who should thank _you_ for your kindness. Hopefully, we can finally return to a peaceful life here, now that those two bands won't come around and wreck things in their squabbling again."

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: Rival bands**  
 _With the fighting over, peace should return to the area. However, judging by Frederick's remark about competition for gold, this could be far from the only region marred by the conflicts of rivaling mercenary bands. Only by ending the incoming war can the grip of violence on the lands and townspeople weaken and eventually vanish. If you want peace, be ready for war._  
 **Objective:** _Join forces with one band, and defeat the opposing one._  
 **Objective not** **met! See Bonus objective for more information.** _  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Refuse to side with either band, and defeat both on your own.  
_ **Bonus objective cleared! Note: This counts as clearing this quest.  
Bonus rewards: **_You gain 20 000 EXP! You gain 20 000 gold!_

* * *

 **BGM: Reunited, Undertale music**

Panne approaches Yarne as we get ready to continue our travel.

"You."

The male taguel turns surprised. "Huh? Oh, it's you. Did you need something?"

"What is your name?" Panne asks.

"Yarne. Don't you remember? You're the one who gave it to me."

A smirk grows on Panne's lips. "…So you truly are my child?"

Yarne scratches the side of his face. "Um, I'm a taguel, right? I kind of have to be."

Panne's smirk turns into an affectionate smile. "I suppose blood does not lie. I am pleased to see you, my son. You represent a new hope for our race."

Yarne gives his mother a flat look. "No pressure there…"

"You are living proof that man and taguel can coexist." Panne continues undeterred.

Yarne shrugs. "Hey, I didn't do anything special. I was just born. You're the one who proved all that bridging-the-gap stuff. You're the one who married a human." A grin blooms on his face. "Er, thanks for doing that, by the way. Even if I can't take credit for it, I'm proud of my heritage. Besides, I couldn't imagine having a better father than the man you married."

I notice Stahl freeze in the middle of loading a crate into a cart to look at the conversing taguel. His face gets covered by a beaming smile. Wow… I can't ever recall the guy smiling that brightly. Not sure if he ever planned to raise a family, but lo and behold, his and Panne's son stand there in broad daylight, showing the wonderful promise that the future holds.

"It gladdens me to see my son value pride…" Panne replies in approval. She takes his hand in hers and closes it into a fist. "May you keep it always."

As we continue on our way, Panne approaches me.

"Jack."

"Hm? You need anything, Panne?"

"My son told me you were the one who instructed him in how to fend for himself in the future. Thanks to you, my son has grown strong."

I shrug. "To be fair, that was my future self who did it, not me."

Panne shakes her head. "Nevertheless, you are the reason my son has grown to be what he is today. This is more than just a mere family matter. Because I can see how strong my son has grown, I can finally rest easy knowing that my race has a future – be it in a warren far from any human settlement, or amongst you humans like one of your own." Panne smiles brighter than I ever recall her doing before. "It's almost…as if the pain of losing my warren all those years ago has finally dulled. The memories are still there, but the pain is gone. I believe I can finally move on. Thanks to you and Stahl, I have learned to trust humans again."

I raise an eyebrow. "That's great and all, but I still fail to see how much credit I should have. My future self may have trained Yarne, but everything he did in that battle, and the way he's grown to this point, is all him. I'm his teacher, Panne, not his parent. That honor belongs to you and Stahl."

"An honor we'll uphold proudly." Stahl interjects as he joins us. "What Panne's basically trying to say is thank you for pointing Yarne in the right direction. We're both aware that the main reason he got where he is now is because of his own effort, but if you never helped him get started in the future, who knows where he'd be?"

He'd probably run for the hills the moment he realized we're headed off to a campaign against one of the biggest, if not _the_ biggest, empire of the world.

Stahl stretches out his hand. "So I'd like to thank you on behalf of my whole family – Yarne included."

Shrugging, I accept the handshake with a smile. "You're welcome, Stahl. Both you and Panne."

 **Your relationship with Panne has advanced! Your relationship with Panne is now "Trusted!"**

 **Your relationship with Stahl has advanced! Your relationship with Stahl is now "Trusted!"**

 **To be continued (BGM ends)**

* * *

 **Yarne's character sheet**

 **Yarne Lvl 28 Class: Taguel  
** _Panne's son from the future. Being the last of his race in his timeline has instilled him with a great sense of responsibility to preserve the legacy of his mother by ensuring the survival of the taguel. While originally a colossal coward due to this pressure, his training under Jack replaced it with an unyielding fighting spirit, the battle lust and a skillset similar to the Saiyan warrior, Son Goku. The laziest after a filling meal.  
Born on March 14_ _th_ _._

 **Titles: Legacy of the taguel (+ 5% STR, VIT and DEX)**

 **HP: 5 400 / 5 400  
MP: 1 875 / 1 875**

 **STR: 68.8 (48 * 1.05 * 1.06 * 1.3)  
VIT: 71 (52 * 1.06 * 1.3)  
DEX: 67.4 (47 * 1.05 * 1.06 * 1.3)  
INT: 19  
WIS: 20  
CHAR: 10  
LUCK: 15**

 **ITEMS:  
Beaststone (equipped)  
Concoction**

 **Skills:**

 **Martial arts mastery, Lvl 53 [81.0 %], Passive  
** _There are those who train with a weapon until they can wield it like an extension of their bodies. Then there are those who train their bodies until they can wield it like a weapon. This skill falls into the latter category. While martial artists usually fight at a disadvantage in terms of range, they make up for it with techniques most weapon wielders could only dream of. Underestimating a foe due to their lack of weapons can be a fatal mistake. Passively increases STR, VIT and DEX by 30 %. Increases attack speed and attack power by 215 % when attacking unarmed._

 **Turtle style, Lvl 53 [81.0 %], Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _The fighting style developed by the martial arts master and perverted Turtle Hermit, Master Roshi. This school of martial arts emphasizes rigorous training that strengthens the practitioner's body and reflexes to superhuman levels. While technique and skill are encouraged, the Turtle style often compliments physical conditioning with a sharp, observant mind to make use of any opening the opponent may present. Passively increases STR, VIT and movement speed by 50 % when attacking unarmed. Reduces physical damage taken by 10 %._

 **Kamehameha, Lvl 25 [16 %], Active, Cost: 270 MP  
** _The ultimate technique of the Turtle school of martial arts, as well as, quite possibly, the most famous fictional martial arts technique in the world. The user cups their hands on the side of their body. The space between the palms becomes a focal point where mana is concentrated. When the correct amount is gathered, the user can launch the mana like a laser for devastating effect. While mana is usually channeled for magic, this skill channels mana through the body in a manner that its power is based on the user's physical strength instead of their mental.  
Base damage: 4 000 % of the total of the user's STR and VIT. Element: None_

 **Natural beast, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 50 MP per minute  
** _Rigorous training in all manner of environments has allowed you to establish a deep connection with your beastly side. So long as you carry an object linked to this side, you can use it as a medium to draw on the natural strength of your beastly heritage while still retaining the human part of your existence. In other words, you can combine the best, or worst, of two worlds.  
Allows the user to draw on their natural power attained through shapeshifting without transforming. Boosts stats according to the transformation. The user must hold a stone corresponding to their race in order to use this skill._

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

*Camera shows a sweltering desert*

 **Severa:** Ugh… I'm practically bathing in sweat!

 **Yarne:** How do you think I feel? I have _fur_!

 **Miriel:** Actually, fur can act as protection against heat as well as cold.

 **Severa:** Really? Gimme that fur!

 **Yarne:** Hey, let go!

*A village emerges from the heat haze*

 **Laurent:** Greetings. I assume you're seeking to uncover the secrets of the mirage village as well?

 **Chrom:** Mirage village? What mirage village?

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Let your heart be your guiding key! Wild chase across the mirage desert!**

 **Kellam:** Something tells me there's more to this desert than meets the- *Sigh* And no one's paying me any attention…

* * *

 **Omake: Why Jack hasn't taught Robin the Shadow clone (yet)**

In an alternate timeline, Jack taught Robin how to form a Shadow clone. Ecstatic at how much this would cut down on her workload, Robin was more than happy to thank her husband in any way she could think of.

It's yet another peaceful day in castle Ylisstol, a few weeks after the couple returned from their honeymoon. Jack and Robin walk down a castle corridor towards the dining hall for lunch. Both summoned a dozen clones each a few hours ago to go about their daily duties.

"I wonder what the chefs cooked up today." Jack muses as they head for their destination.

Robin shrugs. "Whatever it may be, I'm sure we'll enjoy it. Nothing beats a hearty meal after a hard day of wor-"

Both spouses gasp and reach out to the closest object for support as they grow weak in the knees. For Jack, that's a convenient pillar, while Robin chooses to cling to her husband. The mental feedback that they both received showed the memory of their clones finish up their assigned tasks.

It also showed that after each clone had finished their tasks, said clone sought out a clone of their creator's spouse, snuck off to some remote location, and engaged in, ah, _very_ passionate activities.

To make things even crazier, every clone hit the peak of ecstasy at exactly the same time, and promptly dispelled afterwards. Thus, both Jack and Robin experienced the culminated sensation of passionately making love, and climaxing, twelve times over.

Needless to say, both spouses are now in dire need of a change of smallclothes.

"Jack?" Robin asks after catching her breath and successfully rebooting her brain.

"Yes?" Jack replies, while trying to regain enough mental capacity to wipe the drool from his face.

"We need to lay down some ground rules regarding making clones." Robin declares. "Or else they could hamper our daily duties."

Never mind the fact that summoning said clones cut down their workload several times over.

"First…" Robin begins with a flushed face. "…only one of us can use clones at a time when we're close to each other. Second, the only time we can use clones at the same time is when we're far away from each other. And we must make sure the clones dispel immediately after they finish their tasks."

Jack nods while trying to regain stability in his legs. "Agreed. Our clones are too uninhibited to not run off with each other and…well…do _that_." The Reaper rubs his temples. "That, and they're too horny."

"Which brings me to the third rule." Robin replies as she finally gets her blush under control. "If we make clones, we can't think about anything related to each other, otherwise they'll be tempted to seek each other out. I admit that they desire each other too much, but we only have ourselves to blame for that issue."

Jack nods. "Sounds reasonable enough."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"On a side note…" Jack muses as they finally stand on their own again. "…I had no idea you were into _that_ , of all things."

Some nearby palace staff happens to pass them by as Jack makes that observation, and, due to the maids' gossipy habits, they immediately huddle together and begin their frantic speculations.

Robin's blush returns with a vengeance. "Did you have to bring that up NOW?!"

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner:**

 **Tomahawk, Axe, Base damage: 80, Very rare  
** _A throwing axe of foreign make, often bestowed upon elite warriors in native tribes from the steppes. Because these tribes are so secretive, the method for forging this weapon is rarely seen among blacksmiths, unless they have established a close relationship with men of said tribes. This makes the Tomahawk a seldom seen sight among even the highest decorated soldiers in most armies. Despite their rarity, axe wielders everywhere would pay a handsome amount of gold to get their hands on even one of these axes, as their unique design makes them deadly at any range, despite being hefty for a weapon designed for throwing._

 **Spear, Polearm, Base damage: 80, Very rare  
** _A polearm that integrates some of the finest points in weapon engineering. Everything from selecting the material to the shape of the shaft has been meticulously handled by a master blacksmith to ensure maximum performance in combat. Because the standards for making this weapon is so high, the number of blacksmiths who can make them is very small and usually reserved for wealthy nations with a strong military. What's more, the weapon itself is usually only granted to the highest-ranked soldiers with surprisingly low frequency, due to the amount of work and time needed to even make a single Spear._

 **Taguel, Class  
** _These creatures have the ability to shapeshift into giant rabbits, lending them immense strength and agility if they find themselves locked in combat. While normally peaceful, taguel are not afraid to strike back against threats against themselves or their loved ones. And, while they are normally vegetarians, they have no qualms tearing into their enemies until they're reduced to a mangled mess.  
Passively increases STR, VIT, DEX and movement speed by 6 %. Damage dealt with any weapon or magic of any element is reduced by 5 %. This unit counts as mounted._

 **Beaststone, Stone, Base damage: 68, Rare  
** _A special stone said to be filled with the power of a spirit of nature. Taguels use these stones as power sources to trigger their ability to shapeshift into animals. This ability garnered unjust fear from humans, who would eventually brand the race of shapeshifters as monsters. Despite the alleged spiritual ties to this stone, rumor has it a Sorcerer long ago discovered a method to craft these peculiar objects like any other enchanted object common to the arcane arts. However, the truth about this rumor, as well as this supposed method, remains a mystery. Though it would explain why this stone has been occasionally sighted in certain shops across the lands.  
Allows a taguel to shapeshift in battle while equipped. Passively increases STR, DEX and movement speed by 5 %. This increase only applies to taguels._

* * *

 **IT'S OVER 9000!**

 **The word count for this chapter, that is. XD**

 **The whole point of Yarne's character build is based on irony. I know full well how cowardly he is, which made it all the more entertaining in planning his character in this fic. The first point is, of course, his eagerness to battle, and barehanded at that, which contrasts his usual unwillingness to fight at all in the game (going by his canon personality).  
The second comes from me pairing Panne with Stahl. Stahl is so average in every single aspect that Miriel could prove it through extensive research specifically regarding him. In contrast, Vegeta claims that Goku has an uncanny amount of talent by Saiyan standards, which resulted in the kind-hearted saiyan to constantly break new ground in striving to become stronger, be it unlocking new super Saiyan forms or learning Ultra Instinct. This, in turn, applies to Yarne as well.  
This brings me to the third point of irony. Yarne's species resembles rabbits. In contrast, his fighting style was developed by a man, whose design is based on turtles. Anyone recognize the old fable of the rabbit and the tortoise?  
All in all, Yarne will probably be the 2** **nd** **-gen Shepherd whose personality deviates the most from canon, simply because of how I decided on building him. All the other Shepherds of Lucina's generation should be more in-character, depending on how you view my way of basing them on other characters.  
And before you guys bombard me with the million-dollar question in your reviews; Yes, Yarne will learn Ultra instinct in the future. He simply has A LOT of training ahead of him before he reaches that level. And no, he won't unlock anything resembling super Saiyan. That stuff is too ridiculous for my tastes. I mean, really, it got pretty old by the time Goku reached the third level.**

 **That will be all for now. Please rate and review.**

 **VipeR out.**


	19. Chapter 17

**Hello, dear readers. This is CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **Man, the support for this fic is as awesome as the people reading it! At the moment, almost 600 have favorited it and over 700 have chosen to follow the story. Thank you, thank you all kindly.**

 **Based on most of the reviews for the last chapter, you seem to enjoy Yarne being rid of his cowardice as much as I do. I originally planned a skillset that would befit his timid nature, but I couldn't find anything that fit at melee range (which is very ironic, since Yarne's basic class lineup mainly fights at close range). So I just decided flip the entire thing instead. Like I said; his entire build is based on irony.**

 **Now for some specific reviews:**

 **1silvergamer2:** Huh… The more I read into your reviews, the more I realize how many unintentional parallels I ended up drawing between Yarne and Goku. Good eye on those hidden references – references I made without knowing.  
Also, Nah as the Dragonborn? I have something else in mind. Something a little…funnier. I'm trying to balance badassery with cuteness for the adorable half-manakete.

 **SuperVegitoFAN:** As far as I know, Ultra Instinct is actually based on a real-life phenomenon known as "the Zone". It's basically a mental state when a human's concentration and performance is at their best. However, staying in this state is rather tiring, since that's pretty much when you give 100 %. DBS simply takes this concept and pumps it full with animé steroids. And it looks awesome.

 **3-13 Sniper:** Not a fan of any abridged series. And, unfortunately, the "Kaio-what?" joke will probably go untouched here due to me trying to limit the number of DB-style powerups Yarne will get in this fic. Seriously… Goku attains so many forms over the course of the series that it's absolutely ridiculous. Or as Superman puts in the first Death Battle: "Great… Not another- Oof!"

 **warrior of six blades:** I try to put in all these small moments between Jack and Robin to show how marriage isn't just those super dramatic, passionate moments that are few and far in-between, but also the small moments that lovers share on a daily basis. And because I want an excuse for some fluff.  
Sully's cooking as a torture method? More like a form of execution. That stuff is _deadly_.

 **Starwing1995:** Nope, Owain's fighting style will be more…flashy. Something more befitting his over-the-top personality.

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark:** You were right on the munny (See what I did there?) regarding the KH elements. Enjoy.

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _I will show you the dangers of mocking a spellcaster. –_ Laurent

* * *

 **Chapter 17:**

 **Let your heart be your guiding key!  
** **Wild chase across the mirage desert!**

"Hyah!" *Whoosh!*

I lean to the side to dodge Yarne's opening punch. Even so, I feel the wind pressure from where the fist passes my head. I lean forward and launch a fist of my own against his face. Yarne reacts quickly and catches it with his free hand. I'm about to punch him with my other hand as well, only to change it to a block as he sends a knee against me. I realize that he's had plenty of time to pull back the hand from his initial attack at this point and crouch low to send a sweep kick at his remaining leg. Yarne responds by pushing against my fist and jumps away from me. As he lands, we both retake our stances.

Breathe in…and out.

I take the initiative this time and dash straight at the half-taguel. As I draw near, I zip to the left and pivot into a reverse roundhouse kick. Yarne ducks and spins his entire body to wind up a right hook. I cross my arms in front of my chest to block the punch, but there's so much force behind it that I lift slightly off the ground and skid back a little by the time my feet get back down. Yarne follows up by getting up close to me and sends a roundhouse kick against my head, similar to how I just did it. I duck under his kick as well, but instead of countering with a hook, I snap kick at his other leg instead. Yarne lets the momentum of his roundhouse kick carry his entire body into a spin that he converts into the latter part of a butterfly kick instead, allowing him to dodge my kick and aim for my chest instead. I lean and flip back away from Yarne's counter before I rush in with my right fist reared back for a punch. Yarne barely has time to catch my fist with both his hands. That's when I send my other fist in against his torso. Yarne raises his right leg to block. I smirk at his response. It's a good one, which is exactly why I expected him to do it. So as his leg comes up to stop my fist, I abandon the punch and crouch to grab his ankle instead. Before my student has any time to get out of my grip, I yank the leg and slam Yarne into the ground.

Except, I _don't_ slam him into the ground. Even as I swung him over my head, Yarne had the peace of mind to angle his hands to hit the ground first, allowing him to stop the impact with a handstand. As he still has a leg free, he sends a kick at my chest that forces me to let go of his leg and take a few steps back.

I relax and nod. "Good form, quick and well-judged responses to counters, and well-honed skills. I can tell you've trained hard since last time you trained under me."

Yarne smiles as he gets back on his feet. "Thanks, Master. You know, training my technique without you around was kind of tough, since none of our enemies fight with their bare hands. So I had to focus most of my training on fighting armed opponents instead."

"That was a good call, Yarne. From what I learned from Lucina, you had to fight for your life almost every day. Seeing how well you've adapted that training into how you fought in the last battle means your hard work has borne fruit." I smile in approval. "Remind me again why you insisted I continue training you."

"Because you never finished." Yarne explains. "Before you…well, died…you told me there was an ability that I could learn if I trained hard enough."

I raise an eyebrow. "Was it the Kamehameha?"

Yarne shakes his head. "No. I had already learned the basics of it by then. When I asked you about this other ability, you simply told me that it's something that would allow me to use the full effect of my training, or something like that. Though you never actually told me what it is."

I scratch my chin upon hearing Yarne's description. Sigh. Why did future-me have to be so vague about it? I can understand that he wanted Yarne to find the answer on his own, but I'm kind of stumped here.

"Say, how exactly did my future self train you?" I eventually ask.

Yarne shrugs. "Aside from the whole exercise-'til-you-drop regimen? Well, there was one time when you had me spar against Severa while I was blindfolded and you told me I was only allowed to move slowly. If I ever broke that rule, you'd chop me on the head."

"Did I ever explain why?"

Yarne scratches his head. "I dunno. It was kinda hard to hear over Severa yelling and swinging at me like a girl possessed. Though I did hear bits and pieces that said something about moving on just instinct."

"And?"

"I ended up covered in bruises because Severa wouldn't stop hitting me." Yarne tells me flatly. "Mother was kind of upset you put me through that spar."

I sweatdrop. "I think I'll need to think about this for a while. I'm not sure what future-me was after, but there has to be something buried under all those riddles and weird training exercises." I nod. "Guess that makes it a good time to stop for today. Feel free to keep training on your own if you wish. I, for one, have a meeting to attend to."

Yarne gives me a thumbs-up. "Sure. See you around, Master Jack."

 **Your relationship with Yarne has improved!**

I scratch my head as I contemplate my relationship with the half-taguel with the tuft of green hair on top of his head – the only indication of his relation to Stahl. I never thought future-me would go through such lengths to rid the guy off his cowardice, but it's a welcome surprise. Naga knows what a headache Yarne would be if he kept running away at the slightest sign of danger. This should hopefully make both training and socializing with him easier. On the other hand, I hope he doesn't take sparring too far.

I idly rub my arms. That right hook packed some serious force!

* * *

"Please tell me we are done traveling in a roundabout manner." Emmeryn tells us in a slightly pleading voice.

We're currently gathered in the war tent. Surrounding a table with a map of the continent on the center are me, Robin, Chrom, Frederick, Emmeryn and Phila.

Robin nods in response. "If I've got this right, this is where we take a turn northwards." She places her finger roughly at our current position and slides it up the map. "If we follow this route, we should reach the eastern main road to Port Ferox after a few days."

Phila squints at the map. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Robin, but does that route not cross through the Plegian desert?"

My wife nods. "Yes, Phila, it does. Specifically, it crosses through the eastern part of the desert, close to the mountain border to Ylisse. By traveling so close to the halidom, we limit the directions we could get attacked from. With the border on our east, we could potentially signal any nearby border patrol to come to our aid with a messenger bird in case we do get attacked. That effectively leaves the west and north as the only directions from which anyone could attack from, which in turn will make it easier for our sentries and guards to know where to look."

Chrom nods while rubbing his chin. "Huh. I never even considered using the nearby terrain to limit where the enemy could attack from. That's brilliant, Robin."

Robin shrugs (though I notice the slightest hint of a proud smile). "We're escorting the exalt, Chrom. Safety is of the utmost priority."

"And that's not all." I add. I pick up a needle and pin it somewhere halfway along our route through the desert. "Remember the places where we found Severa and Yarne?" At everyone nodding, I pick out Itachi's scroll. "Turns out our designated route takes us close to a third of those locations the squirrels directed me at. By my estimates, it should be slightly west of the path Robin drew."

Emmeryn raises an eyebrow. "Honestly, I'm still surprised you managed to find such valued allies simply by hiring a group of squirrels, Jack. Not only have their strength proven to be such a boon, their presence has raised morale in the camp. Lucina in particular has proven herself to be well liked, and some of my guards even consider her exemplary."

I jerk a thumb at her brother. "Goes to show what a great job Chrom and Cordelia did in raising her."

A small blush creeps along Chrom's cheeks. "Hey, now. Technically, we've hardly raised Lucina at all. From our perspective, she's still a baby, time-traveling counterpart notwithstanding."

Frederick smiles at his liege. "Nevertheless, milord, the fact that Lady Lucina shows such stalwart behavior is a testament of the care you and Lady Cordelia no doubt will put into helping her grow into a woman befitting her station, if not more so."

I raise an eyebrow. "Well, it's all fine with Lucina, but what about Severa?" I get that Lucina often gets more attention due to her being the older sibling, but that's one of the issues that drove a wedge between the two princesses, if their interaction back in Nelson's former stronghold was any indication. Familial loyalty only goes so far when your elder sibling is constantly showered in praise and attention while you're left with the scraps every other day. Seeing as that was Severa's reality until Chrom and Cordelia died in the future timeline, I'm genuinely concerned for her.

Emmeryn places a hand on her cheek. "Now that I think about it, I've yet to spend much time with my younger niece. Perhaps some time alone with her would be time well spent while we're still traveling."

Phila clears her throat. "Yes, well, while spending time with your family is indeed important, I advise that you remember your duties, Your Grace."

"Oh, I am well aware, Phila. Especially since you make it a point to remind me every day when I rise in the morning." Emmeryn replies with a radiant smile (and – somehow – a sinister aura enveloping her natural radiance). "Rest assured, I am fully capable of fulfilling my duties while still having plenty of time for family. Do not presume otherwise."

A chill goes up our collective spine. Say what you will about Emmeryn and her genuine kindness, but this is a ruler who can both slip subtle threats into her conversations and give the impression that she can make good on them. She's the exalt since 17 years back for a reason.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

The desert sun shines down from the sky, covering the sands with daylight and near oppressive heat.

"Are we-"

"For the love of Naga, Vaike, NO! We are _not_ there yet!" is our collective response to the Barbarian.

This scene feels awfully familiar. The irony is that it happens at almost the same place, if my geography is correct.

Severa wipes some sweat off her brow. "Ugh! And I thought Jack-sensei's training sessions made me sweat. This stupid desert has my clothes soaked through and through! If I don't get a proper bath soon, heads will roll!"

"Just deal with it, Severa." Chrom sighs from her right. "Remember: hardship builds character."

"I think I've built quite enough character for one day, Daddy!"

I smirk at the complaining redhead. "What a coincidence. I remember your aunt Lissa say the same thing on the night after I met her for the first time. And that was when we camped out in a forest where it was all nice and cool."

"Did you have to bring that up?!" said blonde princess shouts from further back. "That was _one_ time, Jack! And I'll have you know I've gotten tougher since then!"

I shrug. "Oh, I don't doubt that, Lissa. That giant Hammer of yours is a dead giveaway of that fact."

"Speaking of tough…" Yarne pants from my side. "…how do you put up with this heat, Master? Almost all of us have trouble with this heat except you."

I feel just about everyone staring at me. And, to be fair, Yarne has a point. While I suffered under the Plegian desert sun as much as the others two years ago, this _isn't_ two years ago.

I smirk at the taguel. "Oh, I have my ways. Simply put, you have much to learn, my student."

Miriel frowns at me. "I would appreciate if you were more honest with us, Jack. It is clear you are using magic to mitigate the effects of this desert heat on yourself."

The shock from the others is practically palpable.

"Really?" Ricken asks perplexed. "I don't see Jack casting any spells."

Miriel indicates my feet. "I am quite knowledgeable of the effects of using mana to traverse loose terrain, and I know for a fact that using mana in such a manner does _not_ produce the phenomenon that Jack is right now."

The others take a look at my feet as well. Aside from the fact that I'm walking on top of the sand with Mana Soles, the sand swirls a little around my feet as well, which, as Miriel correctly observed, is not a biproduct of the skill.

I grin at the Sage. "Heh. I should've known I wouldn't be able to hide that detail from you, Miriel. Though, in truth, it's not really that hard, so long as you're good enough with wind magic. What you see is the outer layer of a bubble of air that I've made around myself. The air inside is completely still and isolated from the outside air using wind magic. By doing this, I get a protective layer from the desert heat."

Ah, the wonders of physics. Contrary to what many believe about air, the atmospheric mixture of gases is a surprisingly effective thermal insulator. In fact, if a person could make the air around them remain completely still, they could, in theory, stand in the middle of a Siberian winter stark naked and be completely fine, simply because of how effective of an insulator the surrounding air is. At least, that's what my physics teacher told me. The main reason why this just isn't feasible is because the air never stays still, which means that the air around said person is constantly replaced with new, cold air that keeps chilling their body until they collapse from hypothermia.

* * *

 **AN: Yes, this is a thing in physics. The phenomenon of air constantly moving, and thus continuously affecting the temperature of an object, is called convection. While sometimes used as a cooling technique in engines and computers, this phenomenon occurring naturally can give people a real headache because warm stuff just never stays warm. This is also the reason why we freeze more often when there's wind, as opposed to when there's no wind at all.**

* * *

Robin blinks as she processes my explanation. "Wait… So you're telling me you use air to shield yourself from the desert heat?"

I nod. "Exactly. While mundane, I'd say it's a useful application of wind magic."

I sidle up to my wife. If one were to look at my feet, they'd notice the circle of swirling sand around them expand to encompass her as well. "The best part? I can decide the size of this bubble as I please – to a certain extent, of course. So now you're in the bubble too, Robin."

Robin smiles at me. "Well, aren't you convenient to have around?" She leans into me as her smile gets more…intimate. "And you're _all mine_."

Through Mind's eye, I can sense the other married women give their husbands a glance that screams "Why can't you do the same?". Ricken in particular sits under pressure from Maribelle's glance due to the guy being an established spellcaster. The men, in return, glare at me for putting them into this situation. Me? I don't care. I'm just gonna enjoy sharing my very own heatproof air bubble with my wife.

Though I'm not above smirking at the plight of my fellow married men. I'm that petty. Let it never be said that I'm a saint, 'cause I'm not.

"Man, I sure wish I had something like that." Yarne comments longing. "Having all this fur only makes the desert heat worse."

"On the contrary." Miriel corrects. "A fur coat can serve as protection from both cold as well as heat. That is why many animals living in the desert have fur. The same should apply for you as well, Yarne."

The male taguel looks down on his body like he just discovered the secrets to the cure of all diseases.

"Really?!" he exclaims. "Cool! Maybe being furry isn't so bad around here after all."

"Then why not share some of that?" Severa demands as she approaches him from behind.

"Huh? No way. This is my fur. Get your own, Severa."

"Do I look like an animal to you?! We're all suffering under this stupid desert sun, so the least you could do is share whatever protection you have with the others. You know, for the greater good."

Yarne gives the fiery redhead a flat look. "When you say "the greater good", does that mean you?"

"Of course it's me! Who else would need sun protection? Just look at my skin! At this rate, it'll start flaking!"

"Can't you go bother someone else? Like, I don't know, Master Jack? He _did_ say he could make his…whatever he did with his magic…bigger. You could fit in too."

"Hey, leave me out of your squabble!" I snap back at my students. "This air bubble is for me and Robin only! End of discussion."

Severa points at me. "See?! Sensei won't share, even if I ask him nicely! That only leaves you or Panne, and Panne's already glaring at me."

"Well, maybe she wouldn't if you stopped eyeing us like fur coats!" Yarne replies while taking a few steps away from Severa. "Seriously, drop it, Severa."

Laevateinn is drawn in the blink of an eye. "Not a chance. Give me your fur!"

"Help!"

It's impressive how two of my students can traverse the desert sands so quickly, given that neither of them have learned Mana Soles. Though it _does_ mean that running with their feet sinking into the loose terrain is bound to wear them out fast, and that's before we factor in the blistering sunlight.

Cordelia sweatdrops (both from the heat and the crazy scene). "Shouldn't we stop them? They'll exhaust themselves at this rate. In fact, just looking at them feels exhausting."

"Leave them." Panne replies. "This should serve as good endurance training – and a lesson in acting wisely."

* * *

True to Panne's words, Severa and Yarne stop running across the sand a few minutes later, both grabbing onto a nearby cart each for support as they gasp for more air during our continued trek through the desert.

"Stupid…Yarne…" Severa wheezes out. "Why couldn't…you just…stand still?"

"Because…I like…my fur…where it belongs…" Yarne replies.

Lucina facepalms. "I apologize on behalf of my comrades, and my sister in particular, Master Jack. I wish to tell you that they are normally not like this, but incidents like the one earlier have happened before."

I wave off her concern. "Eh, no need to apologize on their behalf, Lucina. They're both adults, so they need to take responsibility for their actions." I glance at my two panting students. "That being said, they might need a few lessons in discipline after we make camp."

Heh. The shivers running up their spines upon hearing my assessment amuse me to no end. Like I said; I'm no saint. I am * _Ahem_ * low-key sadistic.

A few more minutes traveling under the desert sun pass, with the predictable complaints popping up every now and then among our group. However, all of that stops the moment Virion perks up at his lookout point at the front of our group.

"What great fortune!" the Bow Knight exclaims for all of us to hear. "My razor-sharp gaze spies a town in the distance, not far from our traveling route. Your Grace, might I suggest we make a stop there to stock up on supplies and recuperate from the exhausting travel?"

Emmeryn nods from under her cloth cover (that Frederick and Phila somehow had on hand just mere minutes before we started traveling the blazing hot place). "Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea."

Severa is quick to zip to her elder aunt's position with stars in her eyes. "Have I ever told you how much I love you, Aunt Emmeryn?"

The exalt smiles at her red-haired niece's antics. "You might have indicated such since you joined us, Severa. Perhaps we could spend some time together while resting in town?"

"Yay! *Ahem* I mean, I would like that very much."

With out next destination decided, we urge the animals drawing our convoy just a tiny bit in the hopes of reaching the town slightly faster. Yeah, desert heat can do that to some people.

* * *

I gingerly pick up the pastry and take a whiff. Ah… Freshly baked, just the way I like it. If memory serves, I detect a hint of cinnamon in the sweet fragrance wafting from the bun. Well, there's only one way to determine whether I'm right.

I take a bite out of the bun and chew slowly as I process the flavors that spread through my mouth. Honey, pistachio, sesame… Aha! I knew there was cinnamon included!

I swallow the chewed piece of pastry, take a sip from my cup of tea, and give a satisfied sigh. When Maribelle learned about this town having a café working together with the local bakery, which, in turn, had a close working relationship with the many merchants passing through town regularly, she made it her mission to try out what said café had to offer. I let my curiosity spur me into joining in, and I'm anything but disappointed. This bun is a masterpiece! The flaky crust on the outside, the soft, sweet filling hidden inside, and the entire thing baked with the utmost care, all of it comes together to make a pastry worthy of the royal courts. No wonder the owner claimed it was their local specialty. The cup of slightly bitter tea that comes with ordering this bun only makes tasting it all the more satisfying, even with the sun shining bright and hot in the sky.

"Hm? You certainly seem to enjoy your order, Jack." Maribelle comments from a nearby table.

"Do I ever." I reply. "This little pastry could give even the finest bakers in Ylisstol a run for their money. I'm going to take my sweet time and enjoy it for all it is worth."

"I'm surprised you could eat something like this slowly at all." Stahl comments from the other side of the table. "I feel like I could scarf down at least a dozen of these within a minute."

I give the green Great Knight a flat look. "Please don't, Stahl. Treats like these are meant to be savored. To eat it any other way would be an insult to the baker."

Sully rubs her chin. "Huh, this is unexpected. Never took ya for the fancy type around food, Jack."

"Hey, I can be a man of culture too, Sully. I simply choose which area to be cultured in, and food's as great an area as any."

The Paladin snorts. "You? A man of culture? Keep this up, and Ruffles might have someone to dawdle over tea with."

I roll my eyes. "Spare me. The day I indulge in tea to Virion's extent is the day I retire."

Even as we banter, I idly notice some curious movement in the corner of my vision. I take a closer look and spot a squirrel sitting on top of a house on the opposite side of the street. As if that wasn't weird enough, this squirrel wears that black coat of moss, as well as an eyepatch. Hmm… Itachi's report _did_ mention this area, though I have no memory of this place being of any interest in the game. Well, might as well find out what the critter wants.

"Any time now, Deidara. I can't sit here forever." I call out to the squirrel.

The squirrel perks up, gives a few squeaks, and then jumps on a bird flying by. Said bird makes a turn before it lands in front of me. The eyepatch-wearing squirrel jumps off and waves the bird away before facing me.

" _Do you have any idea how scarce nuts are around here, Jack? I haven't had a decent cashew for at least a week, and I need my fix! Hm!_ "

I give the squirrel a flat look. "So, what are you gonna do about it? Blow up the nearest fruit stall with some leafy concoction?"

Deidara gives me an offended look. " _What? No! I'd just settle for the local peanuts instead! Only problem is that breaking the shell doesn't sound nearly as inspiring as the sound of cracking open a cashew shell. The moment a nutshell breaks open, the sound it gives reaches its absolute crescendo! That is true beauty contained in but a single, fleeting moment!_ _That_ _is ART! Hm!_ "

I sweatdrop as Deidara holds his little art rant. I _suppose_ I should be relieved this furry incarnation of the blond bomber doesn't have an explosion fetish. On the other hand (or paw), this squirrel is just as much of a nutcase as the original, if not more so.

I shake my head. "Bah! Save your art speeches for someone who's interested. You didn't trudge all the way out here in the desert just to share your view on art with humans, did you?"

The eyepatch-wearing critter perks up. " _Oh, that's right. I was assigned to wait for you here. Remember Itachi's report? Said that one of those humans you're looking for is in this very town. Hm!_ "

"And?" I press. "Where exactly do I find him?"

Deidara waves a paw dismissively. " _Eh, you'll know when you see 'im. Just look for someone who keeps asking about some mirage village. Also, he supposedly won't shut up about somethin' about hearts and keys._ " Then he reaches out said paw to me. " _Well, my job's done here. Pay up, and I'll be out of your fur. Hm!_ "

"Greedy little critter, aren't you?" I grumble as I rummage through my bag. After some searching, I pull out a pistachio nut. "Here."

The squirrel's face lights up in delight. " _Sweet! Another day without these, and I'd go nuts!_ "

Deidara raises a loud squeak into the air. Moments later, an owl flies in.

Deidara jumps up on the owl. " _I'm outta here. See you around, Jack. Hm!_ " The owl takes off.

My companions blink at the spot in confusion. Maribelle pulls out a tome and flips through the pages at a furious pace.

"How in the world is something like that possible?" the Valkyrie grumbles. "Last I checked, owls are not native to deserts. And even if they were, they're _nocturnal_. They shouldn't even be active during this time of the day!"

Ricken places a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder. "Let it go, Maribelle. I learned long ago to just go with the flow when it concerns squirrels." The young Dark Knight scratches his chin. "Though I've never seen one riding a bird before."

I shrug. "Deidara's apparently part of some secret organization within the clan. If it wasn't for my contact with Itachi, I never would've known about them."

* * *

Some twenty minutes later, we've all rested up and resupplied for our continued journey through the desert. Though, judging from the conversation Chrom's engaged in, our departure might be delayed for a while. I wonder what he's talking about.

The prince raises an eyebrow at the elder he's currently speaking to. "…A mirage village?"

The elder nods. "Or rumors of one, at any rate. People claim to have spied a desert village that sometimes appears during sandstorms. Tales speak of a legendary Goddess Staff that sleeps there, but who can really say?"

Chrom rubs his chin in deep thought. "That sounds like it could be helpful. It may be nothing more than idle talk, but it still bears further investigation.

"Just take care, sir. The sands are home to armed barbarians." the elder warns. "Every year sees a few villagers go chasing the myth and finding the grave instead. I'll not stop you, but be sure you're well armed and fully prepared."

After Chrom gives the elderly man a nod in thanks, the old man turns and vanishes into the crowd forming in the local marketplace, leaving just our merry band with curiosity perked among quite a few of us. Naturally, this leads to discussions among everyone whether we should give searching for this mythical village a shot, and, in such case, how.

I, for my part, scratch my head at the chain of events. I remember this very conversation taking place somewhere else entirely. Come to think of it, Itachi's report never listed a certain oasis that supposedly exists north of Donnel's home village, and pointed out this desert village instead.

"Pardon me, I could not help but overhear you discuss about a certain mirage village."

The discussions cease as we turn to the owner of the voice that spoke up; a black-haired Mage.

* * *

 **Laurent Lvl 34 Class: Mage**

* * *

What the- What's Laurent doing here?! Come to think of it, everything that's happened since we arrived in this desert village pointed towards us finding him here. And yet, it's in a completely different location than the one I expected him to be at.

Miriel adjusts her glasses. "That we were. I surmise you hold interest in these rumors as well."

Though the young Mage remains calm on the outside, I could've sworn that his face momentarily lit up in joy as he spotted Miriel. "Eureka! It's you!"

Miriel raises an eyebrow. "…Curious. I have no recollection of making your acquaintance. Though few things are as unreliable as the human memory."

Laurent gives her a fond smile. "Ah, forgive me. I forgot that you have not met me before. My name is Laurent. And like I mentioned, I overheard you discussing about whether to search for the rumored mirage village. I had hoped that you would, as I myself am searching for clues about its existence."

Miriel turns to Chrom. "Captain?"

Chrom scratches the top of his head. "Well… We're still debating on that one…"

"Oh, come on, Chrom." Lissa interjects pouting. "We've done nothing but trudge through the desert like Risen since the day started. Can't we at least do _something_ fun before the day is over?"

Severa is quick to glomp the War Cleric. "I love you, Aunt Lissa!" Then the red-haired princess blinks in realization. "Wait… That means we're heading back out in the desert sun again, aren't we?"

Tharja nods. "Yes. As well as the occasional sandstorms." A dark smirk spreads across her lips. "Those can do quite a number on your skin unless you wear enough protective clothing."

"Oh, and don't forget the mirages!" Henry adds cheerfully. "Those can _really_ mess up your sense of direction, so you could end up wandering the desert all the way 'til sunset if you're not careful."

"And then there's the occasional scorpion." Tharja continues.

"And rattlesnakes when you least expect them." Henry tacks on.

"And you might suffer a heat stroke if you don't hydrate properly."

"And the vultures will circle over your head all the while, waiting for you to collapse for any number of reasons, just so they can get something to eat." Henry finishes with his unflappable smile still in place. "Aside from all that? Sure, searching the desert for mystery stuff is fun and perfectly safe. Maybe…"

Severa pales upon hearing the two dark magic practitioners swap around warnings about desert travel. "I've changed my mind. I don't wanna go."

Yarne snickers behind her. "Wimp."

The redhead turns around and glares at the taguel with nearly enough intensity to set him on fire. "What was that, furball?!"

"Come on, we'll be fine, Severa." Yarne assures her. "Besides, we had to deal with all that stuff before we arrived in this village anyway, and we have to deal with it on our way out of the desert too. You should be used to this by now."

Severa's right eye twitches violently before she rounds on Robin. "You! You're the one who made us trudge through this stupid deathtrap of a giant sandbox! This is all your fault!"

Robin crosses her arms with a raised eyebrow. "Well, I'd like to see you come up with a better plan in how we reach Port Ferox without running the risk of ambushes along the way. Besides, had we not taken this route, we never would've found you or Yarne."

Severa is about to retort, when Chrom interjects. "Well…Laurent, was it? I take it you've taken some time to scout the surrounding area."

The Mage nods. "Yes, though my search thus far has yielded precious little progress. Still, an excess of evidence exists for the village to be baseless rumor alone…"

"An assumption on your part, that." Miriel notes.

Laurent nods. "I therefore propose as such; might I accompany you? Perhaps our combined efforts will uncover the truth?"

Miriel closes her eyes in contemplation. "Mmm. I worry your hypothesis lacks a certain scientific rigor…" Her glasses flash in the sunlight (somehow). "And yet, there exists the possibility that I am in error on this count…" Miriel turns to Chrom. "Well, Captain Chrom? The final decision is yours."

Chrom rubs his chin before he smiles. "Well, I think most of us have made our opinion clear on this matter. Very well, we'll give this search for the rumored mirage village a shot. And you're more than welcome to join us, Laurent."

Laurent smiles back (though, knowing him, that's probably the equivalent of maximum ecstasy). "Excelsior! I assure you, I'll not be a burden."

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: Shadow in the sands**  
 _Local rumors tell about a village hidden among the sands and mirages of the desert. Many have tried to find the village, but few have ever returned, and none have ever succeeded. Still, that's nowhere near enough to dissuade you from trying. However, be warned. The desert is home to many dangers, armed bandits being your main concern in this case._  
 **Objective:** _Defeat all bandits._  
 **Rewards:** _10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold_

* * *

Since we'll be searching through sandy terrain, it was decided that most of our mounted troops would stay in the village and guard the convoy and Emmeryn. That way, we'll be able to traverse the terrain with less stuff to lug around, while also making sure any nearby bandits will think twice about looting our supplies.

A gust of wind passes over our heads, bringing grains of sand with it that soon fall over us. Lucina dusts some of it off her cape while trying to find something – anything – through the sweltering heat.

"I'm not sure… Will we really find any clues regarding this mirage village like this? It's hard enough to keep my bearings even before I can think about trying to find _anything_."

Laurent flips through a few pages in his tome. "While my knowledge regarding any rumored villages in this region is limited, I did manage to dig up some interesting leads. As it turns out, villages around these parts rarely receive visitors due to them begin difficult to find in this harsh climate. Observations on the environment has led me to the conclusion that the combination of mirages and sandstorms is mainly to blame. These two factors combined make it difficult to find and keep track of any landmarks around here – not that this desert has many landmarks to begin with. The most prominent one would be the great oasis which all villages in the area are supposedly built around."

Chrom nods while shielding his eyes from the glaring desert sun. "Guess that's as good a starting point as any. Let's find this oasis and work our way through the desert from there."

Destination decided, we set out to find this central oasis. Though we soon find that we're not alone out here.

* * *

 **Nombry Lvl 45 Class: Warrior**

* * *

"Ah, the golden oasis." the rough looking Warrior says with a bloodthirsty grin. "They say the villages around here are filled to burstin' with rare treasure! Let's get wild, boys! Snag anythin' valuable ya can find!"

The people following Nombry shout in glee at the prospect.

Lucina scowls. "Father…"

Chrom matches her scowl (I guess it's genetic). "Yeah. Looks like we found those barbarians the elder warned us about back in town."

Chrom draws Falchion and approaches the bandits. "Hey!"

Nombry looks our way. "Huh? Who're you lot? Ya think ya can just waltz around these parts without a care in the world?"

The bandit leader brandishes his Silver Axe. "Empty yer pockets and get outta here, our we'll take want we want from ya and leave what's left to the vultures!"

The bandits behind him follow suit and pull out their weapons. In response, we get ready for combat on our part.

"Oh, armed, are ya?" Nombry notes. "Well, this might be interestin'." The Warrior gives a sharp whistle that echoes across the desert. "Gather up, folks! We've got some tough ones this time!"

A glance at my mini map reveals red dots appearing all over the surrounding area. Huh. Looks like Nombry commands a sizable band of ruffians. No wonder so few people make it back alive, if this guy has an underling stationed practically everywhere around here.

"Robin, we've got more bandits coming in from the north, east and west – at least a dozen each from every direction." I report.

Robin winces at the information. "This is bad. If they all strike at once, the nearby villages will get pillaged." Robin prepares what I've come to discover is basically a mana-powered signal flare in her hand. "Everyone, spread out across the desert and find the villages! We have to warn them of the incoming bandits and protect them first!"

 **BGM: The 13** **th** **reflection, Kingdom Hearts 2: Final mix music**

Right after her orders, Robin fires the flares into the sky in the directions I tell her to. After some quick organizing, we split up in four groups to take care of one direction each.

My group consists of Laurent, Miriel, Kellam (I think), Lucina, Sumia, Cordelia and Chrom. We head for the north flare.

I'm fine traversing the sands on my own, but I notice a few in our group lagging behind.

"You guys okay back there?!" I shout behind me.

"Jack, some of us aren't equipped for desert travel!" Chrom shouts back.

At that moment, Cordelia flies low besides her husband. "Hop on, Chrom!"

Chrom nods and jumps onto the flying mount with practiced ease. I notice something similar happen with Sumia and Lucina, though with somewhat more awkward moves on the princess's part.

Lucina gives the Dark Flier a grateful smile. "Thank you, Lady Sumia."

Sumia returns the smile. "Think nothing of it, Lucina. I'm your godmother after all."

Lucina nods. "And the best one I could ask for at that."

Sumia raises an eyebrow. "How come?"

Lucina's smile turns somber. "After Mother and Father passed away, you stepped in to take care of both me and Severa. Even though we weren't related by blood, you always treated us like your own children – you and sir Frederick both. It's ironic. Severa and I lost our parents, but in that sorrow, we got to discover how much you care for us."

"Of course I care about you two!" Sumia exclaims. "You're the children of my best friend. There will always be room for you in mine and Frederick's home, no matter which timeline you come from."

A tear slips out of Lucina's eye as she hugs her godmother. "Thank you. Thank you so much…Mother…"

Sumia's eyes widen upon hearing that last word. Moments later, her eyes are practically set ablaze with determination as she directs her attention towards our incoming adversaries.

"All right! Come get some!"

Lucina yelps as Sumia kicks her pegasus into high gear and speeds off straight towards the frontline. Sigh. What in the world happened to that woman while I was away? Did Sully rub off on her?

"Sumia, wait!" Cordelia shouts after her best friend as she urges her own pegasus forward.

"Hold on, Cordelia! We won't get any- Whoa!"

Oh, nice reflexes, Chrom. Manages to hold on to Falchion with one hand and hold on to his wife with the other.

"We'd best hurry." Laurent says as he flips open his tome. "Our chances for victory are significantly smaller if we remain separated against such numbers."

I flip Harvest Moon into its scythe form in the blink of an eye. "Don't worry. I can catch up to them easily enough. Just focus on reuniting with us at your own pace." I glance around the area. "Hey, where did Kellam go?"

"He is still close by." Miriel assures me. Her glasses flash as she adjusts them. "How fascinating. It is as though he uses the environment to help him stay undetected. A battleground like this may well be his forte."

"In other words, he's there when we need him." I summarize. I crouch and grin. "Sounds good enough for me. Now, who wants to chase down our runaway comrades?"

"Aptly put." Laurent agrees. Winds begin to swirl around him, carrying some sand and…paper? It looks like it comes from the tome in his hand, yet the number of pages within the cover stays the same. Oh? Now that's an interesting tome. I definitely have some questions for this guy after we're done fighting.

I dash ahead with a burst of Gale Step, allowing me to catch up to the two fliers and their passengers just in time for the clash with the ruffians.

*Clang!*

My first target is a Berserker. He pushes back desperately against my assault, not that it helps. I let up on the pressure to let him push me away. The moment my feet land back in the ground, I zip behind him with another Gale Step.

"Too slow." *Shing!*

Harvest Moon slices deep from the top of his spine all the way down. The Berserker is dead before he even hits the ground. Moments later, I zip to the side and narrowly dodge an Elfire spell.

*Fwoom!*

"Whoa, there. Watch where you point those spells." I chide the Mage who attacked me. The Ruffian spellcaster growls before he charges up another spell in his hand.

I respond by spinning up a Rasengan in my free hand. "Fine, then. Have it your way."

With the rotation complete, I rear back my arm and throw my mana orb right at the Mage at the same time as he launches his spell. Our attacks collide and struggle between each other for a few seconds before my Rasengan tears through the fire magic and barrels right into his chest.

*Boom!*

The explosion sends my adversary flying back and skidding through the sand. Right as he comes to a stop, I'm already above him with Harvest Moon raised over my head.

*Shink!*

He coughs out some blood before he goes still. That's two down.

"You! You'll pay for that!"

I turn to the right and note more ruffians headed my way. I get in a ready stance to meet them, only to find myself beaten to the punch.

"How sloppy."

An Elthunder spell slams into the rightmost ruffian. Moments later, a torrent of fire washes over the other two.

"Glad you could make it." I tell Miriel and Laurent as they finally catch up.

"I would appreciate it if you tried a pace of travel that is easier to synchronize with." Laurent huffs as he approaches me. "Neither of us have the conditioning to keep up with movement at that speed."

The only reason why I didn't get lost in that wording is due to my own language skills. Seriously, Laurent. Not everyone speaks Academic.

Miriel adjusts her glasses with a frown. "I suggest you save such conversations for later. We have more adversaries coming in, and they show no signs of letting us converse in peace."

Another trio of ruffians are headed our way. Laurent steps up with his tome open.

"Laurent? What are you doing?" I ask the Mage.

"One of the many things I discovered during my time in this desert is the efficacy of wind magic in this environment." Wind builds up in his free palm. "Observe. Aerora!"

A small whirlwind launches from Laurent's hand. As it travels over the sand, grains of sand get sucked in from the bottom. The two ruffian Mages manage to dodge it, but their Fighter friend is too slow.

"Augh!"

My word… The sand in the wind spell grinds against his flesh like sand paper. He's being torn apart inside!

The two Mages grow pale in the faces as they see what happened to their comrade.

Miriel adjusts her glasses again, only this time, there's a slight tremble in her hand. "How fascinating. By absorbing ambient sand, the wind spell's power increased."

* * *

 **AN: This is an interesting game mechanic in some games. One such example is in the Megaman: Battle Network series. If Megaman uses a Tornado chip on an enemy standing on a sand tile, the damage is doubled. This also works on other kinds of tiles, depending on which game in the series you play.**

* * *

"Hey, Laurent. That can be used in bigger spells as well, can't it?" I ask the black-haired Mage.

Laurent nods. "I have yet to find an upper limit on when this phenomenon can be applied."

I grin savagely at the remaining ruffians. "Excellent. Let's test that, shall we?"

"What do you mean?" Laurent asks apprehensively.

"Take a good look, Laurent. Sure, your little sand trick worked great with a medium-level wind spell. But now you're about to witness what happens if a bona-fide wind _master_ tries the same!"

I cross my index and middle fingers diagonally in front of my chest and stretch my arms towards the Mages who dodged Laurent's spell. Winds whip up around my feet.

* * *

 _Emerald gales.  
Align thine claws in a single spiral  
and grind all that stands in your way to dust.  
Howling storm,  
shake the mountains to their foundations!  
_ _ **Emera Baram!**_

* * *

A glowing emerald rune circle appears before my hands. A massive, horizontal tornado bursts from the center and races straight towards the ruffians. On the way, sand gets sucked in by the bucket load.

*FWOOSH!*

Any scream that the two ruffians may have let out is drowned out in the howling wind. Not only is that spell lined with tiny blades of compressed air on the inside to tear the target apart, the damage output is further increased by all the sand swirling along with the winds, turning my normally devastating spell into an industrial sized, mana-powered meat grinder.

As the wind dies down, the only things remaining of those two Mages are tatters – both their clothes and their bodies.

Laurent swallows with a cold sweat. "My word… I have never seen wind magic cause that much devastation."

I smile at him. "True, this may only apply when there's sand around, but I think this should demonstrate how far you can go with enough training."

Laurent stiffens upon hearing that. "You mean…you know."

My smile takes a knowing tone. "The first hint should've been Lucina's presence. Also, you're not exactly subtle when addressing others, Laurent. With the pattern we've been through these past few battles, I think more have caught on, not to mention that a few in our ranks recognize you anyway."

Deciding to leave the Mage at that, I turn and run ahead in search for more ruffians to find. As per Laurent's request, I stick to actual running this time, instead of tearing up the ground with Gale Step.

We soon find the remaining ruffians in the north locked in battle with our wayward fliers and their passengers.

Sumia and Cordelia fly around on their pegasi, neither of them capable of making any good attack runs with the two Archers on the ground making it their mission to shoot the ladies out of the sky. Chrom tries to put a stop to that, but he has his hands busy fighting off the two Warriors double teaming him. A little off to the side, I spot Lucina engaging a Mage. Any time she tries to make a dash to help anyone in her family, the Mage blocks her path with a well-timed Arcthunder spell. Judging by her grit teeth, the pressure's getting to her.

*Poof*

"We'd better take out those Archers for Chrom. That should break the deadlock." I tell the clone that I just summoned to my side.

At that moment, one of the Archers scores a direct hit on the right wing on Cordelia's pegasus. The winged horse crashes to the ground.

"Cordelia!"

"Mother!"

Chrom barely has time to take it in before he's forced back on the defensive by his relentless opponents. Lucina, on the other hand, goes still with emotionless eyes.

The Mage takes it as his cue to end the princess and charges up an extra-powerful spell-

*Ching!*

-only for Lucina to parry it without looking. As her eyes regain their focus, the train in on the Mage with fury burning in them. The Eye of the exalt lights up in Lucina's left eye as she stalks towards her target.

"Hey, Boss. I don't think I've ever seen Lucina that pissed before:" my clone comments.

I nod. "No kidding. I'd react the same if anyone in my family got hurt the same way."

"Just look at her go. Her opponent tries pretty much every spell in his book to try to stop her advance, and she just parries everything."

"Huh. Looks like all that training payed off. At this rate, it won't surprise me if she-"

*Shing!* "Aaaugh!"

"Whoa! Yo, did she just walk up – _slowly_ – and slice his ankles off?!" my clone asks shocked.

"Yeah… She did…"

"You know what, Boss? I'm just obsolete at this point. Peace out." *Poof*

Even as the Mage lies on the ground with his feet no longer connected to his legs, Lucina wavedashes across the sand. The Archers don't even see her coming.

"Forget about me?" *Shink!*

The first Archer only has time to look at the blade of Parallel Falchion sticking out of his chest for a second before Lucina pulls out the divine sword and slashes him across the back. The other Archer takes note of her, as well as his fallen comrade. He notches an arrow and prepares to fire, though he forgets one important detail – he took his eyes off of Sumia.

"I'll end this _now_!" *Ka-Bram!*

The Dark Flier's Arcthunder spell strikes the ruffian right on top of his head and goes straight through his body. The ruffian twitches a few times before he collapses on the ground with smoke leaking from his open mouth.

With the coast clear, Lucina runs to Cordelia.

"Mother!"

Cordelia pushes herself up from the ground. "Oh, ouch. I'm fine, dear. It's a good thing the sand cushioned the fall."

Sumia lands beside the redhead. "Well, that's good. But what about your pegasus?"

Sumia calms the wounded animal down with some affectionate petting while Lucina and Cordelia inspect her wing.

"Hryah!" *Boom!*

We look to the side and see Chrom finish up with his two opponents. The slash marks all over their torsos and the fact that they both got sent flying tells us exactly what Chrom did. He soon joins his wife and oldest daughter.

 **BGM ends.**

"Are you hurt, Cordelia?" he asks concerned.

Cordelia shakes her head. "I'm fine, Chrom, but my pegasus got hit pretty badly. She won't fly for some time. Any strain on her wing now will only aggravate the wound."

"Does that mean you cannot fight, Mother?" Lucina asks.

Cordelia gives her a smirk. "Oh, I'm perfectly capable of fighting on foot, Lucina. I'm just more comfortable doing it while riding my pegasus." She nuzzles her mount with a gentle smile. "As for you, I'll make sure to take good care of your wing until you can fly again."

The pegasus neighs happily.

Laurent frowns as he reaches us. "This has gone on long enough. We must end the battle – now."

Lucina nods. "I agree. Has anyone spotted any nearby village while we were fighting?"

"I think I saw one further west." Sumia replies. "Should we warn them? We _did_ just finish off the rest of those bandits."

Chrom shakes his head. "Better safe than sorry. Who knows if there's more of them just waiting beyond the dunes?"

Laurent directs his gaze northeastwards. "I take it you can accomplish that on your own." He starts walking in that direction.

"Where are you going?" Miriel asks him.

"I will end this brutal attempt of pillaging right this instant by defeating their leader. Rest assured, I am more than capable of doing so on my own."

Miriel frowns. "Absolutely not! I will not have a fellow scholar march into battle against a dangerous adversary without sufficient support. I shall accompany you."

"Count me in." I add as I fall into step with Miriel. "If that guy has more underlings by his side, I'll take care of them for you. Aside from that, I think you may well have a good chance at winning."

Laurent smiles. "My thanks. Well then, shall we?"

"Laurent!" Lucina calls out. The Mage turns to her. "Be careful." the princess tells him.

Laurent nods. "Of course. Until we meet again."

Some walking later, we find who we were looking for.

* * *

 **Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy detected!**

* * *

Huh. Looks like Nombry's all on his own now.

"Where's that magic mirage village at?" the bandit leader snarls upon spotting us approach. "Talk, or I'll make you vanish too!"

"Enough!" Laurent shouts back. "I set out to journey this desert in the hope of uncovering the truth of a mystery. You, on the other hand, only seek to pillage and destroy. And for what reason? None other than to satisfy your own selfish desires, even if it means leaving everything in your wake in ruins!"

"Shaddap! I don't care about all this mystery mumbo-jumbo. So long as I'm fed and rich, I don't need anything else!"

Laurent shakes his head. "Pathetic. You are no better than an animal – a beast merely driven by his base instincts to feed and destroy. Man ill needs such barbaric behavior. So long as people like you exist, mankind will never move forward."

"I don't need yer preachin', wimp!" Nombry shouts as he brandishes his axe. "If you won't get outta my way, I'll tear you down like the rest and get on my merry way in search for treasure. Blame whatever fool of a ma who didn't raise ya any better than to back off when someone stronger stands in front o' ya."

Laurent goes still. His entire body trembles. "Take that back…" he whispers.

"Nuh? Whazzat?"

Laurent glares at the Warrior with blazing hot fury. "I said; Take that back! You have no right to insult my mother! No one does!"

Nombry sneers at the Mage. "And what're ya gonna do about it, eh?"

Laurent's fury goes from blazing hot to bone chilling at the drop of a hat. "I will show you the dangers of mocking a spellcaster."

Laurent's tome leaves his hand and floats in front of him. With a swipe of his hand, the tome flips open and the pages riffle in a seemingly endless sequence. "Struggle all you want. By the time I'm through with you, no one will ever be able to reassemble your remains."

 **BGM: Flying Light, Naruto Shippuden: Movie 3 OST**

Laurent lifts up his hand, then swipes it down. "Thundara!"

*Brz! Bram!*

Nombry yelps and leaps to the side, dodging the lightning spell by a hair. The Warrior charges at Laurent right after he regains his footing and swings down his axe at the Mage. Laurent jumps backwards and summons three red glowing orbs around him before he sends them at Nombry with a swipe of his hand. "Fira!"

Nombry dodges left, then right, and then cleaves the third fire orb in half with his axe. Seeing as he can't reach Laurent on foot, he switches to a Silver Bow and has an arrow notched within seconds.

Laurent bends to the right and dodges the arrow. Right as he gets ready for another spell, however, his eyes widen as he spots another arrow flying at him. He quickly bends backwards. The arrow pierces the brim of his hat, but the Mage himself is unharmed. By the time he's back upright, Nombry has already cleared the distance between them and has his axe out. Only one pace until striking distance.

Laurent aims his hand down. "Aero!" *Fwoom!*

The sudden wind spell kicks up enough sand to obscure Nombry's line of sight, while launching Laurent a bit backwards and out the range of the axe. Laurent lands lightly on his feet and sends another Fira spell at his opponent.

Nombry gets blindsided by the fire spell due to the momentary sand wall. He grunts as the spell makes contact, but shrugs it off and gets ready for another round with Laurent. Curiously enough, notes are stuck on where Laurent's spell hit his body.

Nombry switches out to his bow again and fires arrow after arrow at Laurent. However, this time Laurent uses wind magic to propel himself across the sand to move faster. All the while, he launches small but quick spells that tag Nombry at a fast rate. The spells only do minor damage, but every single one of them leaves a note stuck on the Warrior's body.

Nombry growls as his opponent proves to be hard to hit. A flash of inspiration hits him then. He pulls out his axe with a grin and throws it right where Laurent is about to move. The Mage stops startled as the Silver Axe crashes into the ground a split-second before he would reach that spot. That moment is all Nombry needs to hit him in the leg with an arrow. Laurent goes down on a knee from the shot. With his mobility hampered and focus broken by pain, Nombry clears the distance once more, rips out his axe, and swings down on Laurent.

To everyone's surprise, Laurent's shocked form turns into tome pages. The paper bursts in a small storm that swirls around Nombry.

"Hey! What's goin' on?!" Nombry shouts as he swings around wildly in an attempt to make it stop. However, no matter how much the Warrior swings, the paper storm doesn't let up, and the pages stick to his body instead.

"You fell right into my trap." Laurent's voice echoes out as he seemingly shimmers back into existence behind Nombry. "You have lost."

"Like h-ll I have!" Nombry shouts as he turns around and charges Laurent again. "Your tricks won't stop me!"

"I grow weary of you!" Laurent declares and brings his floating tome before him again. The pages release a bright light at Nombry.

The Warrior stops in his track as his body gets completely covered in paper. "W-what? No! Aaah!"

Tome pages obscure his entire form. By the time they disperse, a human-sized open book has taken Nombry's place. The book slams shut, showing Nombry's terrified face on the front cover.

"A logical result." Laurent declares as he snaps his own tome shut. That sets Nombry's entire book form ablaze. The bandit leader's cry echoes as the book gets burned to ashes that are scattered among the sands by the desert wind. By the time the winds grow silent, so does Nombry's cry – forever.

* * *

 **Nombry has been killed!**

 **Laurent has leveled up!**

* * *

 **BGM ends**

Laurent releases a sigh and straightens out a few creases in his robe.

"How perplexing." Miriel comments as she approaches the Mage. "We clearly saw you get hit in that battle, and yet you show no signs of any injury."

Laurent smiles at her. "That's because he never hit me at all. What you thought was me getting hit was merely a copy of me made of paper infused with magic. As for how I switched places with it – let's just say I know a few spells to get under other people's noses."

Miriel adjusts her glasses. "I see. That reminds me of my husband, Kellam. Even though I have grown so used to his presence to the point that I can sense him nearby on an instinctual level, I now find it challenging to spot him in this environment."

 **BGM: To know the unknown, Innosense**

"Miriel." Chroms calls as he approaches.

"Captain?"

"The battle is won, and the sun is fading. Let's go back and notify the others."

* * *

As we get ready to resume our journey through the desert, Chrom's disappointment is palpable. "It seems the mirage remains just that… Best we returned our focus to the real world. Let's press on."

"Captain?" a voice whispers among our ranks.

Cordelia places a hand on her husband's shoulder. "Well, we at least got to explore the area a bit. That should count for something, right?"

"Captain Chrom?" the voice speaks out a bit louder.

Chrom shakes his head. "I appreciate you trying to cheer me up, Cordelia, but… I don't know. A part of me wishes those rumors were true."

"A desire to experience some measure of juvenile achievement, I assume." Miriel comments.

Chrom chuckles. "Yeah, probably something like that."

"Captain Chrom!" Kellam shouts out, thus catching us all off-guard. Oh, that was _his_ voice?

"Gah! Kellam?! When did you get here?!" Chrom asks shocked.

"A few minutes ago." the Thief replies. "You guys were in such a hurry to leave that you didn't even wait for me." He looks pretty upset. Not that I blame him.

Chrom looks sheepish. "Oh, uh… Sorry about that. It's just- No one had any idea where you ran off to, and fighting all those bandits kept us busy. Speaking of which, where were you during that battle?"

"Good news, Captain Chrom." Kellam answers smiling. "I found the mirage village." As proof, Kellam pulls out a beautifully decorated staff with the golden figure of a goddess hugging the crystal on top.

Chrom looks at him wide-eyed. "Is that the rumored Goddess Staff? But how? None of the towns around the oasis had any good clues regarding it."

Kellam shrugs. "Well, I did some sneaking around north of the oasis, and noticed some signs that pointed towards a nearby town. After looking for a while, I found it, hidden in plain sight." His smile turns the _teensiest_ smug. "I can relate."

Chrom looks at the staff in awe as Kellam places it in his hands. "Just what kind of place was that mirage village, in the end? Something beyond our ken, I suppose… Maybe a small proof of faith, even in the intangible, can still be rewarded? Like faith in a better future, perhaps." A smile grows on the prince's face. "…Heh. That's treasure enough for me."

* * *

While Chrom places the legendary staff in the convoy, I notice Laurent approach Miriel.

"Might I have a word?" the Mage asks her.

Miriel adjusts her glasses. "I don't see why not."

Laurent swallows nervously. "Tell me honestly; how would you assess my performance?"

Miriel closes her eyes in contemplation. Three seconds later, they open back up. "You have certain natural deficiencies, but you compensate for them well. I surmise this is the product of considerable time and effort."

A smile grows on Laurent's lips. "Hah! The best response yet! You're as perspicacious as you are blunt, Mother."

Miriel blinks once. "Mother?"

Laurent nods. "Indeed. I am your future progeny."

The Sage frowns as she adjusts her glasses. "Do you have concrete evidence to substantiate this proposition?"

Laurent rummages around in his robes before he pulls out a small satchel. The satchel, in turn, contains a small, golden ring. "I have a ring which is the same as yours. Quite literally."

Miriel takes the ring and inspects it from every angle. Then she holds it close to her own "…Fascinating. It _does_ appear identical."

"Do two instances of a unique object coexisting constitute sufficient proof?" Laurent asks.

"To be sure, time travel is one viable hypothesis to explain the rings." Miriel replies while examining the rings with a neutral expression. "But the possibility also exists that you pilfered the ring from said time traveler." Miriel ends her examination and looks Laurent right in the eyes. "As a means of identification, I fear it inconclusive."

Laurent gives a resigned sigh. "…An astute criticism. I'm uncertain that any truly conclusive case can be mounted to prove my claim." But just as fast as his resigned expression came, it's equally quickly replaced by determination. "But I intend to spend the rest of my life investigating the matter, if necessary. A single-minded pursuit of the truth may be the best proof of my heredity."

Miriel nods. "This is a reasonable assumption. But I'm afraid a unilateral investigation is hardly credible."

Laurent frowns. "Then how should-"

"However, I have no material evidence to suggest you are not, as you claim, my son." Miriel interrupts. "I shall conduct an inquiry on my own. We'll investigate the matter until a clear conclusion emerges – together." A small, yet affectionate smile blooms on the Sage's lips. "Until then, I will grant the fundamental assumption that you are, in fact, my child."

Laurent replies with a smile of his own – a notably wider one. "Thank you, Mother."

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: Shadow in the sands**  
 _Regardless of the existence of the rumored mirage village, the bandits roaming the desert were real enough to pose a threat to anyone traveling them. Your actions today have made the oasis a safer place to travel, be it for merchants, travelers or adventurers. That, in and of its own, could be considered a reward in the form of a good deed done._  
 **Objective:** _Defeat all bandits._  
 **Objective cleared!  
Rewards: **_You gain 10 000 EXP! You gain 10 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Find the mirage village and obtain the Goddess Staff.  
_ **Bonus objective cleared!  
Bonus rewards: **_You gain 10 000 EXP! You gain 10 000 gold!_

* * *

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Laurent's character sheet**

 **Laurent Lvl 35 Class: Mage (+ 5 % max MP and INT)  
** _Miriel's son from the future. His inquisitive mind and insatiable thirst for knowledge has made him a respectable scholar, despite his young age – by academic standards. While many chalk it up to natural talent, these abilities are actually born out of a desire to walk in his mother's footsteps. Under Jack's tutelage, his abilities as a spellcaster have been further augmented with a skillset similar to that of Zexion, the Cloaked Schemer. The fiercest debater for sea-salt.  
Born on April 25_ _th_ _._

 **Titles: Cloaked Schemer (+ 5% INT and WIS)**

 **HP: 4 500 / 4 500  
MP: 3 3 08 / 3 308 (3 150* 1.05)**

 **STR: 14  
VIT: 20  
DEX: 13  
INT: 78.5 ****(63 * 1.05 * 1.05 * 1.13)  
WIS: 40 (38* 1.05)  
CHAR: 13  
LUCK: 13**

 **ITEMS:  
Book of Retribution (equipped)  
Concoction**

 **Skills:**

 **Tome mastery, Lvl 42 [61.0 %], Passive  
** _While using tomes as mediums to channel mana for spells has been practiced for generations, very few have ever attempted to weaponize the arcane literature itself – for obvious reasons. Paper is nowhere near as durable as bronze or steel, nor were books originally intended to be used to clobber someone. However, a slight tweak in the way mana is channeled through the tome can turn the thick bundle of pages into an instrument of battle in its own right, so long as the wielder knows what they are doing. While unconventional, this also means there are few counters to this way of fighting – if any.  
Passively increases INT by 13 %. Increases attack speed and attack power by 215 % when attacking with a tome. Damage is determined by the wielder's INT stat._

 **Fire mastery, Lvl 30 [12 %], Passive  
** _Fire is the element of power. With great power comes great responsibility, and never is this more apparent than when one wields the element that embodies heat. If carefully contained, fire provides warmth and light when the night grows cold and dark. However, if left unsupervised, even the smallest flame can raze an entire city to the ground with no hope of stopping it.  
Increases damage dealt with fire element magic by 150 %. The cost of all fire-related skills is reduced by 11 %.  
Mastered spells:  
Fire  
Fira  
Firaga  
Meteor_

 **Wind mastery, Lvl 23 [23.6 %], Passive  
** _Air bending, wind-style jutsus, aeromancy, call it whatever the heck you want. Air is the element of freedom. It surrounds all living beings (above sea level) and travels where nothing else reaches. Many take it for granted because of its constant presence, never realizing the implications. Those who master the element of wind become legends in their own right, performing feats with just skill and the very air they breathe. A wind master is never out of their element, making them dangerous to fight just about anywhere.  
Increases damage dealt with wind-element magic by 115 %. The cost of all wind-element skills is reduced by 9 %.  
Mastered spells:  
Aero  
Aera  
Aeroga_

 **Lightning mastery, Lvl 20 [56 %], Passive  
** _The power of lightning has been an object of awe and fear in the eyes of humanity for millennia. The physics behind small static discharges are the very same that govern the nigh unstoppable and unpredictable thunderbolts that tear the very sky asunder. Harnessing the power of this ethereal element has therefore been a dream only the boldest of humans could even dream of; a dream come true only after generations of research, pioneering and literally putting life on the line. Those who succeed in taming this blindingly fast and destructive element can pierce through virtually any defense – provided they can maintain control. Remember: the same power that can strike your enemies without mercy can strike back at you in the same way.  
_ _Increases damage dealt with lightning-element magic by 100 %. The cost of all wind-element skills is reduced by 9 %.  
Mastered spells:  
Thunder  
Thundara  
Thundaga_

 **Illusion mastery, Lvl 15, [26 %], Passive  
** _The art of fooling the senses is a tricky and rarely practiced craft, mainly due to the extremely delicate channeling of mana required to even pull it off, combined with the psychological knowhow needed to make such deceit believable. However, every seasoned warrior knows that gaining the psychological advantage in battle can shift the favor irrevocably to one side. How well you manage to pull it off depends on how easily you can get in your opponent's head.  
The higher the level of this skill, the higher the chance of tricking your opponent with an illusory spell._

 **Bookmark, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _They say that a good read leaves a lasting impression. In this case, this is taken quite literally. While most attacks would leave wounds, yours leave behind a trace of mana in the shape of enchanted paper. These mana-charged pages stick to their target like glue. While they seem annoying at first, they are, in truth, a terrifying warning sign.  
Puts a Paper tag on a character every time they are hit by an attack from a holder of the "Tome mastery" skill. The magic damage dealt to anyone who has Paper tags stuck on them increases by 1 % for every tag._

 **Prison Book, Lvl 10 [12 %], Active, Cost: 285 MP  
** _Those who claim that books are harmless know not the terror of an enraged master magician. Your skill with your precious tome has reached such a height that it can manipulate the very fabric of reality, given the right circumstances. Those shrouded in arcane paper will soon find themselves bundled up in a neat row and encased in a hard cover, turning them into the very object they had the audacity to mock. From that point on, their fate rests solely in the hands of the caster. This punishment should only be meted out on the worst offenders against literature, lest the caster be known as a demon in human form.  
Transforms a character into a book. A character in book form has all defenses negated and is rendered completely immobile. This skill can only be activated if the number of Paper tags on the target at least matches their level. Duration: (Number of Paper tags * 1.01) seconds._

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

*Camera shows a decrepit fortress*

 **Noire:** Oh, dear… Did I get lost again?

 **Slaver:** Careful there, miss. Little lambs walking on their own make for easy prey when the wolves draw near.

 **Noire:** Stray wolves? Y-you mean…like you?

 **Slaver:** That's right, sweet cheeks. You're coming with us, be it the easy way or the hard way!

 **Jack:** Hey! No illegal kidnapping allowed!

 **Slaver:** And who's gonna stop us? You lot? I don't have time for your meddling, so just be on your way while we take care of this lass-

*Noire launches an arrow that lands among some slavers and explodes upon impact*

 **Noire:** BLOOD AND THUNDER! Just try and take me if you can, you curs!

 **Slaver and Jack:** What the h-ll?!

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Damsel in distress – or not? I am the bone of my split personality.**

 **Tharja:** Hmm… I think I like her.

* * *

 **Omake: Desert duality**

The desert is known to be a treacherous area to travel. By daytime, the blistering sun can dry out even the strongest of men and reduce them to husks. At night, however, the temperature plummets so far that water can almost freeze unless proper care is taken.

Thus, the situation in the Shepherds' camp on the night after Laurent joined.

Severa sits in front of a camp fire and rubs her arms while her teeth chatter. Her breath comes out in white puffs.

"Brrr! What is WRONG with this stupid desert?! My clothes were drenched in sweat while the sun was up, and now I'm freezing!"

Laurent adjusts his glasses. "This is common for deserts like these. Hot during the day, cold during the night."

Yarne huffs as he sits down beside Severa. "Man, now I understand why your mother said that desert animals have fur. I never thought my fur coat would come in handy like this."

Severa looks at the half-taguel with a glimmer in her eyes. "Don't mind if I do!"

"Wha- Hey! Let go off me!"

"Give me some of that warmth, you cheapskate!"

"My fur doesn't work like that, Severa!"

On the other side, Jack sighs at his two students tumbling around in the sand.

"Looks like those two need more disciplinary lessons."

Laurent raises an eyebrow. "I'm impressed, Master Jack. I have spent a lot of time in this desert, yet even I have some difficulty handling the cold at night. You, on the other hand, seem perfectly fine."

Jack shrugs. "You could consult you mother on that topic. If she asks, just tell her that is has something to do with an air bubble. She should be able to explain from there."

Robin happily hugs the Outrealmer's side. "And this only makes it better to have you around. Think you can hold this air bubble up for the night, Jack?"

Jack scratches his chin. "Well, a Shadow clone could always do that…"

Lissa quickly sits down on the other side of him. "Hey, Jack? Have I ever told you how handsome you look lately?"

Jack gives the blonde princess a smirk. "Nice try, Lissa. This space is for me and Robin only."

Lissa pouts. "Fine! Be that way! Is it really too much for a girl to ask for some warmth?"

Flames erupt from where Severa and Yarne have their tussle.

"Ah! Severa, stop the flames! You're gonna singe off all my fur!"

"That's what you get for not sharing with a cute girl asking nicely, Yarne!"

"Help! She's gone crazy!"

"Get back here!"

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Emera Baram Lvl 21 [47.3 %], Active, Cost: 225 MP  
** _A wind-element spell originating from the kingdom of Fiore. Large amounts of air is concentrated in a rune circle in front of the caster and funneled into a fierce vortex. The inside of the vortex is lined with sharp blades made of compressed air, shredding the target while they get blown away by the violent winds. With enough practice, the vortex can be made slimmer to concentrate the spell's power, which is beneficial in narrow areas where collateral damage should be avoided, like towns.  
Base damage: 2 420 % of the caster's INT.  
Element: Wind._

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner:**

 **Book of Retribution, Tome, Unique  
** _A thick, mysterious book originally owned by Zexion, the Cloaked Schemer and ranked number VI in the elusive Organization XIII. While the thickness of this tome would suggest it to be a lexicon, the true contents within the pages are known only to the wielder. Even stranger is that this tome grants its wielder the ability to use the pages within the cover as projectiles, yet the number of pages always stays the same, no matter how often this happens. Strange properties aside, the enchantments placed on this book makes it an excellent medium for channeling mana and casting spells, no matter which branch of magic the wielder has chosen to pursue.  
Increases damage dealt from magic of any element, even non-elemental, by 6 %._

 **Goddess Staff, Staff, Legendary  
** _An artifact said to have been blessed by a benevolent goddess upon completion. The crystal fitted on the tip is made of a rare mineral with the unique ability to resonate with the wielder's intentions. In the hands of a kind healer, this staff can amplify healing magic to the point that it can heal virtually any wound within the healer's reach, making it seem like a miracle given by the very same deity who was said to have blessed this staff.  
Healing magic cast while wielding this staff restores all HP to any ally within range. Range: (Wiedler's WIS stat / 4) meters.  
Note: If this staff is used to cast healing magic, it automatically enters a state of cooldown where it cannot be used. The cooldown lasts for 12 hours._

 **Warrior, Class  
** _Veteran axe wielders who possess immense strength and sufficient skill to wield it effectively. Warriors generally prefer light armor for better mobility, but always make it a point to protect their heads and arms with armor made of bronze or iron. This, in combination with their bulky frames, tends to make them quite slow in battle despite their otherwise light choice in protection. To compensate, these muscular combatants rely on their natural resilience and overwhelming strength to overpower their enemies. This is not to say that Warriors fight with a one-track mind. Not only are they skilled at wielding the axe, they are accomplished marksmen as well, capable of wielding bows with immense draw weight to deal death from a distance just as easily as up-close and personal.  
Passively increases maximum HP and STR by 5 %. Attack power and attack speed increases by 10 % when attacking with an axe or a blunt weapon. Accuracy and attack speed increases by 10 % when attacking with a bow. Movement speed is reduced by 8 %. Damage taken from magic of any element increases by 7 %._

 **Oasis bun, Consumable, Uncommon  
** _A pastry normally only baked in desert villages where merchants frequent often. A mix of honey, pistachio, sesame and cinnamon is placed in a shell of puff pastry and baked in an oven under close watch. Baked correctly, and the flaky, tender outside provides an alluring contrast to the sweet filling on the inside. Best enjoyed when served with slightly bitter tea.  
Restores 60 HP._

* * *

 **The take-away from this chapter is; Never piss a geek off. An angry Laurent is a dangerous Laurent.**

 **Yes, I know Zexion's original name is "Ienzo". I don't care.**

 **Attentive Awakening players will quickly notice that the place where the Shepherds ran into Laurent doesn't match the place on the world map where his chapter takes place in-game. Long story short, I just couldn't think of any reasonable excuse for everyone to travel to such an out-of-the-way location, so I just moved the whole place somewhere else that would be in line with the traveling route. As a result, the location for Laurent's chapter in this fic will be the biggest geographical deviation from canon.**

 **Some of you may also be of the opinion that Laurent is too powerful by the standards of his fellow 2** **nd** **-gen Shepherds. There's a simple explanation for that; he arrived in the present timeline 5 years ahead of the others, as he himself explains in his B-support with his father. Thus, that gives him 5 extra years to hone his skills. It's also for this very reason that I put him on a higher starting level.**

 **That will be all. Until next time.**

 **VipeR out.**


	20. Chapter 18

**Welcome, welcome! Come one, come all, to this glorious installment of- Wait a second. This isn't some kind of circus!**

 **Greetings, dear readers. This is CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **Summer is finally here – or so I thought. We're still shifting between hot temperatures and early-spring levels of cold where I live, and it makes it annoyingly difficult to know how much clothes I need to wear at the start of the day. For once, my mother has a point in her constant insistence that it's too cold to go outside without my jacket.**

 **Now, onto some reviews.**

 **SuperVegitoFAN:** Huh. That _would_ explain Goku's insane leap in power whenever he enters that state. Not that any of his form changes don't result in an insane power leap already…

 **TheOrangeLord:** Thanks for pointing out my mistake so quickly. Hopefully not too many noticed :P

 **Ittehgaps:** Nope, it's just Ultra Instinct in this fic. I feel that any more extra forms would just detract from the value of letting Yarne achieve that form. It's kind of like how I feel it gets pretty old whenever Goku enters a new stage of super saiyan time and again to the point that the first stage becomes the standard, when it originally was his trump card.

 **prisontaker:** No, but I have something along those lines in mind.

 **3-13 Sniper:** Yeah, I just love using Lucina as a medium for fighting game memes. That's the idea behind her build to begin with.  
I looked up that dust bowl you mentioned, and I've gotta say; that's some creepy stuff. While using wind magic on sand is a bit situational, it shows how effective situational awareness can be.  
Regarding Kellam; I _did_ say that I want everyone to have their chance to shine, and that involves everyone's favorite forgettable Shepherd as well. Dude deserves his time in the spotlight after all the times he gets neglected.

 **1silvergamer2:** I thought it would be common knowledge by now; there _is no saving_ from the blood and thunder once Noire sets her sights on you.

 **warrior of six blades:** While most of the kids consider Jack to be their teacher only, there's some nuances in some of the relationships with specific child characters. That's something I intend to flesh out as Jack interacts with them more.  
And, as Laurent has demonstrated, mages are not to be trifled with.

 **Blaze2121:** Believe me, Jack won't take the whole Robin's-heart-is-linked-to-Grima's thing in any other way than bad. As I've demonstrated in this fic, Jack is _extremely_ devoted to Robin, and if he perceives a threat to her, he gets violent until that threat is eliminated. Which makes it interesting that you would mention a possible Fates fic. The more I think about it, the more Jack's devotion to Robin reminds me of Camilla's devotion to Corrin, though to a less extreme extent. Camilla's just… Yikes.

 **LegacySpellsword:** You bring up a good point regarding Vexen. In fact, I originally planned on basing Laurent's skillset on Vexen's abilities while I was deciding on character builds. However, Zexion won out in the end due to, as you mentioned yourself, giving Laurent a more balanced skillset, which is more in line with his generalist approach to research and gives a nod to Laurent's weapon of choice being tomes. I also find Laurent's personality to be closer to Zexion's than Vexen's.

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _I've heard enough of your delusional blather! It's high time you knew your place, and I'll see to it personally! –_ Noire

* * *

 **Chapter 18:**

 **Damsel in distress – or not?  
** **I am the bone of my split personality.**

"Fire!" *Fwoom!*

I slip to the side and dodge the fireball Laurent launched my way.

"Fire! Fire! Fire!"

The continued barrage of fire magic forces me into a zigzag pattern as I weave between the spells. I frown as I dodge Laurent's spells. His casting speed is acceptable, but his angle of approach is far more simplistic than what he displayed in that last battle. I refuse to believe this is all he can do. The fact that he's Miriel's son means he has something else in mind. I have to look at his approach from at least two steps further.

Deciding to test the waters, I wait for the next spell from him.

"Thunder!"

There!

I sprint across the sand, allowing me to dodge the lightning spell and head straight for Laurent in the process. Three paces before I can aim a punch at the Mage, he jumps back with the assistance of an Aero spell, while simultaneously kicking up some sand to obscure my vision. I skid to a halt before I can run into the displaced sand. Now, what is he cooking up under that pointy hat of his?

I notice movement under my feet. Is the sand sliding apart?

My eyes widen as I realize I've been played. I hop back in a burst of Gale step. A split-second later, enchanted paper bursts from the sand. The mana-infused pages swirl in a small whirlwind before they fly to Laurent's open tome. Said tome closes with a snap right afterwards.

I relax in my stance and give Laurent an approving smile. "You used all those previous spells to distract me from the fact that you planted some enchanted paper under your feet. You actually wanted me to approach me for a melee range attack, and thus lured me towards you, all while pretending to try to keep me at a distance. Clever. Very clever, Laurent."

Laurent adjusts his glasses (it's creepy how similar that mannerism is to Miriel's). "It would seem you have seen through my entire strategy. And here I thought I had you outplayed."

I nod. "You almost did too. Had I been a moment slower, you would've succeeded."

"What gave it away?"

"Your strategy as a whole was well thought out, but your execution could use some work." I explain. "The way you baited me with those low-level spells indicated that you were up to something more complex than mere brute force. Had your spells been more powerful, I never would've suspected a thing."

Laurent nods in understanding. "I considered that angle of approach as well, but ultimately discarded it in favor of a more cost-effective approach. Since my objective was to lure you into that trap, using excess of mana to lure you into that position sounded like too much effort for the desired result."

I rub my chin. "Hmm… I won't fault your reasoning per say. In fact, it's quite solid. However, that kind of mindset could turn into a disadvantage against experienced opponents like me."

"Because you are more likely to see through my ruse?"

"Exactly. And once your opponent does that, they can plan around your strategy and maybe even turn it against you." I raise a finger. "And herein lies the irony of your approach; what seems like the smarter plan at first, actually turns out to be the dumber."

Laurent nods. "I see. It seems I need to take my opponent's perspective into account to a greater extent next time. Rest assured, Master Jack, our next spar will go very differently."

I nod back with an easy smile. "Of that, I have no doubt. But before we finish for today, I have one more thing to say."

"Yes?"

"Laurent, I've noticed that you approach not only combat, but just about everything around you as if it's some kind of research subject."

The Mage nods. "Indeed. It is ultimately my dream to carry on my mother's legacy as a scholar and advance the research she devoted her life to. But to carry such a heavy responsibility, I must sharpen my mind every day, until I am a scholar of at least the same caliber as her."

I sigh. "Look, Laurent, while I think it's admirable that you want to walk in Miriel's footsteps, I think you misunderstand her."

My student gives me a neutral look (Seriously, cut that out, man! It's creepy!). "Explain."

"Well, your mother is more than just a scholar. She's a Shepherd, an ally, a comrade-in-arms, a married woman, and – as you yourself are well aware of – a mother. I know that Miriel devotes much of her time for research, but I've seen her put time in activities that aren't related to science at all. Well, at least not in a direct manner."

"And what does that have to do with me?"

I walk up to Laurent and place a hand on his shoulder. "Laurent, life is more than just going from one research project to the next. Heck, the way you behave when you conduct research together with Miriel looks more like two friends enjoying a common interest, rather than two scholars trying to make a new discovery. There's nothing wrong with you sharpening your mind every day, but it's equally important that you learn to discover other facets of life. Many of them can't be discovered through reasoning and research alone. In fact, using such approaches could rob you of the enjoyment of life sometimes."

Laurent frowns as he contemplates my words. "I believe I understand what you're trying to tell me, Master, but I fail to see how else I should approach it. To be honest, I do not know of any other approach."

"Maybe you do." I counter. "If I know my future self right, he must've instilled a very important lesson in you before he agreed to take you under his wing. So, as his past counterpart, I'll take on the responsibility of reminding you of what is no doubt your very first lesson under our tutelage." I smile and poke Laurent on the chest. "May your heart be your guiding key."

Laurent returns my smile. "How long has it been since I heard those words? It takes me back to all those years ago when you agreed to train me, Master Jack. Rest assured, I will take due time to contemplate your wisdom."

I leave Laurent and head back to camp, but not before I turn my head towards him with a knowing smile. "That's the trick, Laurent. You're _not_ supposed to think too deeply about it. Just go with what feels right, and take action." I turn back to where I'm headed and wave over my shoulder. "You know the correct course of action more often than you're aware of. You just need to learn to guide your mind, instead of letting your mind guide you. Master yourself, my dear student."

 **Your relationship with Laurent has improved!**

* * *

I lift open the flap to the war tent to find the usual group gathered inside, with the addition of Lissa and Lucina.

"Sorry for the wait." I greet the others. "I had to get some stuff in working order with Laurent."

Emmeryn gives me a calm smile. "Worry not, Jack. We were just about to begin ourselves."

Everyone soon gathers around the map on the war table.

"All right, this is our current situation." Robin begins. She places her finger on the place where we currently are. "From here on out, we should be able to travel directly to Port Ferox without running the risk of any ambushes from unsavory parties." She drags her finger north on the map until she hits a thick white line, then trace it to the west coast. "All we need to do is travel north until we reach the main road along the Great Wall, and then follow it west."

Chrom nods while rubbing his chin. "That's the route we decided on during our last meeting, Robin, so why bring that up?"

Robin traces the map back to our current position, then drags it eastward instead. "We currently have the mountain borders to Ylisse east of us. In fact, the most well-traveled route through the mountain pass is less than half a day's march from here." Her finger stops at the capital. "If we take this route, we can make a stop in Ylisstol if we so wish. The roads between Ylisstol and Port Ferox are easy to travel, so it shouldn't be too much of a detour if we decide to stop by the castle."

Robin raises her head and looks at Emmeryn. "Well, Your Grace? How about it? Do you wish to proceed directly to Port Ferox, or do you wish to take some time in the palace?"

Emmeryn closes her eyes in contemplation. "When we first set out on this travel route, you told me it would delay our return to Port Ferox by a few days, Robin." Emmeryn looks at Robin directly. "How long can we afford to stay at the capital?"

Robin rubs her chin as the proverbial gears turn in her head. "Considering how long we've traveled, the Plegian ships should arrive in Port Ferox in a day or so. From there, I estimate that preparing all the necessary supplies, recruiting enough crewmembers to sail the ships, and loading all the cargo onboard should take a total of at least two weeks. Ylisstol is at least four days of travel from Port Ferox at our current pace. Assuming we need about a full day to reach Ylisstol from where we are now, that means we can afford to stay in the capital for little over a week at most, if we want to set sail for Valm as soon as possible."

Emmeryn nods. "I believe staying that long should not be necessary." She directs a smile at her younger sister and eldest niece. "Well, you two? How about staying a few days at the palace?"

"Gods, yes!" Lissa exclaims in a heartbeat. "I've been sleeping on a bedroll for far too long. My pillow back home misses me, and I'm obligated to snuggle with it."

Lucina blinks owlishly. "You pillow has feelings, Aunt Lissa?"

…

"It was a figure of speech, Lucina…" Chrom explains to his eldest daughter.

The blue-haired princess blushes deep red upon realizing her error, though she shakes it off quickly. "Oh, er, well… If we can afford the time, I would love to stay in the capital for a few days." A longing smile grows on her face. "It's been so long since I've seen the world so peaceful. Maybe I could even enjoy sleeping at home again."

Cordelia happily claps her hands together. "Oh, that sounds wonderful, Lucina. We'll find you a nice, comfortable room to call you very own where you can enjoy some peaceful sleep, you'll see."

Lucina raises an eyebrow. "Actually, Mother, I was thinking I could simply stay in one of the guestrooms before we set back out again. Besides, my baby self already has her own room."

"Absolutely not!" Cordelia counters fiercely.

"M-Mother?"

"You're as much my child as the little baby waiting for me back at the palace, and I will not accept anything less than you having your own room _in the very palace where you live_."

"Mother, I really don't think that's nece-"

Cordelia practically gets in her daughter's face. "I WILL find you a suitable room, Lucina. Is that clear?"

Lucina gulps. "Y-yes, Mother. Thank you. Though… I would prefer if I could share that room with Severa."

The Falcon Knight tilts her head to the side. "Well, I suppose that could be arranged, but why?"

"During the last years before we traveled back in time, we often had to make do with sleeping in rather…cramped spaces. Not to the point that we slept on top of each other, but certainly close enough that personal space was practically a luxury at night. It _was_ a bit awkward at first, but necessity won over personal feelings very quickly. Fortunately, my comrades were understanding enough to let Severa and I always sleep during the same hours, seeing as we were family and all that. At this point, not sleeping together is almost unthinkable for the both of us."

A somber atmosphere descends in the tent as the meaning behind Lucina's words sink in. When fighting a losing war against a giant apocalyptic dragon and its army of killer zombies, you had to make do with what you found and whatever respite you were given. While not the happiest of settings, it definitely served to strengthen the bond between the royal sisters. It's a matter of finding the silver lining, really.

Cordelia seemingly reached the same conclusion, judging by her nod and tense smile. "Of course, dear. We'll arrange for a room for the both of you as soon as we reach the palace."

Lucina smiles back, genuinely in her case. "Thank you, Mother. I'll let Severa know when we are done with this meeting."

"Which would be now." Robin interjects. "Our next destination is decided, so all we need to do is break camp and be on our way."

* * *

And so, here we are, about ten minutes later, and a pair of clones packing up mine and Robin's tent while I'm chilling on top of a random, conveniently placed crate with my wife sitting on my lap and the two of us snuggling together.

Hey, why bother with the dirty work, when you can just copy yourself and have said copies do the work for you? That _technically_ counts as doing it yourself, right?

"It's official; we don't get enough credit." clone # 1 grumbles as he puts Robin's desk and writing supplies in an organized pile for loading on a cart later.

Clone # 2 rolls his eyes. "Tell me about it. With how often Boss abuses us, you would think he'd figured he could just make more of us to snuggle with our bae in case he's busy doing something personally for a change."

"I heard that!" I shout from my seated position.

"That was the plan!" clone # 1 shouts back. "Seriously, Boss! If you're so bent on hogging Robin for yourself, why not teach her how to make clones too? We clones have feelings too, you know, and we need some time with our beloved as well."

"Don't you dare get me started on that." I fire back. "I know you. The second you're done with whatever task I give you, you'll just sneak away for some crazy stuff, 'cause you're essentially me with almost no inhibitions. If a clone of Robin is nearby, you'll just grab her along for the trip and do stuff not considered safe for children."

Robin blushes upon hearing my reply. "Well… It wouldn't be _that_ bad, would it?"

Clone # 2 nods sagely. "You heard the lady, Boss. Besides, everything we experience goes back to you anyway, so any hot, steamy stuff we do with Robin's clones will just go right back to you two when we're done. It's a win-win situation, honest."

"No, it's not. What do you think will happen if you dispel after that kind of stuff while Robin's in the middle of a meeting? Or trying to devise a strategy for an upcoming battle? Or while she's busy fending off an ambush?"

My clones freeze at my reply.

"Oh…" clone # 1 mutters. "Yeah… That would suck."

"Come on, Boss, you can't leave us in the cold like this." clone # 2 insists as he finishes rolling up the fabric of the tent. "Isn't there _something_ you could do to make our short existences more worthwhile?"

I rub my temples. "*Sigh* All right, I guess I could think of something. But until then, you guys have to be patient."

"Fair enough." clone # 1 replies as he puts down a crate filled with tomes and dusts off his hands. "All done." He grins at his brother-clone. "Soo…tag with desert critters?"

Clone # 2 grins back. "Heck yeah!"

My clones vanish in twin blurs, leaving our portion of the campsite cleared out and ready to be loaded up.

Robin glances at me. "You know, Jack, your clones bring up a good point. Not only would it make my own workload lighter if I could make clones myself, they could give your own clones some company. Sure, they're always motivated to help me, but I can't help but notice how lonely they look."

"Oh, I'm well aware, Robin. I feel and experience everything they feel, remember?"

"So why don't you do something about it?"

"Oh, but I do. Why do you think I'm always in a cuddly mood after I dispel a bunch of clones who have worked for an extended period of time?"

Robin's eyes widen in realization before she rubs her temples. "That explains so much… You really need a better way for coping with your self-imposed loneliness, Jack. I won't always be available for that snuggling, nor will I always be in the mood."

I nod reluctantly. "Fine. I'll try to figure something out."

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: The next day**_

Severa stares intently at the baby version of her technically-older sister, who happens to lie safely in the arms of her adult self. Baby Lucina, in turn, stares up at her not-yet-born sister with wide-eyed curiosity.

The present princess and future princess hold their little staring match for a while longer.

Then Baby Lucina blows some spit bubbles at Severa before she turns around in Adult-Lucina's embrace and snuggles with said adult princess.

Severa's right eyebrow twitches violently. "Of all the- You were _terrible_ as a baby, Lucina."

Lucina, for her part, apologizes profusely on behalf of her baby-self.

"This looks so strange…" Cordelia comments baffled. "I never thought our daughters would argue about their behaviors as children in such a way."

Lissa shrugs. "Yeah, seems like all this time travel stuff can cause some messy situations." She smiles at the Falcon knight. "But look at it like this; if our future children can meet their baby selves, maybe that can remind them of what they fight for."

Chrom raises an eyebrow. "You sound awfully sure about becoming a parent, Lissa, just like when Lucina was born."

"I already told you, I have a budding motherly instinct!" the blonde princess huffs while stomping her foot on the floor.

Chrom gives her a flat look. "Judging by your behavior, I'm not convinced."

"I'll prove you wrong someday! You'll see, and then you'll be _sorry_!"

* * *

Sigh. It's during moments like these that I wish they would hurry up and integrate soundproofing in building technology. Stone walls may be sturdy, but sound in palace structures travel way too easily when loudmouths are around.

"It's during moments like these that I tend to forget we're planning for a war…" Robin muses in the adjacent room we're in at the moment.

I cut off Mind's eye to take my attention away from the spectacle happening outside and focus it on my wife.

"I know what you mean." I reply. "Still, all the more reason for us to protect peaceful moments like these." I take a glance on the map of the continent again. "So, back to our travel plans."

Robin nods. "From here, our path forward should be quite clear. After our respite here in the capital, we should hurry straight to Port Ferox and oversee preparations for our trip across the Long sea. We have some hectic days ahead of us, between loading a thousand vessels with supplies, hiring extra members for the ship crews, and making sure our troops are in the best possible shape." Robin sighs. "I might need to delegate some tasks."

I nod. "That's a sound idea. Whatever you do, don't overdo it. Our army's better off with you in good health and a few days' delay rather than you being dead on your feet all the time."

Robin smiles at me. "Well, at least I can count on you to be there for me."

I scratch my head. "Yeeaah… I except I won't."

"…"

"…"

"Say what…?" Robin asks me deadpan.

"I'll be busy making a round trip along the northern part of the continent while you guys head for Port Ferox." I explain as I retrieve Itachi's scroll. "There's a few more locations I need to cover before we set sail for Valm, and now's the best opportunity I still have left to cover them."

Robin frowns. "Like when we found Severa, Yarne and Laurent during our round trip back to the capital?"

I nod and pick up a few pins. "Yeah. Based on what the squirrels reported, the remaining locations should be around here, here and here." I place the pins on the spots described in the report. Then I place my finger on the position on the capital and drag it along the edge of the continent counterclockwise. "I should be able to cover them all if I travel along a route like this. That should hopefully net us some more useful allies for our campaign."

Robin sighs. "In other words, you'll be off traveling along the Feroxi countryside, while I'm stuck with managing our army alone. Is this really necessary, Jack?"

I purse my lips. "I wouldn't mention this unless I thought it was important – you know that by now. I'll try to complete my task as fast as I can, but I'll still need some time to make the trip. The best I could do for you is leave a clone by your side to help smooth things along for you until I return."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "Speaking of your clones; I've never seen them be around for more than a few hours. How long can they last?"

I blink. "Actually, I've never tried to find that limit. For all I know, they could last indefinitely, so long as they don't take too much damage or run out of mana to sustain themselves."

Robin's frown returns. "Can't you just send a band of clones for that trip instead?"

I shake my head. "That's too unreliable. If an accident happens along the way, the entire band could get wiped out before they complete the journey. My clones can't take as much punishment as I can, so I don't want to run that risk. At least managing ship loading is much safer than traveling the countryside."

Robin rubs her temples. "There's no talking you out of this, is there?"

I sigh. "If there was, you'd probably have succeeded by now. Look, Robin, I have faith that our soldiers are capable, but I'm not sure if that's enough to stop the Conqueror. We'll need every edge we can get against a force of that magnitude. And if we have to put in extra effort to gain that edge, I think that's better than getting crushed under the oppression of a potential tyrant. Besides, we already gave Lucina our word that we'd help her find her lost comrades, and I hold the most leads on their whereabouts."

"I know… It's just…I had hoped you'd help me with these final war preparations, Jack."

"Oh, believe me. I'd wish for that just as much as you do. But between all these pressing matters, I think this is the best route to go." I huff in exasperation. "Besides, maybe letting one of my clones spend some extended quality time with you will _finally_ stop their constant whining. Naga help me, their nagging could test the patience of a rock."

Robin gives me an amused smile. "You _do_ realize that's basically you arguing with yourself, don't you?"

I roll my eyes. "Do I ever… Between our allies and all their…quirky…personalities, I think I'm the closest to being put in a madhouse if it wasn't for Emmeryn's trust and benevolence." I sober up quickly. "Back on topic, though. I'll make this excursion worthwhile, Robin. I promise."

Robin purses her lips a bit before she nods. "All right. I'll try to manage the best I can on my end, then. Hopefully your theory about your clones holds up."

I nod in agreement. Then I snap my fingers. "Oh, and one more thing." I pick up another pin and stick it at the north-western end of the continent, a bit north of Port Ferox. "There was one more place that the squirrels reported would be of interest. I'm not sure if my planned traveling route could take me there. Do you think you could cover that place for me?"

Robin raises an eyebrow. "Hmm… It shouldn't be too far away from Port Ferox. In fact, we might take a detour there before we head for the port itself. Why? Think we'll find another one of Lucina's allies there?"

I nod. "I'm positive."

I turn to the open window and whistle. A few seconds later, a squirrel lands on the window sill. I pull out a hazel nut from my bag and motion the squirrel over.

"I have a special assignment for you, Itachi." I tell the woodland critter as I hand him the nut. "I want you to follow my wife for the next week or so." I motion for the pin north of Port Ferox. "She will travel to this location soon. I want you to guide her there safely."

" _Understood._ " Itachi replies before he vanishes in a puff of smoke.

Robin blinks. "Another one of your squirrel friends?"

"More like associates." I correct. "Anyway, when you pass Port Ferox, have some nuts ready and signal for Itachi with a whistle. He will guide you to the exact location of this pin."

Robin nods as she processes the information. "All right. I'll see what I can find there."

Robin bends back up after slumping over the map for so long. She sighs satisfied as her back emits a few pooping sounds. "Phew. That should be enough strategizing for one day."

I nod. "I agree. I'd better assemble a traveling group and gather supplies for the journey."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "You won't be traveling alone?"

"Of course not. I'd never put you under such unnecessary worries like that unless I had a good reason – which I don't have in this case."

Robin sighs. "Well, that's at least _one_ less issue for me to worry about."

"You little- Argh! Lucina! Your baby-self drooled in my hair!"

"I'm sorry, Severa! I'm so sorry!"

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "*Sigh* But first, I'd better check up on my dear students before Severa harms her sister's present self."

Robin giggles. "They can be quite a handful, can't they?"

"You have no idea, my love. Just know you're not the only one who has to deal with people with tiresome tendencies on a daily basis."

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: The next morning**_

I stand outside the palace gates in full gear, Harvest Moon safely attached to my back, and my bag filled with just about everything I need for the journey. On my right is a small horse-drawn cart with supplies, provisions, spare weapons and other useful stuff for the journey ahead. All that's left is my traveling crew.

"Ugh. Remind me again why you had to drag me outta bed this early?" I hear Vaike grumble.

"'Cause Jack's going on a trip that a bunch'a squirrels tipped him off on, and Robin won't shut up until she knows that he ain't travelin' alone." Sully replies.

I turn and spot the Paladin and her husband approach, packed up and ready for travel.

"Morning, Vaike. Morning, Sully." I greet the couple.

"You'd better have a good reason to drag us on this thing, Jack." Vaike replies irritably. "I had a great dream when Sully all but picked me up from the bed and threw me out the room before she threw my gear on top of me."

"That's what you get for bein' a sleepyhead, Vaike." Sully fires back. "Jack told us all about this yesterday, and even mentioned we'd be setting out early, so you only have yourself to blame for turning in late."

"Can't you guys save your bickering for later? It's way too early in the morning for all this racket." we hear Nowi complain.

The three of us turn and find Donnel carrying Nowi piggyback while the manakete rubs her eyes sleepily.

"Mornin', fellas." Donnel greets us cheerfully. "Sorry for the wait. Nowi wouldn't let go of the pillow."

The manakete pouts. "Hey, a girl needs her beauty sleep. Do you _want_ your adorable wife to get wrinkles within her second millennium due to lack of sleep?"

Donnel raises an eyebrow. "Er, Nowi, I won't be around in a thousand years."

Nowi blinks. "Oh… Yeah, forgot about that." She jumps off Donnel's back and stretches with a yawn. "Could you at least let me nap in the cart?"

I shake my head with a smile. "Nope. If I let you do that, Vaike would ask for the same, and we can't have that."

"Hey, that's low, Jack!" the Barbarian shouts.

"Am I wrong?" I fire back immediately.

Vaike opens his mouth for a retort, before he stops cold. He scratches the back of his head. "Uh… Well, not _really_. But that's not the point!"

"Well, aren't we a happy-go-lucky band of travelers…" Tharja remarks sarcastically as she and Gaius reach us. "We're not even out of the capital, and you're already bantering like we've made camp on the first night."

"I hope you planned some stops in towns along the way, Buttercup." Gaius adds as he rummages around in hos robes a bit before he nods. "My stash won't last for more than a few days without a good supply point."

"You'd better listen to him, Jack." Tharja adds. "Gaius gets _very_ cranky if he goes without sugar for too long."

"Aw, it won't be that bad, Tharja." Nowi replies, now all sunshine and rainbows, and hugs the Sorcerer. "It'll be fun, you'll see."

Tharja's right eyebrow twitches as Nowi rubs her cheek against her belly. "Spare me. Unlike you lot, I prefer peace and quiet. Anyone who barges into my tent better have a good reason. Speaking of which…"

After managing to pry one arm out of Nowi's surprisingly strong hugging grip, Tharja pulls a bottle out of a bag attached to her hip. "I just finished the potion you asked me to make back at Carrion Isle, Jack."

I take the bottle and run an Observe on it. Yes… This is exactly what I needed.

I nod pleased. "Thanks, Tharja. This should come in handy in the future."

Tharja gives me a pleased smile in return. "Oh, it wasn't much. I'd love to mix something else for you in the future, Jack, be it a potion or something more…sinister. Just give the word, and I'll see what I can do."

"Tharja, you're not hitting on Jack again, are you?" Nowi asks with a disapproving glare. "You know he's happily married with Robin."

"Hey, what about me, Nowi?" Gaius asks flatly. "What am I, chopped liver?"

Nowi blinks before she resumes her glaring on Tharja. "Oh, yeah. Gaius will be upset too."

I sweep my sight over the assembled Shepherds. None of them know it yet, but if memory serves, they're all in for a surprise as we travel the northern parts of Regna Ferox. Well, besides the fact that it's going to be biting cold. Good thing I packed some extra winter cloaks to give everyone, including future traveling partners, some much-needed protection from the cold.

"I take it this is everyone you wanted to bring along, Jack?" we hear Robin ask as she exits the palace. She takes a look at my assembled crew before she raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure you at least don't want to bring a healer like Libra along? How will you fare in case someone gets wounded?"

I smile at my wife. "Don't worry. I've got that covered. One of the first things I arranged for this trip was stocking up on plenty of medicine and bandages. Enough of us know first aid in case anyone gets hurt. And if that's not enough…"

A breeze swirls to life around us. Tharja's and Robin's eyes widen upon realizing what it does.

"You…infused a wind spell with healing magic." Tharja notes.

I nod. "Yep. This spell helps speed along the body's natural recovery process. Between this and all the medicine, we should be fine. And if that's not enough, I made sure to have someone more…experienced tag along our group."

"Ho, now! Gregor not late, no?" we hear the middle-aged Hero shout as he runs up to us.

Robin raises an eyebrow. "Gregor? Jack asked you to accompany him?"

Gregor nods. "Gregor very familiar with treating wounds. Many years of sellsword see to needing creativity when stopping bleeding and gashes. For example, rag and rum make good bandage with no infection, yes?"

I nod as well. "Gregor knows ways to treat wounds no one would even think of, and all he needs could be found anywhere where there's a town. His skills as a physician may be unorthodox, but they can be a life saver. That, and he's among our most experienced fighters."

Robin takes one more look at the assembled crew. "While not quite how I pictured your selected squad, I know firsthand how capable each and every one is." She takes a deep breath. "All right, here's how things will work; I've already approved this trip that Jack suggested. For the duration of this trip, Jack will be the commanding officer. Any second-in-command will be appointed at his volition. Any questions?"

"Yeah." Sully answers. "Where are we even going?"

I pull out a map with some areas encircled. "Roughly speaking, we're going along the northern parts of the continent. If my intel is correct, we should be able to recruit some valuable allies along the way. I've already arranged for gear fitting the weather, so we shouldn't run any risk of freezing there."

The others glance at my described traveling route.

"This looks like a seriously roundabout trip, Buttercup." Gaius mutters while he pulls out another lollipop. "You sure about this?"

I nod. "Absolutely. I mean, look what we found during our first "roundabout" trip after Carrion Isle."

The Assassin nods. "Fair enough. I guess your goal is finding allies the same way you've done these past few days, then?"

I nod. "That's pretty much the gist of it."

Vaike rubs his chin. "Soo… We're gonna look for Lucina's friends? I'm game."

"Me too!" Nowi interjects happily. "Lucina will be so happy when we return with more of her friends!"

Sully pats her horse. "Well, what're we waitin' for, then? We're burning daylight here, people."

Robin nods. "Looks like everything's in order then. Well, good luck on your journey." She gives the others a look that almost seems pleading. "Please… Keep an eye on Jack for me."

Donnel gives her a reassuring grin. "Ya can count on us, Robin! Jack's in as good hands as a chick under 'is ma's wings."

Robin smiles. "Thank you, Donnel." Then she walks up to me and gives me a tender kiss. "Stay safe."

I caress her face gently. "I will. I'll see you again in Port Ferox, with more allies for our cause."

"Hey, lovebirds!" Sully shouts down the streets. "Ya gonna separate sometime this week?!"

I roll my eyes. "Cool it, will you, Sully? Things like this take time."

I faintly hear Vaike snicker. "Dang. We're not even out of the capital, and he already misses her."

Gregor grins. "Jack and Robin very much in loving, no?"

"They sure are." Nowi adds with a bright smile. "It would make for a great love story."

Ugh. Better get going before the teasing escalates even more.

*Poof*

A Shadow clone pops up beside us.

"Robin is your number one priority, no matter what happens. Tell Lon'qu he's in charge of the team until I return. Got it?" I tell my clone.

"That's my default setting, Boss." the clone replies like it's the most obvious thing in the world (it is). "I've got this covered. Make sure you get those buddies into the fold."

I nod in approval and turn to Robin for one last chaste kiss. "You're in good hands. I'll see you back in Port Ferox."

Robin nods with a mixture of…longing, worry and affection. "All right. Don't take too long, Jack."

"I won't."

With a surprising amount of required willpower, I slip out of the embrace of my wife and head out to join my traveling crew. Sigh. The more I think about her now, the harder this journey will get. Let's get this over with.

* * *

"About d-mn time, Jack." Sully huffs as I catch up to the others outside the capital's gates. "If I read that route correctly, we've got a lot of ground to cover in just one week. H-ll, will we even have time to get to all those places and catch up with the others in Port Ferox at all within that time?"

I smile at the Paladin. "Relax, Sully. I've got that covered."

Gregor raises an eyebrow. "Gregor knows Jack is crafty, but how will Jack do the bringing of all around continent in just one week?"

My answer is summoning four clones around the cart (to the notable confusion of the horse drawing it). "Everyone get close to the cart, your horse included, Sully." I tell everyone.

I get a few skeptical looks at first, but they file in one by one. I'm the last one in the square.

"All right, men. You know the route." I tell my clones. "We've got places to be and a date with best wife ever in Port Ferox, so we'd better get going on the double."

"Yes, Boss!" my clones answer in chorus and kneel down on the ground.

I point northward. "Commence operation "moving stone"!"

My clones clap their hands before they put the palms on the ground in unison. Sparks fly along the earth before the ground we're standing on gets raised up and then starts moving. That's right – I'm using the same method as when I transported my entire team to Port Ferox in record time back during our first battle with Valmese soldiers.

"Whoa, what the- Since when can you do this, Buttercup?" Gaius asks astounded.

"Since a while back." I reply. "I first gained the ability to manipulate stuff like earth sometime when Nowi joined our merry band."

The Assassin gives me a flat look. "Those powers of yours again? I swear, they only get weirder every day."

Sully snorts. "Ain't that the truth. So how come you didn't help us all travel like this ever since you figured this out, Jack? We'd be zipping around the continent in record time if you did this all the time."

"What am I, some kind of vehicle?" I fire back. "I'm not about to turn myself into some glorified troop transport, Sully. Besides, marching is an essential part of keeping an army in shape. What do you think would happen to our army's overall performance if I carried everyone around like this all the time?"

"Army get used to easy travel, army get lazy. Lazy army is sloppy army, which mean dead army." Gregor deduces.

I nod. "Exactly. I only use this kind of transportation when I'm pressed for time. Otherwise, I travel by foot, or wagon if so offered."

Nowi prods one of my clones. "And you can copy yourself any time you'd like, right, Jack?"

"Yeah, so long as I have enough mana. And at this point, I already have so much, and I also recover so fast, that I pretty much always have enough mana for at least one copy."

Nowi's face splits into a massive grin. "Hey, that means you can always leave one of yourself for me to play with. Yay! Playmates on demand!"

At the same time, a sinister smirk grows on Tharja's face. "Hmm… A dozen Jacks, to keep around wherever I want. Oh, the possibilities."

A tic mark pulses on my head. "D-mn it, you two! I'm not some kind of toy! Why can't you just treat me like an ordinary person?!"

"And what part of you is ordinary, Jack?" Vaike counters. "I mean, you do all kinds of stuff everyday that no one else could even imagine, and you have some kind of freakish power from another world. Teach ain't no expert on Outrealms, but even I know when something isn't normal."

"Says the one who walked straight into Regna Ferox bare-chested because he wanted to flaunt his muscles for the local women."

"That was ONE TIME!"

"We're gonna have to listen to this stuff all the way 'til arrival, don't we?" one of my clones asks dryly.

"Yep." the other three answer in perfect sync.

* * *

Turns out Vaike really _did_ learn his lesson from our previous visits to the cold country. Seeing as the snowy landscape of Ferox was fast approaching, I made sure to pull out the winter cloaks I had prepared beforehand. And, lo and behold, Vaike was the first to accept one.

"Told ya so. Teach has learned his lesson." the Barbarian says with a smug grin. Then he starts flexing with the cloak on (which still manages to show some outline for his muscles). "Besides, the only one I wanna flaunt these babies for nowadays is Sully."

Sully rolls her eyes. "Well, ain't you a charmer? Though, I suppose I like it when you flex every now and then."

"You might wanna step up your training, then, Muscles." Gaius comments with a grin. "Last time I checked, Curls is catching up to you on the muscle department – fast."

Gaius brings up a good point. Donnel's physique had already improved significantly by the time I returned from the Outrealms, and that was more than a year ago. Since that time, it's almost like he hit a late growth spurt, 'cause I'm sure he's at least a head taller since last year. To compliment his vertical growth, his muscles have gotten even bigger, and they seem hard enough that you can bounce a coin off of just about any muscle group. And, of course, Nowi's had a blast these past few days rubbing it into everyone's faces over how big and strong her mate has gotten.

I think she's going into heat soon.

For his part, Vaike gains a nervous sweat. "Er… Sure. Thanks for the heads-up, Gaius. Not that muscle size is everything, am I right?"

No one deigns to answer that, much to Vaike's annoyance.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: Three hours later**_

We've finally made our first stop in a small town along our traveling route, much to everyone's relief. Sitting on a slab of packed dirt can give you some nasty cramps unless you're careful, so everyone was happy to get some none-moving ground under their feet again and stretch their legs.

This also provided an excellent opportunity to check if we needed to stock up on anything. Seeing as how fast we got here, we're good on supplies (save for Gaius's sweet stash). Still, it wouldn't hurt to check in on what the local shops have to offer.

I barely make it through the door when the shop owner gives a relieved sigh. "Oh, thank goodness you came back. When I heard you say you'd set out for that bandit stronghold, I feared you'd march straight to your-"

The man stops cold when he turns around and sees me. "Oh, my apologies. I thought you were someone-" His face grows pale. "No… Oh, gods, please, no!"

"Whoa, easy there. Deep breaths." I tell him calmly. "What's this all about? Who did you think I was?"

The shop owner gulps. "There was a young merchant girl who came to our town a few days ago to sell her wares. Then one day, some soldiers passing through town mentioned having found the stronghold of the feared bandits known as "the twins". The young merchant overheard their conversation and started making plans to go there herself. I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't listen." The shaken man sits down on a chair and releases a shuddering breath. "When I heard you come through the door, I thought you were her. But it seems like she's going through with that reckless plan of hers after all. Gods, she has no idea what she's getting herself into!"

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Side quest: Rooting out the twins (part 2)  
** _After more than two years, you finally find a lead on the whereabouts of the second half of the feared twin bandits. Now's your chance to end their terrorizing pillaging in eastern Ferox for good and let the people have some peace return. You'd better hurry though. Some townsfolk saw a young woman head their way alone. The less you think about what those bandits intend to do with her, the better. Just find her before they do, and make it snappy!  
_ **Objectives:** _Ask around town for information about the twin's hideout, defeat Vincent  
_ **Rewards:** _Increased standing with Regna Ferox, 5 000 EXP, 5 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _1 000 EXP, 1 000 gold  
_ **Failure:** _Not only will an innocent person meet a tragic fate, the bandits will keep on pillaging. Which leads to an angry Flavia. You don't want an angry Flavia._

* * *

Judging by the description of the events, that young merchant was most probably Anna – the one that joins the Shepherds as an optional unit. While I'm convinced she can handle a bandit or two without much trouble, I doubt she can handle the whole gang. Better hustle, as the alert suggests.

I narrow my eyes. "Tell me where she went."

"You'll help?" the shop owner asks hopefully.

I nod. "Those bandits have caused Regna Ferox a whole slew of trouble. Better put them down now, when there's an opportunity. Besides, I can't just let that young woman march into what could be the greatest mistake of her life."

"Oh, thank you, kind sir! Thank you!" the shop owner exclaims.

"*Sigh* Just tell me where those bandits are hiding."

The man nods. "Well, the soldiers who found the bandit hideout should still be in town. I'd wager they've headed for the town's inn for some food and drinks."

Perfect. That's where my other companions went while I busied myself with checking the stores in town. That means I can get some valuable info and gather up the group in one go.

* * *

The moment I enter the inn, I sweep the interior with Observe. Let's see… Bar maid? Nope. Traveling bard? Nu-uh. Vaike doing the monkey on a table? Close, but no dice. Feroxi soldiers? Hello, objective numero uno.

I plop down at their table and I order a round of drinks for all three of us (being the responsible adult I am, I settle for a cup of milk) before they can ask anything.

The first soldier raises his eyebrows. "Well, now. Ain't every day someone strolls up and offers free drinks. What's the occasion, stranger?"

"Since you seem to be in the know, let's cut to the chase." I explain. "I heard from the townsfolk that you've found the hideout of the bandits known as "the twins". I'd like to hear of its location."

The second soldier snorts. "You? No offense, fella, but that's a place you should leave to us professionals. Ain't a place for some civi- Eep!"

Said soldier promptly shuts up when he finds me holding a steak knife at his throat within the blink of an eye.

"Rest assured, I'm no civilian." I tell the soldiers with a casual smirk on my face. "In fact, I've run into their ranks before, and unless they've gotten any stronger than last time, I could handle that lot easily enough on my own." I hike my thumb to the table where my companions are seated. "And to make matters better, I'm _not_ alone. We can handle those bandits, no problem."

Soldier # 1 gulps. "H-hey, now. What's it to you? You in for some kinda fame or somethin'?"

My smirk grows wider. "No. I just so happened to learn that a charming young lady overheard the news. We couldn't _possibly_ let her go all on her own in that direction and just remain idle here, now could we?"

The soldiers' eyes widen upon hearing that little tidbit. Form there, they share everything they managed to learn from their trip. And just as they finish, the bar maid returns with our drinks. I accept my cup with an easy smile and sweep the contents in one go before I head towards my companions. No point in dawdling, now that I've got the coordinates registered and that golden arrow pointing me exactly towards where I need to go. I do so love my mini-map.

"All right, everybody. We've got some urgent business to take care of. We'll be off as soon as you finish your meals, and make it snappy. Time is of the essence."

Nowi pouts while munching on a loaf of bread. "Already? Jack, we haven't even been in town for an hour."

I shake my head. "I just learned that a young merchant was headed for the hideout of some bandits that we fought two years ago. If left alone, who knows what could happen to her?"

Sully raises an eyebrow. "Ya mean those twins? I thought we beat 'em."

"Correction." I reply. "You only defeated one of them. The other wasn't there during that battle, which means he may well still be alive and kicking."

Nowi chomps down the last of her bread and forces the contents down with a healthy serving of milk. "He's right. We'd better hurry."

"Huh. Didn't take you for the thoughtful type." Tharja comments.

"It's not that, Tharja." Nowi explains. "Remember when I told you I was captured by bandits and sold as a slave? That could happen to that woman as well." The manakete balls her little fists. "I refuse to let that happen to anyone else – not as long as I can prevent it."

Seeing as Nowi's past as a former slave is common knowledge among the Shepherds who joined before her, her explanation spurs the others into finishing up in turn. Though I idly note that Donnel looks at his wife with wide eyes. Wait… Does that mean he _doesn't_ know?

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: Half an hour later**_

"Looks like that's it." Gaius remarks as we spy the ruins of a fortress in the distance.

And, true to his deduction, the arrow on my mini-map points exactly in that direction. The only problem is that Anna was nowhere to be seen on our way here. That most probably means she's already infiltrated the hideout.

I glance at Gaius. "What do you think? Any clear signs of sentries?"

Gaius narrows his eyes. "None that I can spot. They've either hidden themselves well, or they're not there at all."

Seeing as Mind's eye can't pick up on anything close to the walls either, I'd lean towards the second option.

Hang on. Something seems to be going on further in.

"Do you guys hear that?" Nowi asks. "There's some commotion happening inside."

Great. Sounds like they spotted Anna, or at least know she's there.

I draw Harvest Moon. "Guess there's no time to lose, then. I'll go on ahead and try to find that merchant girl. Follow as fast as you can."

"Ya sure 'bout this, Jack?" Donnel asks concerned as he pulls out his Imposing axe. "Runnin' off on yer own sounds dangerous."

I shake my head. "I can handle myself against a bunch of bandits, but I can't say the same for that merchant. I'll find her a secure spot first. With any luck, I'll distract them enough for the rest of you to barge in from the front door and blindside them."

Tharja shrugs. "Either way suits me." She pulls out a Nosferatu tome and smiles sadistically. "Well, ready when you are."

I nod. "See you guys inside."

It's at moments like these that I'm reminded of how powerful Mind's eye can be. Since I can "see" just about anything within a 100 meter radius, giving any guards or sentries the slip is easy.

Which is why I can see just about every bandit running around all over the place while an extra big one, most probably their leader, barks out orders while pointing every which way. What's gotten their undies in a knot?

Hang on a sec… There's a woman sneaking around the hideout. I'd bet gold that's Anna. Whelp, time to meet up with the money loving merchant.

I have to give the redhead some credit, though. She managed to infiltrate this place quite easily, given what a weird mix of fortress walls, open space and the odd tree this hideout is. Not to mention she hardly seems to have left any tracks. Considering there's hardly any roof covering this place, and the fact that snow is the norm here, she's done a great job in leaving little to no evidence of her presence. Me? I'll just hover over the ground.

I eventually find the Trickster in a room with some treasure chest. Loot gathered by the bandits from their numerous raids, no doubt.

* * *

 **Anna Lvl 32 Class: Trickster**

* * *

"Come to Mama~." the redhead whispers in a voice dripping with honey as she fiddles with the lock on the chest.

"And what's a merchant such as yourself doing in the middle of a bandit's hideout?" I ask behind her.

To her credit, Anna only jumps _halfway_ up the wall. "Yeesh! Sneak up on a girl and frighten her halfway to the grave, will you?"

I shrug. "Better halfway than all the way. I'll ask again; what are you doing here?"

"Trying to rob these bandits blind, what else?" Anna replies like it's the most obvious thing in the world. To be fair, that's a good point from her position. "And what about you? You don't look like you're with them, so what's your beef with these ruffians?"

"I'm here partly for you." I explain. "A local shop owner in the town some ways away from here was concerned for you when he learned you went here all on your own, so I volunteered to make sure they won't harm you. That, and putting these guys down should make the area more peaceful."

Anna smiles. "Well, aren't you the chivalrous one? You hustled all the way here just to protect little old me? That's sweet. Though I'll have you know I can take care of myself. Once I've emptied their lair of loot, I'm outta here." She points behind me. "By the way; Thundara."

*Brzt!* "Augh!"

The bandit behind me collapses in a smoking, twitching heap. He won't get up anytime soon.

Both my eyebrows shoot up. "You know Thundara? You…are no ordinary merchant, even by the standards of your family, are you?"

Anna gives me a knowing smirk. "Let's just say I've been around. If you want to cash in on the big gold, you've got to keep your eyes peeled on good business avenues, no matter how far you have to travel."

I shake my head. "Look, while I'd gladly hear about what places you've been to, we'd better let that wait until you're safe and sound. Right now, the whole hideout is bustling with activity. The bandits probably know you're here, and they won't rest until they get their hands on you."

Anna sighs. "Figures. Can't even sneak into one measly hideout without someone living here raising a ruckus. Guess I'll book it for the nearest exit and lay low until they cool off in the snow."

I nod. "You do that. Though I'd like you to stay nearby. I have a proposal for you once we clear those bandits out."

Anna smirks. "You're proposing? Aw, but we've just met. I know I'm a sight to behold, but don't you think you're moving a little fast, handsome?"

My right eye twitches. "It's a proposition of _employment_. For your information, I'm a married man, and my wife and I love each other dearly."

The redhead waves off the comment. "Sure, sure. Can't take a joke, can you? Oh, okay, I'll stick around. Maybe I'll sneak a glance to see what you're good at. My answer depends on your performance."

I rub my temples. "Just… Just stay clear off the bandits. Me and my group will take care of them."

Anna raises an eyebrow. "Your group?"

 **BGM: Here come the Squeaks!, Kirby Star Allies music**

A wall outside the room explodes in a shower of stone by a blast of Nowi's dragon fire.

I smirk at the redhead. "You didn't think I'd set out for a bandit hideout without some help, did you? Trust me, they're all capable fighters."

Vaike walks in through the dust cloud. He grins as he spots us. "There you are, Jack. We got tired of waiting, so we decided to bust in from the front door. There weren't exactly anyone stopping us, so we've been running around trying to find you."

I raise an eyebrow at the Barbarian. "Hang on… I know Nowi's close by, but what about the others?"

Explosions, screams and Tharja's sadistic giggling rings out from various places around the hideout.

Vaike shrugs. "Eh, we figured we'd cover more ground if we split up." Then he turns towards the hole in the wall. "Hey, Nowi! Jack's over here!"

The manakete skips into the room like she didn't just blast a hole in a stone wall. "Great. Let's clean up here. Waiting's boring."

I give my two grinning companions a flat stare. "When I said you could barge in through the front door, I didn't mean literally." I shake my head. "Whatever. You've got the right idea, Nowi. Let's put these bandits down, and we can be on our way."

As I leave with the Barbarian and manakete, I turn back to Anna. "Remember, I'll expect you to wait nearby when this is over."

Anna smiles. "Hey, who am I to say "no" to a free show?"

I briefly wonder if I should leave a clone with her, but decide against it. Even when unarmed, Anna can handle herself against the bandits in this place. The one she fried with her lightning spell was lvl 18. She'll be fine.

On another note, the low level of that bandit means these guys will probably barely qualify as a warmup.

"Huryah!" *Boom!*

Did Sully just suplex one of them into the ground? Now I almost feel sorry for them, considering how over-leveled and most likely over-trained everyone is compared to these outlaws. Well, _almost_. They're still jerks for stealing from the populace.

By the time we find the others, the open space where the most of the fighting takes place is absolute pandemonium. Sully treats the bandits like training dummies by unleashing all manner of wrestling moves on them. I'm pretty sure some of the backs are not meant to bend that far.

Donnel and Gregor are tearing through their ranks like a pair of chainsaws through a bunch of twigs. The bandits think they're strong, until they realize how swole the Fighter and Hero are.

*Bam!*

Ooh. Homerun for sure on that hit. Did they really have to double team that grunt?

Gaius practically dances among the bandits, making them look like amateurs as the constantly miss their swings against him. Every now and then, one of them drops with a lethal sword wound over their chest. The bandits start freaking out after the first half a dozen of their comrades suffer this fate.

And Tharja?

"Hee hee hee hee…"

Yeah, she's having fun. And with fun, I mean that she's raining down unholy destruction on any bandit unfortunate enough to be too close to her. To be fair, they only have themselves to blame for ogling the Sorcerer like a piece of meat before she opened her tome.

"Hey! Save some of the action for me!" Vaike shouts as he runs straight into the fray. Sigh. I'd reel these guys in if it wasn't for our overwhelming advantage in raw power. If Robin knew we stormed the bandit hideout with tactics as sloppy as these, she'd laugh at me for half a day, and then spend the next three days teasing me over it.

"Just wait 'til we tell everyone of the exciting adventure we had on this trip." Nowi tells me with a smile full of innocent joy.

I barely resist the urge to facepalm. That all but guarantees that my wife will find out. Great… Now I need to find ways to shut her up without making it abusive. First idea would be to take her to a room and kiss her so deeply, she won't get a word in.

Ugh. It's only a temporary measure, and I know it.

* * *

 **Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy detected!**

* * *

Oh, good. Their leader is here. The faster we can put him down, the shorter this embarrassing episode will be.

* * *

 **Vincent Lvl 32 Class: Berserker**

* * *

"You…" Vincent growls as he steps forward. "I recognize some of you. You're the ones responsible for Victor's demise two years ago. You and that blasted merchant wench! Where is she?! I'll kill the lot of you and sell her as a slave. That should give enough money to make dear Victor the finest gra-"

*Fwoom!*

 **BGM ends**

Whatever he tried to say gets cut off by a blast of dragon fire from Nowi.

" **Not a chance, jerk.** " the transformed manakete growls back. " **I won't let anyone suffer from becoming a slave again.** "

As Vincent recovers from the sudden blast of fire, he belatedly realizes that most of his underlings are either dead, knocked out, or buried into the ground by various extents. He also belatedly realizes that every single one of us glare at him with the intent of inflicting very big amounts of bodily harm, and all of us are more than capable of doing it.

The Berserker starts to sweat as he tries to back away. For each step he takes, we all take one step in return. Vincent gulps and raises his hands in surrender. "Uh, heh heh… Truce?"

Gregor grins savagely. "Friends not in mood of truce." To hit the point home, he cracks his knuckles. "Friends in mood for smashing."

* * *

 _ **One beatdown of unholy proportions later.**_

 **Vincent has been defeated!**

 **Quest alert:  
** **Side quest: Rooting out the twins (part 2)  
** _At long last, the threat of "the twins" has been eliminated for good. Regna Ferox should become a lot safer to travel now, with some of its most notorious bandits brought to justice or simply put down and left to the whims of nature.  
_ **Objectives:** _Ask around town for information about the twin's hideout, defeat Vincent.  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
** **Rewards:** _Your standing with Regna Ferox has increased! You gain 5 000 EXP! You gain 5 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Don't let Anna die.  
_ **Bonus objective cleared!  
** **Bonus rewards:** _You gain 1 000 EXP! You gain 1 000 gold!_

* * *

I huff as I dust off my hands. "Well, glad that's over with. I hope Flavia will appreciate what we did today after she finds out."

"Well, color me impressed. That was some great fighting there." Anna comments as she vaults over a wall and walks up to us. "If it wasn't for you guys, robbing these bandits blind would've been _much_ harder."

I shrug. "Eh, it's not like they posed any real challenge to us. Still, better than leaving you alone to deal with them yourself."

Anna nods in agreement. "So, about that proposal you gave me earlier…"

"Ah, that. Say, you're good with keeping stock on supplies, aren't you, Anna?"

The redhead smiles proudly. "Of course. Every merchant worth their business has to keep stock on their inventory, or they'd end up offering something they don't have, or worse, they miss an opportunity for a great sale because they forgot they have something that the customer would pay a hefty amount for."

I nod. "Just as I thought." I stretch out my hand. "How about becoming the quartermaster of our army, then? What do you say?"

Everyone blinks at me in shock.

"Come again?" Anna asks stunned.

Sully frowns. "Jack, you can't be serious. It's the second time we run into this lady, and you up and ask her if she wants to keep stock of everything in the convoy of our entire army? What are you thinking?"

"I'm dead serious, Sully." I reply. I rub my temples. "*Sigh* Look, I wouldn't ask for something this big unless I thought it important. Take a moment to think about it; Who's currently responsible for keeping stock of inventory for the allied army?"

"That'd be Robin, right?" Sully answers after a few seconds of thinking.

I nod. "Exactly. And who keeps tabs on the troops roster, as well as reports from every troop division?"

"That's Bubbles, alright." Gaius answers without missing a beat.

I nod. "Also correct. And who carries the main responsibility of planning troop movements?"

"Robin." Gregor answers.

"Yep. Battle formations?"

"Robin."

"Battlefield assignments?"

"Robin."

As the name of my wife keeps getting repeated, realization dawns on my companions.

"D-mn…" Sully breathes out. "Jack, when does Robin have time to sleep?"

"At night." I answer tersely. "Robin's list of duties is even longer than Frederick's daily agenda, and if it wasn't for my ability to copy myself and have said copies help her out in her various daily tasks, she could probably busy herself until the crack of dawn."

My companions wince.

"Now do you see why I'm so determined to find us a designated quartermaster?" I ask everyone. "Sure, we're good at fighting battles, but Robin puts so much work into preparing us all for every single one of those battles that she hardly has time for her own preparations – and that includes resting. And she carries this immense workload on her shoulders because she knows that gaining an edge, no matter how small, can shift the tide of an entire battle. She did the same for us during the war against Plegia two years ago. Our army was smaller then, and she still suffered from a severe lack of sleep. Honestly, I'm amazed that she could even stand on her feet, let alone fight alongside us the whole time."

A small tear forms in the corner of Nowi's right eye. "Jack, I… We're so sorry. We didn't know…"

I shake my head. "She wouldn't blame any of you for that, so neither will I. But I refuse to let my wife carry such a heavy burden on her own again. One of the things I hoped to achieve before we set sail for Valm was to find a quartermaster who can keep stock on the army's inventory and troops. That should lessen Robin's workload significantly, and I won't quit until I find a worthy candidate."

"Well, count me in, then." Anna replies.

I turn to the merchant in slight surprise. "You accept?"

Anna nods. "Sure. I mean, being quartermaster basically means I keep stock of a bigger inventory than before, right? That, and I basically decide whether to give something from said inventory to the others in the army when they ask me for it. I may not look like it, but I'm a stickler for details, even by the standards of my family." A smile blossoms on her face. "Besides, I recognize you from the description my cousin gave me from when she helped fend off the other half of this band of outlaws two years ago."

Vaike blinks. "Hang on a sec… That wasn't you?"

The redhead smiles even wider. "Nope. That was my third-removed cousin, Anna. Why people keep mixing us up beyond me. I mean, look at me. I _clearly_ take better care of my hair. Though I've got to admit that she knows more about skin care than I do."

The rest of us give her deadpan stares. We couldn't tell the difference between those two Tricksters, even if we tried.

* * *

 **[Fun fact: The two Annas you find in the paralouges when you fight the twins are identical, right down to the little teddy bear attached to their sword hilts. It's no surprise that Chrom's confused when he speaks with them during the battle. They literally look the same.]**

* * *

Anna shakes her head. "Anyway, consider this as repayment for saving my cousin back then. She told me about how you helped her out of a tight spot when she was busy defending a village from those brutes. In our family, helping out one of us is the same as helping all of us, and one of the ironclad rules of our family is to always repay a favor."

I nod and stretch out my hand again. "Uh-huh. Well, guess this works out for all of us in the end. Welcome aboard, Anna."

As we shake hands, Gaius rubs his chin. "Hey, Buttercup? I couldn't help but notice while we were fighting those bandits, but they've piled up quite a hoard."

"Noticed that, didn't you?" Anna replies smirking. "I've had my eye on these bandits for quite some time know, as I knew they've got some nice heaps of loot in this hideout. All I needed to do was find out where said hideout lay, and here you have me."

Gaius smirks back. "Heh. Wouldn't put it past you, Moneybags. Anyway, I was wondering… Since they obviously won't have any use for all this stuff, how about we take it for ourselves? I mean, finders keepers, right?"

I shake my head. "Gaius, this is all stuff those bandits stole from others. For all we know, some of the trinkets here could be precious family heirlooms or even the life savings of some poor villagers. Just taking it for ourselves won't make us any better than the bandits who stole it in the first place."

The moods of both Gaius and Anna deflate instantly.

"Oh, come _on_!" Anna complains. "I went through all this trouble to get my hands on some nice loot, and now you're just going to guilt trip me out of the chance to help myself with all these valuables lying around? That's just mean! A girl's gotta earn her coin to keep herself fed, you know?"

I roll my eyes. "Oh, cry me a river, will you? Unlike you, I try to keep a broader perspective. Think about; If you had something stolen from you, wouldn't you want it back?"

"Of course I do." Anna huffs. "Everyone does."

I nod. "Exactly. So imagine if all the victims of these bandits learned that their precious valuables that were stolen had been taken by a traveling band of soldiers form a country allied with the land they live in. Not only would the knowledge that they may never see those valuables again pour salt in their wounds, they could easily complain to the reigning khan. True, she might not listen too much, but it'll still strain our relation with her. And we have a war coming up, so the last thing we want is things getting tense with one of our closest allies."

That makes both sticky-fingered individuals pause.

Gaius pinches the bridge of his nose. "Ugh. You just _had_ to pull the moral high ground card on us, didn't you, Buttercup?"

I nod sagely. "Hey, _someone_ has to keep you guys in line, and as your superior officer for this trip, that responsibility falls on me. Robin entrusted me with this role, and I'd see myself hated by my companions before I betray her expectations."

Anna looks at me like I just kicked her non-existent puppy. "But- But the loot…"

I sigh. Can't she just drop it?

A thought hits me. What if there's stuff that can't be returned for various reasons? Like, say, the only owner of a trinket passed away in the raid when the bandits stole it. Leaving that here _would_ actually be a waste.

Hmm… Well, I might have a solution that'll stop their whining. "All right, here's what we'll do. We round up as much of the bandit's loot as we can and head back to the village we came from. Then we let the townsfolk know we've raided the bandits' hideout and intend to return what was stolen. If someone can describe any of the stuff that was stolen from them, we return it to the owner."

Just as Gaius and Anna move to protest, I raise a finger. "However! Should no one lay claim and manage to prove their ownership of any of the stuff here by the end of the day, we'll keep it. Deal?"

Anna's face lights up like Christmas came early. "I knew you were a good guy!"

Gaius grins at me. "It's a deal!" The Assassin turns around and cracks his knuckles. "Alright, people, stay put. I'll clean this place out and be back in a jiffy."

"Now wait just one moment, mister." Anna calls out just as Gaius is about to take off. "You didn't think I'd let you have all the fun, did you? I'll have you know I'm efficient in, ah, finding treasure."

Gaius raises an eyebrow. "Moneybags, you obviously don't know who you're talking to. I'm known as Gaius the nimble among my old gang from the streets. Trust me, I don't need any help."

Anna smirks at him. "What? Afraid you'll lose to a girl?"

Gaius's face goes calm. But it's not his usual dull expression. This one has an edge hiding underneath the surface. Anna must've pushed his button big time.

"You've gone and done it now." Gaius tells Anna, all serious. "You think you can loot this place faster than me? Tell you what; If you're so sure about yourself, how about a bet?"

"I'm listening."

"We both loot as much as we can form this place. By the time we've swept the place clean, we compare who has the more valuable pile. That should decide who's better at this."

Anna places a finger on her lower lip. "Okay… What's the bet?"

Gaius rubs his chin. "Hmm… If I win, you buy me all the sweets I want next time we find a sweets shop that I find acceptable."

Tharja winces upon hearing Gaius's terms. "I don't care how deep her purse is. He'll ruin her."

Anna rubs her chin as well. "Huh. Well, if I win, you'll have to work for me for an entire week for free."

Gaius smirks at the merchant. "That's it? Fine by me."

Anna smirks back. "You're on, bub."

I walk in between the two thieves. "All right, seeing as you've made up your mind, I'll be the judge in this little contest of yours."

I raise up an arm. "Both contestants, on your mark." Gaius and Anna immediately get into position to start running.

"Get set…" Gaius shifts the lollipop in his mouth. Anna licks her lips.

I swing my arm down. "Go!" I barely finish the motion before the two vanish out of sight.

Donnel whistles at the display of speed. "Dang. Those two moved _fast_."

Gregor nods. "Both seem very fired up by the competing. Should make for exciting match, no?"

I shrug. "Eh, I'll let them have their fun. Come on, we might as well wait for them out back.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

"You have got to be kidding me…" Gaius mutters in disbelief as we finally get down to compare their loot piles. There's no contest; Anna won by a longshot. While the average value for each trinket in their respective piles is roughly equal, Anna's pile is nearly twice as big.

Anna, for her part, smirks and puffs out her chest proudly. "Told you I'm better at this. Well, I'll be expecting you at my wagon at the crack of dawn tomorrow. Don't be late, Gaius."

The Assassin raises a hand. "Hold it. There's just one thing I have to know before we can consider the matter settled."

"And what would that be?"

Gaius gestures to Anna's pile. "How?"

"How what?"

"How the heck did you get such a big pile in such a short time? I noticed we're about equally fast runners, and the trinkets here aren't that far apart in value. So how did you get so much so fast?"

Anna smirks wider. "Well, I've got a confession to make. I happen to be better with locks than just about anyone else on the continent, and these bandits happened to store most of their loot in treasure chests. So while you were busy prying those chests open the traditional way, I had a method to unlock the chest in a snap."

Tharja raises an eyebrow. "I find that hard to believe. I've seen Gaius pick locks before, and no lock has ever held him up for more than ten seconds. How could you unlock anything faster than that?"

Anna stretches out her hand towards us. "Simple. I used this."

Sparks dance around her hand before a weapon appears in her grasp in a flash of light.

The entire weapon is colored gold, and may well be made of the stuff, considering Anna's personality. The guard is shaped like thunderbolts and loops around the hilt on both sides, connecting on the other end. A golden chain is connected where the hilt ends, and a small golden crown symbol hangs from the other end of the chain. The place where the guard meets the blade has a finely polished emerald encrusted on each side. The blade is jagged like that of a Levin sword, with small rubies and sapphires alternating in dotting the length. At the end of the blade, the wide end of a Japanese paper fan flares out perpendicular to the tip. All in all, the weapon looks like it would be worth a fortune.

My jaw drops. There's no way…

* * *

 **Gilthunder, Keyblade, Base damage: 55, Unique  
** _A golden keyblade born from a deep and genuine desire to protect one's business and money. While not the most noble sentiment, the strength behind the conviction is unquestionable. This weapon doesn't just look flashy, it possesses potent qualities for anyone versed in magic. For instance, gold is a fantastic conductor of electricity, which makes it easier for the wielder to channel lightning-elemental mana through the weapon. Despite this, the blade is sturdier than steel.  
Damage dealt from lightning-element magic increases by 19 %. The cost of lightning-element spells is reduced by 7 %._

* * *

"You're a keyblade wielder?!" I ask in disbelief.

Anna smiles proudly. "Yup. I usually keep this a secret for anyone outside my family while I'm around here, but since I'll be traveling with you guys for the foreseeable future, I may as well let the cat out of the bag."

I rub the top of my head. "How the heck did you manage to summon a keyblade? That's not normal."

"In this world, no." Anna concedes. "But I'll have you know I'm a seasoned traveler, even in the Outrealms." Anna smirks. "A good merchant knows the value of trading goods from different places. What's considered an everyday item in one place could be all the rage in another, and that especially goes when you hop between different worlds."

"Still doesn't explain where your keyblade came from." I point out.

"Yeah, funny story there. It happened when I had set up shop in Traverse Town a good while back. Just as I was ready to open for the day, the square got sent into panic as these shadowy creatures pop up and started harassing the townsfolk."

I narrow my eyes. "Heartless."

Anna nods. "Yep, Heartless. It was bad enough that they scared away any potential customers, but when I considered telling them off, they attacked me instead. I tried standing my ground, but my trusty sword didn't work against them. Worse yet, they just kept coming. So there I was, stuck in a marketplace overrun by dark creatures who attacked innocents like beasts, and unable to fend for myself. I soon realized I might not make it. But that would mean all my wares would be left to those fiends for the taking, not to mention my precious money. At that moment, something shifted within me. I knew – I just _knew_ – that I couldn't let those beasts have their way with me. I'd protect my money, even if it was the last thing I did!"

Nowi's completely enthralled with the redhead's story. "And? What happened then?"

Anna lifts up her keyblade with a proud smile. "I had lost my sword and was at the end of my rope when it happened. I closed my eyes and raised my arms in a desperate effort to protect myself. Right as those Heartless lunged at me, I felt something appear in my hand. I swung on instinct, not even expecting it to do me anything good. Imagine my surprise when no pain came. I opened my eyes, and there it was. I got lost in marveling at its beauty for a moment before I remembered there were these creatures trying to kill me. But now, I could fight back, and fight back I did."

Anna affectionally rubs her cheek against the golden keyblade. "This little beauty saved me and my money in our hour of need. Mommy's so proud of you, sweetie~."

I raise an eyebrow. "Wait, that doesn't make sense. Last time I checked, keyblades don't just pop out of nowhere. Anna, did you happen to come into contact with another keyblade before that happened?"

Anna places a finger on her lip. "Hmm, let's see… Well, there _was_ this silver-haired pretty boy who was passing through town a few days before I got my keyblade. He had a strange weapon in his hand that reminded me of a bat's wing with a bird's wing at the end, and he used it to fight against some more of those Heartless, but that was before the big outbreak. When he was done, I took the opportunity to invite him over to my stall in the hopes that he would be interested in my wares. I _might've_ brushed up against him a few times in the hopes that he'd open his purse a bit more if I showed him some of my womanly charms." Anna crosses her arms and huffs. "He ran before I could even present the first piece of merchandise. What a cheapskate. Anyway, he still had that strange weapon out when it happened, so I might've touched it in the process. It was only later that I learned that his weapon is called a "keyblade". I connected the dots, and realized I had one of my own."

Oh, so _that's_ why Riku sometimes grumbled about this crazy, red-haired merchant who wouldn't leave him alone when he last visited Traverse Town. Huh. Guess it's a small multiverse.

"While this is interesting and all that, there's something that's been bugging me this whole time." Tharja speaks up. "Why did you specifically target these bandits? I know for a fact that there's quite a few other bands scuttling around the Plegian deserts, mainly because the former king never bothered with them since he was so obsessed with destroying Ylisse and get the Fire Emblem."

The rest of us blink. Tharja raises a valid point. Bandits are probably everywhere, especially in war times. And unless some serious cleanup is done across the lands after the dust settles, chances are those bandit bands will remain. And considering the sites of the many battlefields during the last war on this continent, Anna's way off course.

The merchant nods. "Sharp one, arent'cha? Well, the truth is, I had one more reason for targeting these bandits."

The Sorcerer raises an eyebrow. "Which is…?"

A scowl forms on Anna's face (which is the first time I remember seeing on anyone in her family). "One of the reasons the "twins" were so infamous was because they didn't just pillage undefended towns. Sometimes, if they come across a pretty maiden, they'd try to snatch her and sell her off on the slave market. My cousin told me that's what those brutes tried to do with her two years ago. If you guys hadn't come to her aid, she may not be a free woman today unless our family pooled together enough gold to buy her freedom back."

A chill runs down Nowi's spine as she clings to Donnel with a frightened expression. "T-those bandits were in the slave trade?"

Anna shakes her head. "Not exactly. From what I've heard, they mainly stick to pillaging. But rumor has it, there's a band of slave traders who are in cahoots with just about every band of outlaws in the local region. I've been digging for information around here these past months, and my leads pointed me here. Chances are, these bandits have a contact with the rumored slave traders."

Vaike scratches his head. "Yeah, sounds good and all, but how the heck do you even plan on finding them? These bandits don't seem like the organized types."

Tharja snorts. "That's rich, coming from you."

"Yeah, ain't that the- Hey, are you insulting me, Tharja?!"

Anna rubs her temples. "Intellect aside, the muscled guy raises a good point. This was the final good lead I had on those slave traders, and unless I find a good source fast, I'll probably end up stumbling in the dark again."

Gregor rubs his chin. "Maybe too early for the giving up."

The rest of us turn to the Hero.

"Really?" Anna asks hopefully. "How come?"

"Anna's digging say bandits have contacting with slave traders, no? That mean at least one bandit here who is knowing where to find contact." Gregor explains smiling. "Now only need to finding bandit in the knowing."

Nowi snaps her fingers. "Their leader! It only makes sense that he'd be the one in contact with the slave traders!" Her smile turns into an angry pout (which I think was intended to be a scowl, but fails due to Nowi being so adorable). "I'll drag that big lunk over here right this instant."

Aaand she's off.

Anna looks where Nowi took off with a sweatdrop. "Wow. Didn't think she'd be so enthusiastic about it."

I sigh. "Nowi's a former slave. If there's anyone with a grudge against slave traders and their associates, it's her."

"I'm back!" Nowi happily shouts as she returns with the Berserker in tow. Specifically, the manakete's dragging Vincent's unconscious body across the ground by the foot.

"That's neat, save for the fact that he's out cold." Anna grumbles. "How do we get anything out of him?"

Gregor approaches the prone Berserker with a big grin and cracking knuckles. "Leave that to Gregor."

* * *

Vincent finally comes to a few minutes later, only to find himself tied to a tree.

"What?! Hey, what's the meaning of this?!" the bandit shouts.

"Gregor still in need of some answering." Gregor explains as he gets up from his seat a bit away from Vincent. "Needs information about contacting with slave traders. Friend cooperate, no?"

Vincent struggles against his bonds. "And what makes you think I'd cooperate with the likes of you?! Not only did you invade our hideout, you're the ones responsible for Victor's demise! Oh, poor Victor… How I miss those days when we pillaged the countryside to our hearts' content."

*Whack!*

"Ow! What was that for?!" Vincent shouts in pain after Gregor chopped him on the head.

Gregor pulls back his hand. "Gregor not interested in sobbing story." The Hero gestures to Anna, who's sitting right beside where Gregor was waiting. "Gregor want information for lovely Anna over there."

Vincent scoffs. "Like I said; what makes you think I'll cooperate? Torture me all you want, my lips are sealed."

Tharja smiles sadistically at his bravado. Her right hand is coated in dark magic. "Well, I'm all for putting that to the test. There's a few hexes that I've been hoping to test out these past days. Pity I couldn't find any good test subjects – until now."

Gregor raises an arm. "No, no! No need for the dark magic. Gregor have better method." The Hero grins and reaches into a pouch strapped to his back – and pulls out a feather. "There is no better torturing…than tickling."

Vincent gulps.

* * *

 _ **A few minutes later**_

You know, despite his rough exterior and bulky physique, Gregor is surprisingly dexterous. He managed to slide the feather with _just_ the right amount of pressure across Vincent's exposed skin to get a reaction out of the bandit leader. From there, it was only a matter of time before the Berserker cracked and spilled the beans. It's a good thing I still had that map on hand, as it allowed us to take notes and mark down on the map where Vincent's usual meeting point with his contact with the slave trade lay.

"That was everything friend knows?" Gregor asks.

"Yes…" Vincent pants exhausted. "Everything… I swear."

Gregor nods in satisfaction. "Good. Now we ready to leaving."

That's the cue for us all to pack up and get ready to return to town.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Vincent shouts, still tied to the tree. "What about me?! I told you everything I know! Let me go already!"

Sully turns around and grins. "Nope! You're gonna be put on trial like the rest of your men. Have fun in the snow, chump!"

As we leave, Vincent not only shows off some impressive lung capacity, but also a surprising knowledge in the art of swearing. In fact, I didn't even know you could curse someone out in nearly as many ways as Vincent does. The only reason why I'm not going back to shove a bar of soap in his mouth is because I'm busy covering Nowi's ears. I don't care if she's the oldest in our group by at least nine and a half centuries. That kind of foul language is _not_ suitable for children!

Though I make a mental note to ask Vaike and Sully later about what some of those curses meant. For cultural research, of course.

* * *

"So, how are we doing this?" Anna asks as we return to the town.

"First, we pile up all the stuff you and Gaius found in the bandit's hideout." I explain. With a simple flex of my mana, a few dozen clones pop up around the place (much to the shock of the local populace). "I'll send word to the nearby towns and villages that they're free to reclaim anything the bandits stole from them, so long as they can prove well enough that it was theirs to begin with. In the meantime, we'll be busy keeping stock of this looted inventory and make sure everything stays organized. You, Anna, will keep a list of everything."

Anna eyes the combined pile, which is quite sizable at this point. "You want me to keep track of…this mess?"

I shrug. "Consider it your first assignment as our new quartermaster. Besides, this pile doesn't hold a candle to the size of our army's full inventory, so this should basically be a warm-up for you."

Anna grumbles, but gets to work quickly after she ropes Gregor into helping her sort everything out.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: That night**_

We all take a look at what remains of the pile of loot.

Gaius raises an eyebrow. "Huh. Didn't expect there to be so much left."

While there were indeed many who came to the town and managed to prove ownership of many of the trinkets in the pile, a substantial amount was left unclaimed. The original size of the pile was about as big as our wagon. Now it's small enough to fit into Gaius's ever present sack should he empty it of sweets.

Anna sighs. "Well, at least I got to keep _something_."

"Technically, this is a pile that both you _and_ Gaius gathered together. That means you two have to share." I correct the redhead. I walk towards the inn where I arranged for rooms for us to sleep in and wave over my shoulder. "You two have fun dividing the loot. I'm turning in early. Make sure to get enough sleep, 'cause we're hitting the slave trade tomorrow."

I barely reach the door to the inn when Anna's negotiations with Gaius over splitting the pile gets _very_ vocal. Hey, I may be in command of this ragtag group, but that doesn't mean I'll concern myself with mundane squabbling unless it affects group dynamics. Those two grubby-fingered thieves better sort it out on their own, because that's a can of worms I prefer to leave unopened.

I'm just about ready to go to bed when I hear the door open behind me. I turn around and find, to my surprise, Nowi.

"What do you need, Nowi?" I ask her curiously.

Nowi shuffles her feet. "Jack, do you have time for some talk?"

I nod and pat the bed as I sit down on it. Nowi walks to the bed and hops onto it gently. That immediately gets a raised eyebrow out of me. Nowi's normally very energetic in everything she does until she pretty much crashes into bed. Whatever is eating at her, it's gotta be big.

"Alright. What's the issue?" I ask after a few moments of silence.

"You're serious about going after those slave traders tomorrow, aren't you, Jack?" Nowi asks nervously.

Ah, so that's what's bugging her. Really should've seen this one coming.

I nod. "I am. Judging from how I've seen you react to mentioning them, I take it you don't like the thought."

Nowi nods sadly. "Yeah. Every time I think of it, I'm reminded of my time as a slave myself. You have to remember, Jack, I haven't been free from slavery for more than three years. But those men…" Nowi shudders. "…those despicable men kept me captive and sold me around for at least a decade. It wasn't until a few months after I married Donnel that it finally sunk in that I was truly free from the slavery. Jack, I… I…"

I hug Nowi close and hold her there. Nowi buries her face in my chest and sobs softly. We remain like this for a while.

"Just thinking about seeing slave traders again scares me, Jack." Nowi tells me between tears and snivels. "What if… What if they recognize me? What if they try to capture me? I can't bear the thought of being sold to some faraway place for people's amusement again. I'm too scared to imagine being away from everyone. You… Robin… Tharja… Cherche… Donnel… Oh, gods, I don't wanna get separated from Donnel!"

"Did you…tell Donnel about your fears too?" I ask.

Nowi shakes her head (with her face still buried in my chest). "No… Donnel hardly knows anything about my past as a slave. He didn't even enter my life until after I became free."

"Maybe you should let him know. When you clung to him back at the bandit's hideout, I noticed that Donnel looked confused about your reaction. He needs to know this, Nowi. He needs to understand what you've been through."

Nowi looks up at me teary-eyed. "But what if he rejects me? I don't want to be left alone!"

I shake my head. "I doubt Donnel would leave you for such a stupid reason. And if he, by some inexplicable reason, did leave you, that means he was never worth your time in the first place. Donnel's not one to judge anyone by their background, especially since he came from humble beginnings himself. He, if anyone, knows what it means to accept someone else with open arms."

Nowi nods. "I know that. I just… I'm scared."

I hug her close. "Then I'll personally make sure you'll have nothing to be afraid of. If you're ever in over your head, I'll protect you, me and Donnel both. We'll never let any slaver take you away, Nowi. I swear it."

"Thank you, Jack…" Nowi tells me between sobs. "Thank you so much…"

Nowi goes still a few minutes later. Just as I think she's fallen asleep again, she hops off the bed and dries her tears.

"Finished?" I ask her.

Nowi turns around and nods. "Yeah. I'll go speak with Donnel. You were right. He deserves to know. And…thank you for taking time for me, Jack."

I give Nowi an affectionate smile and pat her on the head (to her slight annoyance). "I'll always lend an ear to you, Nowi. That's part of what being a family is about, isn't it?"

Nowi smiles back and nods. "A family… Yeah, it is." She walks to the door, but turns around and points at me before she opens it. "And another part is playing. So next time, you'd better be ready for some playtime."

I chuckle and wave her off. "Sure, sure. Off you go now, Nowi. Good night."

"Good night, Jack."

The door closes softly.

 **Your relationship with Nowi has improved!**

* * *

About half an hour later, the other males in our group file into the room. Vaike and Gregor share some inside joke, judging from their grinning faces. Gaius looks sullen. When I ask him what the issue is, he just clicks his tongue and mutters about stingy redheads.

We get ready for bed when I notice the distinct lack of our fifth man.

"Where's Donnel?" I ask the others.

The others blink.

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen the guy since me and Gregor had some grub before getting back up here." Vaike replies while scratching his head. Then he shrugs. "Eh, he'll come here sooner or later. Kid can take care of himself."

At that moment, the door opens to reveal Donnel with Nowi.

"Hey, Jack? Can you get us another room for tonight?" Nowi asks with the beginnings of her puppy-dog eyes.

I close my eyes and steel myself mentally in case of assault by cuteness overload. "Why in the world would you need another room? The two rooms I arranged for has enough beds for everyone."

"Because I want to be alone with Donnel tonight." Nowi explains.

I raise an eyebrow. "And?"

"I told him everything." Nowi hugs Donnel with a bright smile. "He hugged me!"

I scratch my head. "And?"

Nowi pouts. "Can't you take a hint?! I want to show him my appreciation tonight, but I can't do that if we're not alone! So get us a room already!"

Why does she need to be alone to- Ooh…

Donnel blushes and averts his gaze, even as the other males give him catcalls.

I rub my temples and throw a small bag of coins to Nowi. "Here. This should be enough for a room for two. Just… Just keep it down, okay? We're not the only ones sleeping in this town tonight."

Nowi huffs indignant. "Who do you think we are, Chrom and Cordelia? We won't make any noise. At least, not _too_ much."

Nowi shuts the door before I can retort.

"Ya think that was a good idea, Buttercup?" Gaius asks.

I gesture to the door. "Do _you_ want to discuss that with Nowi? You're married to Tharja, for crying out loud. You know the dangers of denying a married woman what she wants."

A shiver travels up Gaius's spine. "Good point."

I glance around the room. "All in favor for sleep?"

The answer is unanimous: "Aye."

* * *

…

Turns out, not only can Gaius be a deep sleeper, Vaike and Gregor snore loudly. I'm amazed Sully can sleep through that noise.

That's not my main issue, though. My main issue is the fact that Robin and I are far apart. This is the first time since our wedding night when we sleep in two separate beds. It's only here in the darkness of night (and incessant snoring from two of my companions) that I'm once again reminded of how much I take Robin's presence in my life for granted. I frown as I turn in my bed. This neglectful attitude won't do. From now on, I'll make it a point to show Robin how much I appreciate her, be it in our daily chores at daytime, or in the peace and quiet of our tent / room at night. I just hope I'll remember this realization for years to come, if not permanently.

Bah! I can't sleep like this! If I won't be able to catch some shut-eye, I might as well do something productive instead!

A Shadow clone, an empty ID, and a chant later, I stand on the breezy hills of my UBW for the first time since…a long time. With sleep eluding me and nothing better to do, what better way to spend the night than with an all-night training session?

But before that, I might need to boost my stats a bit. One thing that I've noted is that my stats haven't risen after any battle ever since I returned from the Outrealms. My guess would be that I'm simply too powerful to get any meaningful gains through the traditional means anymore. While stat boosting could still be possible through physical exertion, the mental parts might be out of reach for me. With that decided, I open up my Status menu and allot points on INT and WIS until both stats hit 100. The game reacts accordingly.

* * *

 **Due to your high intelligence, you have gained "Supercharge!"**

 **Due to your significant increase in wisdom, "Intermediate mana manipulation" has turned into "Advanced mana manipulation"!**

 **Due to your significant increase in wisdom, "Mana savant" has turned into "Mana paragon!"**

* * *

Just what I need for the coming training session. Now, let's get started.

*POOF!*

I eye the small army of clones that I summoned in front of me.

"All right, men! You know the drill. Find some open space, and get practicing on those skills. Focus mainly on the skills I learned during the training trip." I shout out.

My clones snap into smart salutes before they scatter.

"Hey, what about you, Boss?" one clone who remains asks.

My eyes flash yellow. "I'll practice our trump card."

The clone gulps. "Uh, okay. I, uh… I'll let the others know. You need a lot of space for this one, don't you?"

I nod. "Yeah. In fact, that can be easily arranged." I summon a new clone and dispel him immediately. Moments later, I sense my other clones move further away from me _very_ fast.

I take a deep breath and exhale. Black mana swirls in my right hand. "All right. Let's do this."

* * *

 _ **The next day**_

I retake my position in bed around 4 am. After the crazy stuff I did all night in my UBW, I figured I could take a little nap. Not that I need it, just, you know, relax a bit before the show starts. All in all, training at night was a fruitful endeavor.

…

Man, just lying here in bed is boring. Heck, the snoring's gone silent, so you would think it would be peaceful enough for me to just shut my eyes. Instead, I find this lack of activity boring.

Muttering to myself, I grab my gear and head downstairs. Considering the early hour, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the place is empty. Even the innkeeper doesn't wake up this early. Ah, well. Some peace and quiet might be what I need anyway.

I sit down by a table and pull out the map. Now, where can I find a lantern?

I grumble to myself (again) as I sneak back into the room, pick up the lantern sitting on the nightstand by my bed, and return back down. A twist of the knob, and the flame inside spreads a gentle shine in the room.

Under the gentle flicker of the lantern flame, I study the area around where Vincent told us he usually meets his contact in the slave trade. Based on his information, the location is surprisingly close to another location mentioned in a different report I have on me.

I rummage in my bag and pull out Itachi's scroll. Yep, it's the described location, all right. Our destination is set. Now to figure out the most efficient way to get there. Of course, I could just take us there by moving stone slab, but I wonder about the surrounding terrain…

My musings are cut short as I hear footsteps from the stairs. That's when I realize I've been studying the map for the better part of two hours.

I turn towards the stairs and spot Donnel walking down with a grin that I recognize from the day after mine and Robin's wedding night. Looks like somebody had a passionate night with his wife.

"Morning, Donnel. Had a good night's rest?" I greet the former farmer.

Donnel's grin gets even wider. "Mornin', Jack. Hoo wee, that was crazy! I just told Nowi I love her, no matter what she's been through, and girl won't stop kissin' me! Well, she did, but then she was all like "We're gettin' a room!", and then she gets us a room, and then she wouldn't let me go. Everythin's a blur after that."

I chuckle as the Fighter keeps walking like he's the king of the world. I can relate. After all, that's how I feel after a particularly wild night in bed with Robin.

Then I blink as I notice that Donnel's headed for the door.

"Going somewhere?" I ask him.

"Jus' got an errand to takes care of." he replies. "Should be back for breakfast."

I shrug before I get back to the map. Hmm… Planning routes always feel much easier with Robin around.

I resist the urge to slam my head against the table. Ugh. The more I think about my wife, the more I miss her. Come on, Jack. _Focus!_

The innkeeper walks in about half an hour later. After some quick greetings, he heads straight to the kitchen to get started on breakfast. Not long after that, Sully walks down.

"Mornin', Jack. Surprised to see you up so early." Sully greets.

I shrug. "What can I say? I found myself awake early in the morning, so I figured I might as well do some planning before we get started on the day."

Sully rubs her chin. "Huh. I'm so used to Robin bein' the one doin' all the planning that I'm surprised to see you do it. Seems d-mn responsible of ya too, considering the early hour. Rest of our team's still upstairs snoozin'." Sully smirks. "Speakin' of which, Vaike didn't give ya _too_ much trouble last night, did he?"

I give her a sour look. "Vaike's snoring puts two lumberjacks at work to shame. How in the world do you sleep through that noise?"

Sully shrugs as she heads for the front door. "Eh, you get used to it. And if ya don't, just throw Vaike outta the room. Big lunk's such a heavy sleeper, he won't even notice until morning."

"You could've told me _before_ we went to bed, you know?" I grumble. "So, what're up to? Donnel headed out to town about half an hour ago for an errand, but what about you?"

"Just some runnin' before breakfast. Gotta get my body goin' before the action starts."

I nod. "Got it. You might want to keep it short, though. I saw the innkeeper head for the kitchen, so breakfast should be ready soon."

Sully nods and leaves.

Even as I continue studying the map and jotting down notes, the sound of utensils rings from the kitchen. The telltale crackling sound of a fire suggests that part of breakfast will be cooked, though I can't figure out whether it's over an open fire or in a pot.

The sound of a wooden tray set down on the table breaks me out of my musings.

"Figured you'd be hungry at this point." the innkeeper tells me. "Here's part of today's breakfast, but the porridge will have to wait for at least half an hour before it's ready."

I nod at him in thanks and hand him a few extra coins for the hospitality.

Hmm… It's mainly bread and cheese on the tray, alongside a cup of water. A decent breakfast in these parts, especially when combined with porridge. Well, he went through the effort to serve me some food even while preparing everything, so I might as well dig in.

I just finish the last of the bread when Donnel comes back from his errand. Much to my surprise, he's got a new tool in his hand.

"Donnel? What's with the shovel?" I ask.

"Oh, this?" Donnel replies and lifts up the digging tool. A scowl forms on his face. "Nowi told me her past as a slave. We're goin' after some o' them today, right?"

I nod. Donnel grips the shovel harder.

"Those gosh darned brutes ain't gonna live to see another sunrise, they won't. And nobody's gonna find them bodies either."

I suppress a shiver as Donnel walks up the stairs. Naga above, the Killager is out for blood…

* * *

By the time Sully returns from her morning jog, the innkeeper tells us breakfast is ready. That's our cue to wake the others up. Sully heads for the ladies' room, while I'm saddled with the mens' room.

"SSnnrrrr…"

Which brings me to my current task of waking a heavily snoring Vaike.

Gaius chews on a bonbon. "So, how are we doing this, Buttercup?"

Gregor scratches his head. "Gregor try many tricks in waking. Nothing works."

I rub my chin as I run through what ways I can give the Barbarian a rude awakening without ruining the inn beds. Let's see…

Frying pan to the face? Nah, too simple.

Drip cold water on his forehead? That could wet the sheets.

Rip the covers off his body? Bah, that's for children.

If only Sully were here. She'd know exactly how to-

A grin forms on my face. Of course. Sully.

I lean in close to Vaike's ear and whisper. "Oh, Vaike~."

"Mrmph… Snnrrr…"

"Is that Sully I see over there?"

"Snr?"

"Hey, I think that feroxi's trying to hit on her by flexing his muscles."

Vaike practically flies out of the bed. "Lemme at 'im!" Then he blinks upon discovering no Sully, and no feroxi trying to hit on her.

The blond axe wielder turns to me with a vein pulsing on his head. "Not cool, Jack!"

I snicker. "No, but it was funny."

Gregor and Gaius join in on the snickering, much to Vaike's annoyance.

* * *

After a much-needed breakfast for my companions, everyone was to gather outside town. All that planning by the table this morning has given me a rough idea of how to proceed towards our next destination. Now to wait for everyone to get ready.

My group comes out in full gear soon enough, with Sully taking an extra turn to get her horse. To my surprise, I hear the neighing of two horses, besides hers. That's when we spot Sully and her horse accompanied with Anna and a horse-drawn cart of her own.

Gregor raises an eyebrow. "Anna have own cart, yes?"

The Trickster nods. "Of course. Every decently successful merchant will need one if they want to transport their goods from one market to the next. I mean, can you imagine how tiring it would be if I had to lug around all my money and merchandise by hand? I'd be stuck in whatever region I'm doing business in for weeks."

That…sounds reasonable.

I nod. "Well, that means we have extra space to load things into in case we run out of free space."

"Like what?" Tharja asks skeptically.

"Who knows? When traveling a long distance like ours, chances are we'll run into stuff we might want to bring along for the ride."

Anna rubs her hands. "Does this mean we'll raid some more bandit hideouts? I'm all for it! Just think of all the valuables I could profit fro- Er, I mean, give a new home."

Everyone gives her a flat look.

I shake my head. "Whatever. Just get yourself and your cart in the square of my copies."

Anna looks at my clones. "Yeah, about that. You said they're your copies? How?"

Gaius places a hand on her shoulder. "Long story short, Buttercup has the longest list of crazy abilities we've ever seen. Just roll with it."

Anna gives me an apprehensive look. "Okaaay…"

I grin at her. "Relax. It's _mostly_ safe unless you're an enemy."

"Uh huh. That doesn't sound reassuring at all."

* * *

 **AN: The following scene is inspired by a review posted by Sapphireweapon12. Many thanks for the funny idea.**

We've been traveling by stone slab for the better part of two hours. According to my estimates, we should be close.

Right on cue, I notice a bush near the road rustle. I order my clones to stop. The stone platform sinks back into the ground.

"Hey, why'd we stop, Jack?" Nowi asks confused. Confusion that's shared by the others.

I smile back at the manakete. "You'll see."

A few rustles later, and the expected squirrel pops out from the foliage.

I kneel down in front of the critter. "Good morning, Nagato. So you're my guide for this one."

The squirrel nods. " _Indeed. The location you seek is far from this road. You would do well to follow my guidance._ "

I raise an eyebrow at the squirrel's choice of words. "Uh, okay. Lead the way."

Nagato leads us off the dirt road towards the open plains. With all the snow covering the ground, Transmuting a pathway is pretty much necessary in order for the horses and carts to follow with us.

We soon find a small cluster of trees and bushes to rest among. The ruins of an old fort lies in the distance.

" _Here is as far as I will guide you, Jack_." Nagato tells me.

I nod in thanks. "A job well done, Nagato. Here, just wait and let me get you your reward."

" _That will not be necessary._ " the ripple-eyed critter tells me. " _It is not necessary for a god to be rewarded for his guidance. Your thanks are enough._ "

I raise an eyebrow. "You? A god? I get that you have unusual eyes by any standards, but that's a bit much, even for you."

" _It would seem you are ignorant to the truth. Allow me to enlighten you._ " Nagato tells me in a neutral voice. He turns to a nearby bush and raises his paws into the air. " _Behold the power of a god! Almighty bush!_ "

The tiny shrubbery rustles a bit before it grows to proportions beyond what a bush should be able to grow for this area. Leaves and branches grow with amazing speed as the bush grows taller. At its greatest height, the bush bends down until the top rests right above Nagato. An acorn pops out from among the leaves – despite it not even being an oak bush – and falls into the squirrel's waiting paws.

Nagato turns back to me as the bush shrinks back to its original size. " _Never doubt the words of a god._ " The squirrel vanishes in a blur, acorn and all.

Our resting area grows so quiet, you could hear a pin land in the snow.

Sully points at the bush that underwent the strangest growth ever. "Okay, what the h-ll was that, Jack?!"

I raise my hands in a placating gesture. "I don't know! I swear I had no idea the squirrel could do that!"

Anna shakes her head. "And here I thought I'd seen everything. That was freaky, even by Outrealm standards."

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: Ten minutes later**_

Okay, so we're done freaking out over a squirrel playing God with a bush. It's just _one_ freaky incident with a squirrel. No need to have an existential crisis – yet.

Now that everyone's calmed down, I pull out the map and place it on a stump.

"By my estimates, we should be around here." I tell the others and point at the map, close to where I've drawn a circle. "The information we got from the bandit leader indicates his contact should be in the area. That's our chance to strike at those slavers and deal a hefty blow. If we can pry some information out of them, we might be able to cut off their operations up here for good."

Vaike punches his fist into his palm with a grin. "Sounds good. What're we waiting for?"

I raise a hand. "Hang on, Vaike. We don't know how well received we'll be by this contact. For all we know, he could be traveling with a small army of bodyguards for protection. We'd better approach the area carefully. Gaius and I will take point and scout the area ahead in case there are any nasty surprises."

The others nod and go about preparing their weapons. Good. We'll most likely end up fighting against that contact, and it's better to be safe than sorry anyway.

I glance at Gaius. "Ready?"

The Assassin shifts the candy stick in his mouth. "Ready."

We sprint towards the nearest hills overlooking the general area around the fort ruins. By the time we crest the top, Gaius stops dead in his tracks with a deadpan expression.

"That's…a lot of people…" he mutters.

"That's not all." I add and point towards the ruins. "Notice the young woman over there? Based on the movements of the group, they're after her."

Gaius chews on a bonbon while rubbing his chin. "Hey, Buttercup? Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

I narrow my eyes. "If your thoughts are along the lines of "slavers hunting for a girl", then yes. And that means we've got trouble."

I leave Gaius behind to further scope out the situation while I relay the news for the others.

"Well, what're we waitin' for?!" Sully shouts as she jumps up on her horse. "Girl needs help, so we'd better make d-mn sure she gets it!"

"Or we could stay right here and just let me go to work on them." Tharja interjects with a sadistic smile. "A curse to wither them away, perhaps? A slow death over a year?" A sinister giggle escapes her lips. "Oh, fie. Let's make it two."

I scowl at the Sorcerer. "That better be a joke, Tharja. I don't care if you like cursing any slavers to a slow and agonizing death. Like Sully said, that girl needs help immediately, and we'll just do that, with or without you. Everyone, prepare for battle!"

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: A shot from the Dark**  
 _A young maiden is being chased by slavers! Put those lowlifes down and rescue her as fast as you can! Things might not be as they seem though. That maiden seems to be anything but defenseless, even when overwhelmed._  
 **Objective:** _Defeat all ruffians_  
 **Rewards:** _10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objectives:** _?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _1 000 EXP_

* * *

Thanks to the general readiness of our group, we're back at the hills and ready to storm down on the approaching group to intercept them. Which is exactly what we do.

*Boom!*

The group of strangers stop in their march as I land on the ground hard enough to form a small crater.

"Hey, you." I call out to them as I rise up from my crouch. "Mind telling me what a group of strangers are doing in the middle of nowhere?"

Their presumed leader rides to the front.

* * *

 **Ezra Lvl 45 Class: Bow Knight**

* * *

Jackpot.

"Oh, please don't mind us." the Bow Knight replies in a polite voice. "We're just a band of mercenaries traveling in search of potential clients. You know how it is, don't you? When war is brewing and resources become scarce, you have to make do with what you can get your hands on, and drive off any who would intrude on what's yours."

I scowl. "Really? So you consider a young maiden hiding in the area a potential client? Especially when all signs point towards her hiding from _you lot_?"

Any sign of friendliness instantly vanish from Ezra's face. "So, you know we're after her, do you? Well, what of it? It's not your business, so you'd better be on your way."

My scowl turns into a glare as winds whip up around me. "And what? Allow you all to gang up on her? To extort her? To kill her on the spot? Or worse…" The winds get stronger. "To sell her off as a slave?!"

Ezra backs away immediately. "So, you know who we are, then?" the Bow Knight snarls. "It doesn't matter. A maiden like her is sure to sell for a high price on the market, and we're getting our hands on her one way or another. But first of all, we're getting rid of any witnesses. That means you die first!"

A Paladin rides out from the ranks of slavers and thrusts his lance at me. I bat the lance aside and smash a Hurricane fist right in his chest.

*Fwoom!*

The Paladin flies into the distance, to the shock of the slavers.

"I think not." I answer them coldly.

The others slide down the hill, weapons out and ready to fight.

"Hey, Boss! There's more of them!" a Griffon Rider shouts.

"I can see that, you imbecile!" Ezra snaps back. "No matter! There's only a handful of them. A few of you go after that girl, while the rest of us take care of this lot." Ezra eyes the females of our group. "With any luck, we'll net us a few extra ones in the process. That little one in particular should sell for a handsome sum in a few years."

Wait… He means Nowi, doesn't he?

…

Must…PROTECC!

 **BGM: Psychostorm, Hyrule Warriors music**

I growl and draw Harvest Moon. "If you lay so much as a finger on her, I'll grind you to a red paste and dump you in the ocean as fish food!"

Ezra growls back. "So you can punch hard, and then what? Do you honestly think your measly numbers can stop us?"

I smirk as I notice Donnel tense up behind me. "No. I _know_."

*Shing! Boom!*

The slavers are scattered from Donnel's massive axe swing. The Fighter rises up with the angriest glare I've ever seen on him.

"No one touches mah' wife! Least o' all you hogs!"

"Jack help young maiden." Gregor tells me confidently. "Friends can do handling of this mob."

I glance at my companions. They all show confidence in their abilities.

"Anna, how good are you at healing magic?" I ask the Trickster.

Anna twirls her keyblade a few times. "Good enough to heal most wounds easily enough. I've got this."

I nod. "All right. I'm counting on you."

I zip away with Gale step, determined to overtake the other slavers. While I have no doubt that the girl they're after can handle herself, there's only so much a single Archer can do against such numbers.

*Boom!*

Wait a second. That came from the old ruins. Don't tell me these slavers have figured out how to make gunpowder. If that's the case, I'm on a tighter schedule than I thought!

As I jump between trees and the occasional pile of rubble, I soon spot a group of slavers headed towards probably the most intact part of the ruins; a rectangular walled area with a few open windows in the walls spread evenly. The roof's missing, but there's enough walls to provide cover from most angles.

*Thwip! Boom!*

What the- Something flew out from one of the windows and exploded as it hit the ground! What's going on here?

"Don't back down now!" one of the slavers shouts to his allies. "She won't be able to hold out for long. Just distract her a little more, and our comrades will circle around the walls and catch her off-guard!"

Soo…they're trying some misdirection to distract the one holed up in there? Not if I can help it!

It's a good thing the roof's missing on that piece of building. With Harvest Moon in scythe form, I make a beeline for the wall. The slavers hardly see me coming as I rear back my weapon for a sneak attack.

*Shing!* "Augh!"

"Huh?" *Shing!* "Gah!"

A few swings and dead slavers later, I manage to carve a path through their ranks and straight to the wall. I reach the stone wall, tense my legs, and take flight straight over it.

I clear the wall in a matter of seconds. From there, I spot a lone orange-haired Archer.

* * *

 **Noire Lvl 27 Class: Archer**

* * *

Bingo. Found her at last.

I land silently behind Noire. "Yo."

Said Archer jumps into the air before she whirls around with a peculiar looking arrow nocked on her Steel Bow. She does not look happy. "Wh- How did you get behind me, wretch!?" Then she blinks, all signs of hostility gone. "J-Jack-sensei?"

"I'd prefer if we talked without an arrow pointed at my face." I tell her dryly.

"Eep! Sorry." Noire squeaks as she lets up on the draw.

I rise up from my crouch and face the lone entrance to the open room we're in. "We can talk later, though. Right now, there's a group of slavers circling this place and trying to trap you in here. Leave those to me. You can focus on taking care of the ones outside."

"Thanks, I guess. But don't worry, Sensei. I can handle myself."

I raise an eyebrow at Noire's show of confidence. Before I can ask how she intends to do that, she lets her arrow fly.

*Boom!*

I gape in shock. "Wha- You're the one who caused that explosion earlier?!"

Noire nods. "Yes. That's part of what you taught me."

Now that I take a closer look, Noire has no quiver – just a bow.

"But if you're out of ammo, how will you handle the slavers?" I ask.

Noire smiles. "You taught me something valuable, Jack-sensei. Watch this."

Noire faces an open window again and stretches out her right arm.

"Trace on."

Sparks fly from Noire's open hand before a Steel Sword forms from the mana there. Noire grabs hold of the weapon and nocks it on her bow like an arrow. As she pulls the string, the sword changes shape until it resembles an arrow of sorts.

No…way… Future-me taught Niore how to Trace weapons and transform them into arrows?!

"Aha!" Noire shouts and lets the next transformed weapon fly.

*Thwip! Boom!* "Augh!"

Noire pumps her fist. "Bullseye!"

I look at the Archer in shock. What in the world happened to the meek girl I'm used to see in this mission?

I hear someone chuckle outside. "Heh heh heh… That girl won't suspect a thing."

I scowl as I turn back to the entrance. Sounds like the bandits have circled around. I smirk upon realizing that they don't know I'm here too. Based on what Mind's eye tells me, they'll reach the entrance in about ten seconds.

I tense my legs and shift Harvest Moon back to sword form. Wait for it…

Right as I spot a foot belonging to one of the bandits, I dash forward with Harvest Moon in full swing.

"Peekaboo!" *Shing!*

That's one slaver down, and four more to go.

"What the- How did you get here?!" a Swordmaster shouts surprised as he points at me.

I smirk and settle in a stance. "That's for me to know and you to never find out. None of you will set foot in this building so long as I'm here. Come on!"

The slavers hesitate before they charge me. First up, the Swordmaster.

I angle Harvest Moon to parry his initial thrust. I push the Silver Sword aside and use the momentum to wind up for a big swing-

*Clang!*

-only to have it blocked by a Paladin's lance. A Berserker jumps up above them and brings down his Killer Axe with a war cry. Thinking fast, I push back against the lance with Telekinesis and use the momentary shift in balance to yank the Paladin by the lance towards me.

*Shink!* "Aurgh!"

The Berserker barely has time to realize that he just killed his own ally before I stab Harvest Moon right in his throat and then kick him off the blade. All that's left are the Swordmaster and his Assassin buddy. The Assassin runs towards me, but then takes a left turn and runs along the wall. At the same time, the Swordmaster comes in from the other side to complete the pincer maneuver.

I shift Harvest Moon into scythe form and run up the wall to meet the Assassin.

*Clang!*

Any momentum we had is lost in our clash, making us fall off the wall, though we still swing at each other as we fall to the ground. I idly note the Swordmaster ready a swing of his own for when I reach the ground, so I aim a Gale step against the wall and push away. The moment I land, I rush the Swordmaster. My first swing has him grit his teeth as he tries to stop my blow. Before he can retaliate, I spin the other way, flip Harvest Moon mid-motion, and come in from the other direction.

That's when the Assassin gets between us and blocks Harvest Moon from the other side. I lean to the left as the Swordmaster stabs at me and disengage the blade lock in the process. The Assassin rushes in low and swings at my legs. I respond with a rising slash that pushes him back. That's when the Swordmaster rushes into the opening and thrusts at my chest. I lean to the right and shove the butt end of Harvest Moon into his own chest, knocking the air out of his lungs. That gives me the opening I need to pull the Swordmaster towards me with Telekinesis and then quickly sidestep him. By the time he regains his balance, he finds Harvest Moon's blade at his neck.

*Shing!*

That's four down, and one to go.

The Assassin backs away slowly, now that's it's only me and him. He throws his sword up in the air, pulls out a Killing Bow and has an arrow nocked within seconds. I swipe the arrow away with Harvest Moon easily enough, but at the same time, the Assassin catches his sword on its way down and rushes at me, hoping to capitalize on the slight opening.

Too bad he doesn't expect me to place my free hand on the wall and Transmute the stone. Nor does he expect the stone fist that shoots out from the masonry and socks him in the cheek.

*Wham!*

The Assassin stumbles around dizzy from the rock-solid sucker punch. That's when I rush in, impale him on Harvest Moon's blade and swing my weapon in an arch over my head, slicing open the slaver from stomach to head.

I flick off some excess blood before I shift Harvest Moon back into sword form and return to where I left Noire.

"Aha!" *Thwip! Boom!*

Seems like she's doing well. With only a few windows to shoot from, she's doing an admirable job in sniping those slavers outside with Traced weapons turned into arrows. And, from what I can see on my mini map, she's racked up quite the kill count.

"How are you holding up, Noire?" I ask the Archer.

Noire leans against the wall and sighs. "I'm fine for now, Sensei, but I've lost track on how many weapons I've Traced and fired at those slavers. I think they're thinning out, which is good, 'cause I'm starting to feel tired."

I give her a proud smile. "For what it's worth, I think you've done a good job. How about I help you reunite with the others so we can put an end to this?"

The Archer sends me a small smile. "That sounds wonderful. I wonder if _she's_ here."

*Squawk!*

We both look up to find a Griffon Rider descend on us with a Silver Axe raised high. Drat! Noire can't Trace a weapon fast enough to shoot him down!

"Enough already!" I roar and swing my arm skywards as I conjure a narrow vortex of wind aimed straight at the flier. Due to his overcommitment, the Griffon Rider is powerless to stop his collision with the incoming wind spell and is sent spiraling upwards and away from the ruins. Judging from the harsh landing headfirst on the ground some ten seconds later, it's safe to say he's dead.

"We can't stay here for much longer." I tell Noire and rummage in my bag. I pull out the potion Tharja gave me before we set out from Ylisstol and hand the flask to Noire. "The taste might not be pleasant, but a sip from it should help restore enough mana for the rest of the battle."

Noire gently takes the flask from my hand with a grateful nod and downs a mouthful. She wipes her mouth with a grimace before she sighs and hands me back the flask. "That tastes awful, but I sure feel better. What did you put in it, Jack-sensei?"

"I think you're better off not knowing." I reply. In a puff of smoke, I Mimic the form of Virion's trusty steed. "Hop on. I'll carry you to the others. Think you can cover us from horseback?"

Noire blinks at my sudden shapeshift before she nods. "I've never tried horseback archery before, but I'm told my aim is really good."

The Archer grunts as she hops up and gets comfortable on the saddle.

"Ready?" I ask her.

Noire nods and Traces a Killer Lance. "Ready."

I take a few experimental steps to get used to being quadrupedal. By the time we exit the room, I slowly build up speed until I'm in full gallop.

"There she is!" we hear the remaining slavers shout as I book it back to the others.

"They're onto us already?" Noire exclaims shocked. "They'll catch up soon!"

"I can keep track of them easily enough." I assure Noire. "Just make sure to fire in the directions I tell you."

"How can you do that if you're busy running with your eyes pointing forward?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Huh?"

"I repeat; do you trust me?"

"Um… Uh, yes."

"Well, there you go. Leave the running and awareness to me. You just focus on shooting them down as I point them out."

"Um, okay…"

I push Mind's eye to the max as I tear up the ground with my hooves. With a range of a bit over 100 meters, I know fully well if someone tries to catch us.

"Falcon Knight, three o' clock!"

"I see her!" *Thwip! Boom!*

Direct hit!

I note a few arrows flying my way from a pair of Bow Knights. Some zigzagging helps me dodge the arrows without much trouble, but their harassing cover fire limits my options for where I can run.

Hm… There are some stone walls on my left. Low enough for me to jump over if I have a running start, but high enough to give us sufficient cover.

"We'll blindside them over at those walls." I tell Noire. "There'll be a few sharp turns, so make sure you stay on that saddle."

"Got it."

Amazingly enough, this place is a bit of a miniature labyrinth with how the walls are placed. That works well enough for me, since I can use the walls as cover and even potential sneak attacks.

A left turn here, a right there, gallop along the wall, and stop.

Noire blinks at our stationary position. "Sensei?"

"Have an arrow nocked and fire at my signal." I tell her.

Noire nods, Traces a Beast Killer and nocks it on her bow. The sound of hooves pounding over some leftover cobblestone reaches our ears.

"Ready? Three… Two… One… Fire!"

Right as Noire lets go of her arrow, the two Bow Knights enter the wall complex – right in the line of fire.

*Boom!* "Aurgh!"

Noire lowers her bow in wonder. "Wow… That went better than I thought."

"Nice shot." I commend her. I exit the wall complex and resume my gallop. "Hang on. It shouldn't be much further from here. Stay ready."

We're soon set upon by more slavers. This time, it's a pair of Paladins approaching us from the front, one from two o' clock, and one from ten.

Noire looks frantically at the approaching riders. "Oh no! Which one do I aim at?!"

"Aim for the right one! I've got a plan!" I tell her.

Noire complies and blasts the Paladin off his horse and to kingdom come. With the way cleared, I steer to the right where a fallen wall section lies conveniently propped up on a rock like a platform. I run up the stone wall and jump near the edge, allowing us to clear the river lying past the ruins and onto solid ground.

"Got you now!" we hear the other Paladin shout as he has his horse do the same thing.

"Exactly how far ahead did you plan, Jack-sensei?" Noire asks apprehensively.

"Up to this point." I answer her confidently.

"Guess who?"

An arrow flies past Noire's head and nails the Paladin in the face. I slow my gallop to a trot and eventually stop by a boulder, where Gaius jumps down.

 **BGM ends**

"Nice shot, Gaius." I commend the sugar loving Assassin.

"Talk about cutting it close, Buttercup." Gaius mutters in response. "We've been real busy while you were off rescuing that girl." The Assassin indicates the girl sitting on my back. "That her?"

I nod. "Yep. Gaius, meet Noire."

Gauis nods in greeting. Noire returns the gesture the exact same way, but notably shyer.

"Man. That took more effort than I thought." I hear Anna huff as she approaches with the others. Now that I take a good look on them, they all bear marks from some intense fighting.

Everyone except Nowi. In contrast, Donnel looks the most beat up.

"Guess your healing magic needs some more polishing." I tell Anna.

The Trickster huffs. "Oh, cut me some slack here! I had to heal them while fending off a bunch of crazy ruffians. Speaking of crazy; how the heck did you transform into a horse?!"

I do the horse equivalent of a shrug. "I've got a broad set of skills. Including this."

I let my own healing spell loose on the group. Their wounds close up gradually while the scuff marks slowly fade.

"So you can wield a giant sword like it's nothing, talk to squirrels, transform into an animal, punch a man into the distance, and now you can heal multiple people with magic." Anna comments in disbelief. "Is there anything you can't do?"

I tilt my head to the side. "Uh, let's see. Oh yeah, I specialize in wind magic, but I can't use magic of any other element."

Anna gives me a flat look. "Between all the stuff you can already do, that's not exactly reassuring. What's next, you can stop time?"

Awkward silence…

Anna blinks. "Um, guys?"

More awkward silence.

Vaike scratches his head. "Yeah… He can do that."

Anna's jaw hangs loose for a moment. "Oh, come on! I was just joking!"

* * *

 **Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy detected.**

* * *

Ezra's still around? Where's he- No!

"Get down!" I shout.

*Clang!*

An arrow flies right at Donnel. It's only thanks to his fast response that the arrow hit the brass pot on his head instead of his chest.

 **BGM: Emiya, Fate Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works OST**

We all turn our heads towards where the arrow came from. We soon spot a person riding among a few fallen walls.

"I clearly underestimated you." Ezra growls as he readies another arrow. "Here I took you for some easy prey, but you've proven more trouble than you're worth. I don't care about netting any wenches to sell off anymore. I'll kill the lot of you right here and be done with it all!"

The next arrow flies from his Silver Bow.

*Ping!*

Only to get shot clear out of the air by another arrow. Where- Noire?

Whoa… Noire looks pissed.

"Insolent worm! All this time you thought yourself the hunter, when in reality, you were the hunted all along!" Noire snarls with a look of absolute fury on her face, much to everyone's shock.

Ezra recovers quickly. "Bah! If they find out you're like this, the price won't be more than a few measly bags of coin. Fine, then! You think I'm the hunted?! We'll see about that, little girl!"

"I've heard enough of your delusional blather! It's high time you knew your place, and I'll see to it personally!"

I sweatdrop at Noire's violent personality shift. "Uh… Noire-"

"SILENCE!" the Archer snarls. "You'll be my steed as I hunt this cur down and wedge an arrow right in his head! Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Great… Girl's entered blood-and-thunder mode.

Oh, fine.

I nod (in slight resignation). "Got it. Ready?"

"Born ready!"

I quickly build up speed into a gallop. Ezra kicks his steed into gear as well in response. It's not long before Noire and Ezra ride side by side. The Bow Knight nocks an arrow while Noire Traces a Hammer and transforms it into an arrow with a blunt head.

Ezra lets his arrow fly right towards where Noire's chest will be upon impact. Noire reacts quickly and bends backwards before she fires her own arrow.

*Boom!*

While she missed her target, the arrow shattered an entire boulder with ease. Ezra spares a quick glance at the rubble before he switches out his bow for a Silver Sword and commands his horse to accelerate. He quickly rounds and rides directly towards us.

Noire Traces a Steel Lance and has it nocked within seconds. But instead of letting the weapon fly, she holds it as we quickly approach the slaver. Ezra winds up for a horizontal swing at Noire.

"Duck!" Noire shouts. I obey instantly. At the same time, Noire leans left on the saddle until she hangs on my side, allowing her to completely dodge the sword. I catch on to her plan and circle left, allowing her a clear shot at Ezra's retreating back.

*Boom!*

Noire clicks her tongue at another missed shot. She heaves herself back up onto the saddle with a grunt and steers me in pursuit of the Bow Knight. Ezra, in turn, switches back to his bow with another arrow at the ready. This time, however, he's not aiming at Noire.

He's aiming at me!

"Gotcha!" the slavers cries out triumphantly and lets the arrow fly.

Too bad he doesn't know I have Telekinesis. A push from the side, and the arrow flies way off course. It's only through sheer reflexes that Noire's next arrow simply grazes his cheek instead of hitting him square in the face.

"I tire of this game of cat and mouse!" Noire shouts impatiently on my back. "We're ending this now!"

I nod in agreement and circle around for another attack run. Ezra is already in position with a new arrow nocked. I get ready to steer away when Noire interrupts me.

"Keep going forward!" she shouts as she readies a new arrow herself.

I'm kind of nervous here, but I trust her.

As both Noire and Ezra get closer to each other, they release their respective projectiles. They hit each other in the middle, but in such a way that they graze off each other and fly at slightly altered angles.

*Thunk!* "Ungh!"

Drat! That last arrow managed to hit Noire's left shoulder!

"Keep going!" she tells me through gritted teeth. I oblige, following her directions behind some stone walls. Ezra, who managed to dodge Noire's arrow, rides after us in pursuit.

"Do you even have a plan, Noire?" I ask the Archer apprehensively.

Noire nods resolutely. "Yes. Listen, Sensei, I need you to do exactly as I tell you. Understood?"

Though confused, I nod.

Ezra soon reaches the stone walls himself and rides among them with an arrow nocked and ready to fly. He looks in my direction as the sound of my hooves reaches his ears. Through Mind's eye, I see him ready his bow for where I'm about to appear from behind a wall.

"Die!" he shouts triumphantly as he fires the arrow the moment he sees me.

The arrow flies right where Noire's head would be-

*Plink!*

-only to sail right over my empty back and hit stone instead.

Ezra blinks in confusion. "Hey! Where'd that girl go?!"

"Hya!"

Ezra looks to the right in shock – and spots Noire jump off a fallen piece of masonry and right on top of his horse. Before Ezra can react, Noire pushes him back with a foot and aims the very arrow the Bow Knight hit her with right at his forehead.

"To the abyss with you!" *Thunk!*

The pointblank headshot kills Ezra on the spot. The horse swerves every which way with no one to steer it anymore. Noire jumps off the horse and lands back on my saddle.

 **Ezra has been killed!**

 **Noire has leveled up!**

Noire slumps against the back of my neck. "Phew… So tired…"

"That was a bold move, Noire. For your first time fighting on horseback, that was a splendid performance." I tell her proudly.

Noire smiles shyly in return. "Thank you, Jack-sensei." She clutches her shoulder in pain. "Ow. I hope that arrow didn't hit anything important."

"Come on. Let's get back to the others and have your wound dressed." I tell her as I steer towards where the others are waiting.

Amazingly enough, even with a wounded shoulder, Noire's grip on the Steel Bow stays firm. The true hallmark of a disciplined archer.

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: A shot from the Dark**  
 _At times, it's surprising how far people are willing to go just to capture and enslave others. These slavers where willing to march with a full band of professional mercenaries just to hunt down one girl. This goes to show how deep the influence of the slave trade goes. Stay on your guard, as you never know when slavers could attack someone you care about._  
 **Objective:** _Defeat all ruffians._  
 **Objective cleared!  
Rewards: **_You gain 10 000 EXP! You gain 10 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objectives:** _Reunite with Noire and have her join you in fighting the slavers.  
_ **Bonus objective cleared!  
Bonus rewards: **_You gain 1 000 EXP!_

* * *

Noire sighs in relief as Anna dresses her wounds (behind cover, of course). "Thank you for coming to my rescue. If you didn't, I fear for what would have happened."

Even though the Archer shudders at the thought, the rest of us regard her with various degrees of skepticism, mainly due to her…violent outburst when fighting Ezra earlier.

Anna tugs the bandages tight one last time before she secures them with a firm knot. "There we go. A few days of rest, and your shoulder should be as good as new. And don't mention the rescue portion, sweetie. We girls have to stand together when slavers run rampant around the area."

As Noire puts her clothes back on, she glances at us nervously. "Um, about that… Can I join you? There's someone I need to talk to, but I'm s-scared to be alone."

Noire steps out from behind the cover and approaches Tharja.

The Sorcerer raises an eyebrow. "Yes? What is it? I don't have all day."

Noire fidgets nervously before she digs her hand into a small satchel attached to her waist. "I, um… I mean, er… H-here, please look at this."

Noire reveals a ring in her hand. Tharja picks it up and inspects it in silence.

"Nice ring." she remarks. "Looks just like mine. You messing around with alchemy? Or is it something…darker?"

Noire shakes her head fervently. "Wha-? N-no! It's nothing of the sort! It's just-"

Tharja's gaze darkens. "Tell me the truth, girl. You don't want to see what happens if you lie to me."

*Smack!*

Pin-drop silence descends around us. Did Nowi just slap Tharja on her butt?

"Stop harassing her, Tharja!" the manakete chastises the Sorcerer. "She's obviously nervous, and your attitude's not helping. Play nice."

Tharja grumbles before she turns back to the astonished Archer. "Fine, I'll hear you out. Take your time."

"Hold on a sec." Gaius interjects. "Noire, was it?"

Noire nods.

Gaius shifts the lollipop in his mouth. "You wouldn't happen to be mine and Tharja's daughter from the future, would you?"

Noire looks at the Assassin in shock. "Wha- How did you know?!"

Gaius shrugs. "You're not the first kid from the future we run into. Besides, Buttercup over there was the one who led us here to begin with, and with his track record lately, I figured you're another one of Lucina's buddies."

Tharja raises an eyebrow. "Well, that explains the ring, at least. Though I never expected that a child of mine would be so…meek. What happened to all that flair you showed back during the last battle?"

Noire shuffles her feet. "Um… It's not like I'm like that all the time. You could say…that I have a bit of a dark side."

Gaius nods sagely. "Yep. You're Tharja's kid, alright, and mine as a consequence. …Unless you've been up to no good, Tharja."

Tharja rolls her eyes. "Oh, please. Like I'd ever go after another man besides Jack, and we both know he only has eyes for Robin."

The rest of us (Noire included) give her flat looks.

Nowi steps behind Tharja again.

*Smack!*

"You married Gaius, so you stick to him, Tharja!" the manakete scolds the Sorcerer. "Stop giving him self-esteem issues! He already has enough troubles on his plate."

"Hey, I'm right here, you know." Gaius grumbles.

Tharja rubs her rump with a mild glare directed at Nowi, but makes no move to retaliate. "Oh, fine. It's not like I'd actually go after Jack anyway. Gods know what Robin would do if she found out." Then she returns her gaze to Noire. "Fidelity aside, there's another matter we need to discuss, now that we've established that you're my child."

"And what's that?" Noire asks curiously.

Tharja pulls out a knife and a vial from within her robes. "The fact that you're my daughter means that you have my blood, right? I'm going to need some of it back."

Noire backs away with a frightened expression. But before Tharja can get close enough with the dagger, she finds herself staring down the tip of a hastily Traced Ladle turned into a blunt arrow of sorts. On the other end, Noire looks furious.

"My blood stays in my body, right where it belongs, whether you gave it to me or not! I shall not become some test animal for your dark research, for if you do, vengeance awaits you! And even if you succeed, the rage within me shall burn strong still!"

Tharja blinks before she puts away her implements and nods in satisfaction. "Ah, much better. No daughter of mine needs to play the meek damsel in distress. You're strong on your own, Noire. You need only find the strength to stand up for yourself." A pleased smile spreads along Tharja's lips. "Hee… Hee hee…"

A manic grin spreads across Noire's face. "BWAAA HA HA HA HA!"

Mother and daughter continue their deranged laughter contest for a few seconds longer. After that, however, Noire's mood takes a nosedive.

Gaius raises an eyebrow. "What's the matter, Cupcake? Why the long face?"

Noire's entire face turns downcast. "It's just… Before you found me, I lost my bow…"

Vaike scratches his head. "Huh? But you've got a working bow in your hands right now."

Noire shakes her head. "No, you don't understand. That bow was special. It was a bow that my mother and father gave me as a present when we celebrated my tenth birthday." Tears start to fall from Noire's eyes. "It was- *sniff* It was the last time we celebrated *sniff* as a family. The last happy moment we shared before *sob* before you went on your last mission, Father…"

Gaius bites down on the stick in his mouth nervously. "Last mission? You don't mean…?"

Noire nods. "You…never came back. When Mother learned the news, she shut herself in and devoted all her time to get revenge on the ones who robbed us of you." By this point, Noire looks completely heartbroken. "On that day…my family died! Mother's ring and the bow you gave me were the last things I had left to remember the days we were still together. And now… *sniff* …now I lost the gift that you both gave me…"

"Oh, quit whining." Tharja chides her daughter.

Noire looks at her mother like the Sorcerer just slapped her. "Wh- Mother?"

"You held those items dear, because we were no longer in your life, right? But take a second to look beyond your pity party. Me and Gaius are right here. Sure, we're _technically_ not your parents, but we're close enough. We're a whole family again."

Noire's face lights up with hope. "You… You mean…?"

Tharja shrugs. "Sure. You can come along. I'm not exactly thrilled about this whole parenting thing, but that might change. Besides, it wouldn't do to leave my own daughter out here all alone. I'm not that heartless."

Noire smiles. "M-Mother! Thank you!"

Gaius claps his daughter on the shoulder with a warm smile. "Come on, Cupcake. We'll head for the nearest armorer when we return to town, and get you a new bow. The one you have now may work for a few more battles, but it looks like it's on its last legs. Can't have my daughter left defenseless, now can I?"

Noire quickly embraces her Father with happy tears streaming down her face. "Thank you, Father! Thank you so much…"

Even with the (relatively) sweet family moment taking place, I rub my chin as an idea takes root in my mind. "Actually, there might not be any need to do that, Gaius."

The reunited family looks at me curiously.

I rummage around in my bag. "Noire, I may have the solution to your problem right here."

I pull out the Savage Lynel Bow that I snatched from the White-maned Lynel that I defeated back during the battle when we first met Nowi. Even though I've hunted down and slain my fair share of Lynels during my trip through Hyrule, I only kept a few of their weapons as materials to forge Harvest Moon later on. The rest was sold to various collectors. This bow, however, I kept as a trophy of sorts – not that I needed to.

I hand the weapon over to Noire. "Consider it a gift from me."

Noire slowly leaves the hug she shares with her father and takes a gentle hold of the brutal looking metal bow.

Her arms slump a little under its weight. "Oof. This bow is heavier than the ones I've used in the past. I think I'll need to practice for a while before I'm comfortable wielding it." Noire looks at me with an eager glimmer in her eyes. "Um, Sensei? Would you mind if…if I tried it out for a bit?"

I nod proudly. "Sure thing. It's yours now."

Noire smiles at me. "Thank you."

The Archer turns around and stretches out her hand. "Trace on."

She grabs hold of the sparking mana that forms in her hand, revealing that she Traced a Silver Axe. The axe is nocked on the bow and transforms into an arrow. To our shock, Noire's excited visage turns into a cross between manic and furious.

"I AM THE AVATAR OF RETRIBUTION, THE HARBIGNER OF DESTRUCTION FOR ANYONE FOOLISH ENOUGH TO DRAW MY IRE! THE EARTH ITSELF SHAKES IN TERROR AT THE FACE OF MY MIGHT! BLOOD AND THUNDER!"

The transformed weapon turns into a streak of light, splits into three the moment it leaves the Savage Lynel Bow, and detonate upon impact in three violent explosions that rock the area and destroy part of the landscape.

 **BGM: DeDeDe bustle, Kirby: Right back at ya!** **OST**

"MWA HA HA HA!"

The rest of us gape in shock at the display of mindless destruction.

"What the h-ll?!" Sully eventually gets out.

Tharja smiles in approval. "Hm, I think I like her better this way. Hee hee hee."

"This can't be normal." Nowi remarks a bit frightened. "What did you do, Jack?" No answer. Nowi looks at me curiously. "Jack?"

I stare in wide-eyed awe at the destruction Noire wreaks on the landscape. "My word…" I whisper in a terrified, hollow voice. "Future-me built an avatar of destruction. And now I've given her the tools to unleash her full power and set her loose upon the world. What have I done?"

*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*

"AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

 **To be continued (BGM ends)**

* * *

 **Noire's character sheet**

 **Noire Lvl 30 Class: Archer (+ 8 % DEX)  
** _Tharja's daughter from the future. Growing up, Tharja frequently picked her own daughter as a test subject for her research. Being on the receiving end of the dark arts for years has damaged Noire's psyche severely, to the point that she developed a violent split personality. Desptie this, Tharja never taught her how to cast magic herself. Under Jack's tutelage, Noire developed a skillset similar to that of the heroic spirit of justice, Shir_ _ou_ _Emiya. Inventor to the most unorthodox delicacies.  
Born on October 7_ _th_ _._

 **Titles: Miss Personality (+ 5 % STR and DEX, - 5 % CHAR)**

 **HP: 4 500 / 4 500  
MP: 2 225 / 2 225**

 **STR: 38.9 (37 * 1.05)  
VIT: 30  
DEX: 57.2 (53 * 1.08)  
INT: 29  
WIS: 21  
CHAR: 9.5 (10 * 0.95)  
LUCK: 13**

 **ITEMS:  
Savage Lynel Bow (Equipped)  
Hiraishin Kunai**

 **Skills:**

 **Archery mastery, Lvl 44 [41 %], Passive  
** _Building on the ranged options that the spear offered, man eventually engineered a weapon designed exclusively for attacking at range. The result was the bow. Handling a bow requires great commitment and dedication, as the user needs to take factors such as wind direction and the target's movements into account when lining up a shot – let alone having a clear line of sight in order to even aim properly. Those who can master this weapon, however, can send death from afar before most enemies even have the chance to react. Increases attack speed and accuracy by 220 % when attacking with a bow._

 **Trace on, Lvl 32 [24.0 %], Active, Cost: 44 MP  
** _A skill originally created by the heroic spirit Shirou Emiya while he was still a magus-in-training. By channeling mana through an object, the caster can analyze the object's structure on a molecular level, as well as its history from the moment of making until the present day. Any weapon that has been traced can be recreated and wielded as the caster's own weapon by using this skill again. Should a traced weapon enable use of a skill, the caster can use that skill while wielding the weapon. Maintenance cost: 28 MP / minute_ **  
** _syncronization effect: While UBW is active, all costs related to this skill is reduced to 0._

 **Unlimited Blade Works, Lvl 5 [42.0 %], Active, Cost: 500 MP  
** _A skill originally created by the heroic spirit Shirou Emiya. Creates a reality marble; a manifestation of the caster's own soul in the shape of a separate dimension. Within this reality marble, any weapon that the caster has traced can be used at their will. Does your enemy have enough weapons stocked up? Maintenance cost: 80 MP / minute_ **  
** _syncronization effect: Any weapon that the caster analyses with Trace on is automatically added to UBW._

 **Blood and thunder!, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 80 MP  
** _While most would consider a damaged mind a debilitating hindrance on life, you have managed to turn it into an asset in battle. With the flip of a mental switch, you can unleash the destructive forces confined within your psyche and wreak havoc on anyone foolish enough to cross you. As an added bonus, flipping on the enemy at the right moment is sure to give them a good jump scare – and an excellent opportunity to hit them where it hurts. Just be careful not to unleash it in the direction of an ally.  
Duration: 2 minutes.  
Places the user under the Female Fury status condition upon activation. Critical hit rate increases by 30 %.  
This skill has a cooldown of 1 hour after use in battle. Cannot be used if user is already under the effects of Female Fury._

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

 **Noire:** I'm happy that you defeated those slavers, but that wasn't the last of them. There's more.

 **Jack:** Guess we're heading out to destroy their base once and for all, then.

*Fighting breaks out inside the slavers' headquarters*

 **Guard:** Intruders! Kill the men and apprehend the women, quick!

 **Sully:** Apprehend THIS, chumps!

 **Nowi:** Hey, can't we free the captured girls in here while we're at it?

 **Jack:** Sounds good to me. But we need to be careful. This is their home turf. There's no telling what they have in store here.

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Slave ring exposed! Furious Reaper becomes papa bear!**

*Prison cell opens to reveal a girl in a jester's outfit*

 **Rose:** Hey, Dad! I was wondering when you'd pick me up.

 **Jack:** Oh, I'd come by eventu- Wait, WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!

* * *

 **Omake: Waifu wars, Fire Emblem style**

Jack sits down at the campfire and sighs heavily.

"What's got you down, Jack?" Vaike asks as he sits down on the opposite side.

"It's Robin." Jack replies. "I knew being separated from her would be distracting, but I never imagined it to be this bad."

The Barbarian raises an eyebrow in amusement. "Heh. For all your bravado, you sure are easy to knock off-balance when Robin is involved. You sure this trip's worth the heartache?"

Jack sends Vaike a mild glare. "You make it sound like I'm helpless without her."

"But aren't you? So long as you two are together, you act like you're on top of the world. Now? You're sulking even more than Cordelia before she married Chrom."

Jack crosses his arms and looks to the side. "So I miss my wife. Bite me!"

"Hey, it ain't like yer away from Robin forever, Jack." Donnel interjects as he joins the two men at the campfire. "When we're done with whatever yer plannin' out here, we're meetin' up with the others back at the port, right?"

Jack leans back on his arms with a sigh. "Yeah, you're right, Donnel. It's just… Robin's the kind of woman you only meet once in a lifetime. It's come to the point that I can't imagine life without her."

Vaike nods sagely. "I know what you mean. I feel the same about Sully. Sure, it all started with me proving I'm not just dead weight, but along the way, she grew on me. Now I don't want to leave her side – ever."

Donnel joins in on the nodding. "Ain't that the truth! Nowi's the sweetest gal you can imagine. I sure am one lucky fella, marrying her."

Jack regards Donnel with a raised eyebrow. "Not that I'd object, but why?"

Donnel grins. "'Cause my Nowi's the best girl there is!"

Jack glares at the Fighter. "Now wait just a minute, pal. I admit Nowi has her moments, but she's far from the best girl."

Donnel glares back in challenge. "Oh yeah? Then who is?"

Vaike crosses his arms with a proud smirk. "Sully, of course. No one else can compete with her. She's strength, beauty, and one h-ll of an attitude wrapped up in a neat package. You won't find a woman like her anywhere else in the world."

Jack scoffs. "Please. Neither of your wives could ever hold a candle to _my_ Robin. She works harder than anyone, plans greater strategies than anyone. You don't know how radiant her smile is. You've never heard her laughter when she's at her happiest." A blissful smile spreads along Jack's lips. "She's beyond compare."

Donnel stands up from his seat and glares at the Reaper. "That's it! I ain't takin' this lyin' down! Yer wives are great, I get it. But ya don't know how great Nowi is!"

Vaike stands up as well, staring the other two men down. "Aw, please. We could stand here all night talking our ears off and get nowhere. That's it, I'm taking this one for Sully." The Barbarian punches his fists together. "Get ready to get socked in the face!"

Donnel cracks his knuckles with a determined glare.

Jack stands up, his smile turned into a bloodthirsty grin. "If you want to make this a contest of strength, I'm all for it. Bring it on, punks."

 _ **Meanwhile at Castle Ylisstol**_

Robin sits at a table and enjoys some tea together with Cherche and Maribelle. The Grandmaster gently picks up the cup of freshly brewed tea. Just before she can take a sip, a strange sensation races up her spine.

Maribelle looks at her friend curiously. "Something the matter, Robin?"

Robin stares into the tea with a thoughtful look. "I'm not sure why, but I suddenly have this urge to declare to the world that Jack is the greatest man around."

Cherche raises an eyebrow. "That's…unexpected. What brought this on?"

Maribelle shakes her head with an amused smile. "Oh, darling, being away from your beloved seems to take a greater toll on you than you're aware of. While I find it endearing how devoted you are to your husband, your love for him obviously makes you delusional."

Robin frowns at the Valkyrie. "Oh yeah? Why's that?"

Maribelle's smile turns delighted. "Because my dear Ricken leaves Jack in the dust any day of the week."

"Look who's delusional." Cherche counters frowning. "It's obvious you're both fawning over your husbands, with no regards to how great they actually are."

Maribelle challenges the Wyvern Rider with a frown of her own. "Oh? Then who do _you_ propose takes the top spot, then, Cherche?"

Cherche's put on the spot by the sudden question, but then rubs her chin in thought. "Well… These past few days, I've gotten to know Lon'qu better." A small smile blooms on her lips. "You'd be surprised what secrets he hides behind his calm façade."

Maribelle does a doubletake. "Lon'qu? All I see in him is a reckless brute who throws himself into battle with little to no regard for his own safety. What charm could you possibly find in that?"

Cherche smirks at the blonde. "Oh, you have no idea, Maribelle. For starters, Lon'qu's quite the gentleman once you get past that gruff exterior of his. And while he may act taciturn, he does have a soft side."

Robin's eyebrows shoot up into her hairline. "Lon'qu has that? I know I've gotten to know him a bit through his friendship with Jack, but I never thought he was like that."

Cherche nods with the _slightest_ smugness. "Like I said, you'd be surprised."

"So what if he has a soft side?" Maribelle huffs. "If he has, he has little capability to show it to others. My darling Ricken, on the other hand, practically wears his heart on his sleeve. He's always open with how he feels, especially to me, and he never hesitates to show how much I mean to him."

"If you're talking about showing affection, Jack has both of them beat." Robin counters with complete confidence. "He's always sweet to me, always ready to help me, no matter what it is. And if he's not, the only reason why is because he's somewhere else, far away from me." Robin indicates the passing Shadow clone that Jack left by her side. "And even then, that's not stopping him."

Cherche raises an eyebrow at the clone. "You know, Robin, there's being sweet, and there's being so devoted that is becomes suffocating. Are you sure you have a healthy relationship with him?"

Robin shoots Cherche a mild glare. "More than you know."

"Hah! Don't delude yourselves into thinking affection is everything." Maribelle interjects smirking. " _My_ Ricken isn't just the sweetest, he's also very capable domestically. Why, recently, he's taken to learning how to cook – with magic, of all things."

"Oh, Lon'qu's no slouch in the kitchen either." Cherche replies smiling. "The times when I had mess duty, Lon'qu would always volunteer to help me out. You should see his talents on the chopping board. No matter what needs to be cut up, Lon'qu has it down to an art form. What's more, he does it so fast that I have time for other things afterwards."

"Heh. That's amateurish compared to what Jack can accomplish." Robin counters. "Why, there was this one time when he came into my office with a jug of milk in one hand and a freshly baked, homemade meat pie in the other. It was only then that I realized that I hadn't had any lunch yet." Robin smile turns blissful. "He's always looking out for me, ready to tend to me whenever necessary. I'm starting to think he's spoiling me."

The moment gets broken as the three women find themselves glaring at each other across the table, none of them willing to back down.

That is, until Maribelle grabs her parasol and stand up from the table. "Bah! This childish bickering is getting us nowhere! Listen up! There's only one way we can settle this dispute in a civilized manner, once and for all."

Cherche looks at the blonde healer curiously. "Oh? What do you have in mind, Maribelle?"

Maribelle gives her female companions a confident smirk. "We will settle this matter outside, in place of our beloved."

Cherche frowns. "But I'm not even married to Lon'qu."

Maribelle points her parasol at the Wyvern Rider. "The moment you added your opinion to this discussion was the moment you threw your hat into the ring. If you back out now, that means you yield."

Cherche returns the gesture with a defiant glare. "Never."

Robin rises up from the table as well, confident smirk in place. "A competition? That's cute, Maribelle. I'm more than capable of taking both of you on. Have at you, ladies."

Maribelle directs her gaze at Robin. "Careful, darling, or I will make you eat those words."

As the three women head out towards the nearest open space outside, Lissa regards them with a bemused expression and scratches her head.

"I get the feeling falling in love makes you stupid somehow."

"I know, right?" Henry chirps from her left. "Seeing those girls fawn over their men is just priceless. I smell a catfight coming in, and I don't want to miss it."

Lissa shakes her head in exasperation. "I'm surrounded by lunatics."

* * *

 **New Skills:**

 **Pure breeze, Lvl 12 [14 %] Active, Cost: 38 MP per second  
** _A wind spell with healing properties. By infusing the air around the target with healing mana, the caster can let it seep into their wounds directly and add to the body's natural ability to mend them. While not the most potent way of healing injuries, this spell has the advantage of healing any damage it can reach, including the lungs when inhaled.  
Restores 120 % of the caster's WIS per second.  
Element: Wind  
Note: The enhancing properties of passive skills increase the HP restored with this spell in the same manner that it increases damage dealt by offensive spells._

 **Supercharge, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _Your understanding of how the mana flows when you activate skills has reached a point where you can regulate the flow with great freedom. Simply put, channeling more mana while activating a skill without the excess mana leaking out or blowing up in your face is now within your skill range. Channeling more mana into your skill naturally boosts its potency, allowing you to elevate their effects to levels beyond their natural limits.  
The bearer of this skill can spend extra MP beyond an active skill's cost to increase its effect. Increase in potency and changes in characteristics varies depending on the skill._

 **Advanced mana manipulation, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _Only the greatest of master sages have ever ascended to this echelon of control over the flow of mana. Having reached this level, your control of the mana flowing through your body has become as finetuned as an artisan's hand when constructing a masterful piece of art. With enough focus, the mana bends to your every whim, allowing you to utilize it with efficiency that would make even experienced mages green with envy.  
Passively reduces the MP cost of all skills by 25 %._

 **Mana paragon, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _The power of your spirit has grown so strong that lesser men would believe your pool of mana to be inexhaustible. While technically untrue, there's no denying the fact that the amount of mana you can hold in your body has grown enormous, to the point that you could probably supply the mana for a large-scale ritual all on your own. Harness this power responsibly, and you'll become a guiding light for generations to come.  
Passively increases maximum MP by 50 %. All magic based skills deal 15 % more damage._

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **Archer, Class  
** _A soldier trained in wielding bows. This training usually requires great commitment due to the challenge of hitting a moving target in the heat of battle. As a result, Archers tend to specialize in their field to an extreme degree. The payoff is that their ability to attack from beyond the range of just about any melee weapon makes them a constant danger, especially for fliers. Arrows may be relatively small, but the wounds they inflict can be deadly. That being said, Archers often need to fire from behind cover in the form of natural obstacles or an ally. Beware the Archer's curse.  
Passively increases DEX by 8 %. Increases accuracy and damage dealt by 15 % when attacking with a bow. Damage dealt with any other weapon is decreased by 10 %._

 **Savage Lynel Bow, Bow, Base damage: 60, Very rare  
** _A massive bow wielded only by the strongest of Lynels. This weapon is forged from a rare and heavy metal only found in areas near an active volcano. The draw weight of this bow is much greater than that of most manmade bows, making it difficult to use unless the wielder has sufficient strength. On the flipside, this weapon fires arrows with enough stopping power to tear through all but the thickest of armors. What's more, a strange enchantment engraved in the metal multiplies the arrows fired from it, furthering its offensive potential.  
Any arrow fired from this weapon turns into three. All duplicate arrows have the same effect as the original arrow._

 **Beast's blend, Consumable, Very rare  
** _A potion made by using a standard Concoction as the base. Lynel parts have been added to the brew to increase the potency of the liquid, as well as other various ingredients to draw out the full effects of said Lynel parts. Just one sip of this broth will not only restore your strength, but also fill you with the immense power of a Lynel for some time. Best consumed when you want to decimate an enemy.  
Restores up to 40 % of your maximum HP and MP. Increases attack power by 30 % for 10 minutes after consumption. The duration of this effect can be prolonged by consuming additional servings. Each flask can hold up to three servings._

 **Shovel, Polearm, Base damage: 12, Common  
** _An everyday implement for digging holes or shoveling stuff like dirt or snow. It may not be the weapon of choice for the common soldier, but this tool can make for a good weapon when nothing else is available. In fact, legends tell of a chivalrous knight who singlehandedly defeated an entire order of corrupted peers led by an evil sorceress, while armed with nothing more than a shovel and his unbending resolve to set any wrongdoing right. There is much work to be done. For shovelry!_

* * *

 **I have turned Noire into a one-woman heavy artillery division, and I'm torn between awe at what I've conceived and fright over what I've unleashed on the internet. In case you're wondering what I smoked to come up with such a crazy idea, the truth is, I don't smoke anything. I simply gave the mentally most broken member of Lucina's generation a skillset based on the mentally most broken animé character I could think of on the spot. The fact that they both use bows makes it fit all the better.**

 **One thing that I keep scratching my head over is Noire's character portrait in Awakening. In every instance, Noire is seen holding a Blessed Bow. While it makes perfect sense to wield such a weapon against the Risen, due to the bonus damage against Revenants, the Blessed Bow is a rare weapon and not even in Noire's inventory when she joins. In fact, you could easily clear the main campaign without Noire ever getting her hands on one.**

 **Tharja's treatment of Noire is the single greatest issue I have with the female dark magic user. I don't care what Tharja's reasons were or are – using your own child as a guinea pig is NOT okay! In fact, there have been times, both when playing Awakening and writing this story, where I considered letting Tharja go unmarried for the express purpose of preventing Noire from going through with this suffering. And, sure, this brings up the question whether it's better for Noire to not be born at all or be born and suffer under Tharja's dark research. I know Tharja's no saint – something that she makes abundantly clear from the moment you meet her – but hearing Noire describe her childhood shows how little becoming a parent changed Tharja. Just… Why, Tharja?! What in the world did you go through to become such a coldhearted person, even to you own child?**

 **On a different topic, the Shepherds now have their very own keyblade wielder. And it's none other than Anna.**

 **I once entertained the thought of what characters from other series would be classed as if they were to end up in the world of Fire Emblem. For example, Link would probably be a Hero or a Bow Knight, depending on whether Epona's around or not. Usopp would make a great Sniper. So how about a keyblade wielder? Well, considering how acrobatic Sora is, between reaction commands, aerial combat, flow-motion and what have you, the most reasonable conclusion would be a Trickster. So I just traced that line of thought backwards, and ended up with turning Anna into a keyblade wielder.**

 **I can already sense the excitement you guys will give off upon knowing what awaits in the next chapter. Believe me, it's one that I look forward to writing.**

 **Until next time.**

 **VipeR out.**


	21. Chapter 19

**It's been a year since I posted the first chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **One. Full. Year.**

 **I'm still trying to wrap my head around how time has flown around me. And yet, when I look at how this story has progressed, it serves to remind me how far I've progressed as a writer as well. What started out as a simple medium to nerd out, has become a project that I spend more time on than I originally planned. Sure, there were some bumps and issues along the way, and there still are, but just sitting down and figuring out how I can mix together some of the craziest thoughts about animé, video games and all manner of stuff into a single narrative has turned out to be one of the most fun and rewarding forms of pastime that I've come to discover.**

 **A large part of this discovery can easily be attributed to you, dear readers. Your reviews and reactions have both provided me with the inspiration to keep writing while enjoying the experience, as well as provide me with tips and advice that have been invaluable in my own development as a writer. Heck, even when I thought I had pretty much established the course of this story, some of the suggestions you included inspired me to go even further beyond the top for the sake of making my writing more entertaining (or at least more insane). So, as a writer and a fellow fan of a myriad of fictional media covering the internet, I humbly extend my heartfelt gratitude to you all.**

 **And to celebrate the one-year anniversary of my entry into the world of story writing and fan site publishing, I present to you the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **As is tradition, let's address some reviews first.**

 **1silvergamer2:** Noire isn't quite as deadly as you feared, as will be explained in this chapter. For clarity, she can't use the Hiraishin kunai on her own. It serves another purpose.

 **warrior of six blades:** The scene with the royal sisters and Lucina's baby self is basically an illustration of how babies do whatever they want, 'cause they literally do whatever they want. The scary part is that I sometimes suspect that they know they can get away with it due to natural cuteness and overprotective adults.  
Sully waking Vaike like that is how I imagine how life with Sully is like. She's the Awakening epitome of tough love. Sully never pulls her punches – not even with her own daughter. Besides, Vaike's surprisingly resilient. He can take it.  
And Robin won't have to worry too much about the circumstances where Jack finds Rose. Jack's methods for handling that kind of stuff yields…results.

 **Narharcan:** That's indeed something I've planned for Rose, and that's part of her character design. This girl is something else, and the trailer when she made her debut doesn't even scratch the surface.

 **3-13 Sniper:** You're not wrong on the keyblade part. With how often keyblade wielders can open any chest in their path simply by tapping it with their keyblade, it's practically a given that the have Locktouch as a built-in skill. I mean, it's a magical key.  
Also, Noire kind of has a weakness, besides the infamous Archer's curse. Her fighting style is completely reliant on her MP, since she normally doesn't carry any normal arrows. This means dragged out fights can tire her out pretty fast unless she's careful. And running out of MP is the same as running out of ammo on her case.

 **Obsessive Reader:** Well, Jack showing up in another story has crossed my mind a few times. How far I'll take that idea will be a question that I'll answer in the future, however. This fic takes priority. After all, I see no point in featuring Jack in any other stories until his own has been completed.

 **EpikPokBoi:** Oh, ho ho ho. I see what you did there. Still, it'd take one heck of a crazy mini-plot device to pull that kind of reference off. Maybe I will, maybe I won't…

 **It should be noted that Anna's keyblade is a bit of a double reference. The first one comes up when you split its name into its two parts. Gil is the name of the currency used in most mainstream Final Fantasy games. This, alongside the overall design of Anna's keyblade, are a nod to her love for merchantry and money. Thunder is a nod to Anna being very good at using Levin swords right off the bat when she joins.  
The other reference is that Gilthunder is the name of a character in the manga "Seven Deadly Sins". This guy is powerful enough to halt the flow of water from a well simply by stabbing a sword into the ground and can snipe someone with a spear from miles away just by knowing the target's coordinates. Despite this, he still only registers as average on the power scale of his world. Yeah, Seven Deadly Sins has some insane power levels in its own right.**

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _Hah! I finally managed to hijack the script editor! –_ Rose

 **AN: What the- How did she get past security?!**

* * *

 **Chapter 19:**

 **Slave ring exposed!  
** **Furious Reaper becomes papa bear!**

With a flex of Telekinesis, I lift up several wooden disks with rings painted on them and levitate them around Noire. The Archer in question has a weighted practice bow in her hands and a quiver full of arrows attached to her back. A twitch of my fingers, and the disks start moving around. Noire takes an arrow out of her quiver, nocks it on her bow, and takes a breath. Her eyes dart between the numerous disks before she pivots, takes aim and lets the arrow fly.

*Thunk!*

Perfect bullseye.

The struck disk floats back to the ground. At the same time, the remaining disks speed up ever so slightly. Noire has another arrow ready within seconds.

*Thunk!*

The cycle repeats itself several times over. The more disks Noire hits, the faster the remaining ones move through the air through my Telekinesis. And despite the increase in speed, Noire still hits the bullseye.

I smile proudly at how skilled she's become. But…how about I switched it up a bit?

One of the disks flying around Noire changes course and flies towards her ankles instead. In response, Noire jumps over the disk and hits it dead center from pretty much point-blank range.

It goes a bit downhill from there, though. As I glance at the disks Noire hits form that point on, the point of impact tends to be slightly off-center. Guess she's reaching her limit.

"Not yet!" she shouts before I can voice my opinion.

I blink in surprise before I nod and continue the exercise. Before long, Noire sits panting on the ground, two dozen wooden disks with an arrow each shot into them lying on the ground around her. Some of the projectiles sit dead center on the disks, while others are a bit off.

I give an appreciative whistle as I glance over my student's handiwork. "I'm impressed, Noire. I never expected you to come up with such a rigorous exercise for your archery training."

Noire smiles shyly. "Thank you, Jack-sensei. I came up with this exercise after I watched how Laurent trains chanting his magic while he moves. So I thought; "Why can't I do the same?". It wasn't easy, though."

"I'll say. How would you even have those disks set up? Did you ask my future self for help as well?"

The Archer shakes her head. "No. I had the others help me out. They would stand around me and toss the disks between each other while I try to shoot them out of the air. Hitting moving targets like that is hard."

I smile at her proudly. "Yet you've shown me how good you are at it. I'm proud of you, Noire. You've grown skilled with the bow." I rub my chin. "But that leaves your ability to Trace weapons. How in the world did future-me teach you that?"

"Well, it all started when I saw you conjure a practice weapon out of thin air." Noire explains. "I was curious, so I asked you about it. That's when you explained the secrets behind conjuring weapon using only mana and your knowledge about the weapon you want. It sounded so fascinating. I felt I had to learn how to do that myself. Mother wouldn't teach me any magic, yet I've always felt in tune with the way my mana flows through my body. So if I couldn't learn how to cast magic, then how about using magic to make my own weapons instead?"

A sweatdrop forms on the back of my head. "And future-me just went with it?"

Noire nods happily. "Yes. You taught me how to channel my mana through a weapon and immerse myself into its structure and history. After I learned the channeling technique, I would often sneak into the castle's armories and Trace the weapons stored in there. The armory became my own little space, my sanctuary. I could do more than immerse myself in the history of the weapons inside – I found a place where I could be at peace."

I scratch my head. "The armory? But…what about your family, Noire?"

The Archer averts her eyes with a sad look. "Father would often be busy with missions, since he had such an important position in Lady Robin's spy network. I overheard him telling Mother that Lady Robin was busy investigating something, and they needed his help, but I didn't understand what it was because I was so young when it happened. The time he had left to spend with us was scarce, so we made sure it counted. As for Mother? Well… I'm not sure if we ever got along."

I look skywards and scowl. That's right. According to what I've learned from Noire's past, Tharja would often subject her own daughter to whatever experiments she conducted in her research. It would be bad enough if it were the arcane arts in general, but the dark arts are a different kind of beast. The effects those experiments had on Noire were plain to see during and after our battle against Ezra's band of slavers.

"I'll talk to her." I tell Noire.

The Archer blinks. "Huh? Talk to who?"

"Your mother. I don't know what reasons she could possibly have for using you as her own test subject, nor do I care to know. No child should _ever_ have to suffer the way you did while growing up. You deserve better than an abusive childhood, Noire."

Noire gulps. "B-but…that means you'll have to confront her."

"Yes. And?"

"Aren't you scared?"

I shrug. "I know Tharja's dark magic is powerful, and I'm certain your father will fight tooth and nail to protect her, but I've faced worse. Besides, if I don't nip this in the bud now, who knows what Tharja will try on you in the future?" I shake my head. "Tharja may be my ally, but that's no excuse for what she's done to you or what she plans for you."

"Why would you go so far for me, Sensei?"

"Because I care for you, Noire. I don't care how private of a family matter they'll try to make this; no child will suffer abuse from her own parent if I have any say in it. And if that breaks whatever trust I have with Tharja and Gaius, then that means it was never built on any solid foundation to begin with."

"Please… Don't throw away the bonds you've built with them for my sake." Noire begs me. "They're good people deep down. I know it."

"Maybe they are." I concede. "But I won't turn a blind eye to your plight, Noire. At the very least, I'll speak with your mother and hear her out."

Noire stares at me apprehensively for a while longer before she nods.

I sigh. This family matter is more complicated than I thought it would be. Curse you and your lack of morals, Tharja! Did joining the Shepherds do nothing in helping you grow empathetic?

"On another note…" I begin. "…I've noticed that you seem to carry a curiously shaped holster on your thigh. What's in there, Noire?"

Noire eyes the holster before she flips it open and pulls out its content.

My eyes widen at what my student shows me; a Hiraishin Kunai!

"Wha- How in the world did you get your hands on that?!" I shout as I point at the tri-pronged dagger.

Noire holds the dagger up. "This is a dagger that you gave me while I was training under you, Jack-sensei. You told me how you and Henry spent weeks trying to make this dagger, and that you two finally succeeded."

I nod dumbly. "Huh… Never thought I'd actually crack the inscription on the handle and recreate the spell hidden within to use as my own." I'd better make a note to thank Henry in advance. "Still, did future-me ever explain why he gave it to you?"

Noire grips the kunai tighter on the handle. "Well… It's a bit embarrassing for me to tell you this, but I've always been easy to scare. Between growing up with Mother and the crazy antics my friends would get up to, just thinking of being with others made me uncomfortable. I spent many days just being alone, and I was fine with that." A small smile grows on her face. "But I was always happy to be with you. When I told you that, you gave me this dagger. You said it was called a hirai- something. I couldn't figure out how you said it, so you just called it a "flying thunder dagger". And you promised that if I was ever scared and wanted you to be there for me, all I had to do was throw the dagger into the ground."

I raise an eyebrow. "Wow… That's a big promise to uphold. So why didn't you just throw it into the ground while those slavers were chasing you? I could've helped you out of that mess in record time."

Tears start to pool in Noire's eyes. "Because… Because I was afraid you'd break your promise again."

"Huh? _Again_?"

Noire nods and averts her gaze while hugging the handle of the Hiraishin Kunai close to her chest. "The first time I tried it out was after the Fell dragon returned. Risen wandered the lands and attacked anything and everything. Father was gone, and Mother had left on a rampage against the Fell dragon's forces to exact revenge on them for robbing us both of him. When the Risen approached the town we lived in, we only had a small militia to protect the people living inside, with me being the youngest member." Noire starts to shiver. "I was so scared when the Risen arrived. A giant, black mass littered with red eyes as far as the eye could reach… And it was headed straight for our town. When we were lined up to fight back against those creatures, I remembered the promise you made me when you gave me this dagger, so I threw it into the ground and prayed that you would save us." Noire shakes her head as the tears spill over her cheeks. "But you didn't come! You broke your promise!"

I look at her stunned. "What? But…why would I just abandon you like that? Why would I abandon all those people?"

"Because…" Noire takes a moment to reign in her sobs. "Because you were already dead…"

The area we're sitting in falls silent.

I avert my own gaze. "Lucina wasn't kidding when she said every single one of us died. Still… Knowing that I died before I could come to your rescue makes me feel awful. But if I didn't come, how did you survive that battle, Noire?"

More tears spill out from the Archer's eyes. "You didn't come… Mother did. She returned to the town just in time to witness the Risen approach. I had seen her angry before, but never that furious. She rained down spell after spell on the Risen, shouting that they'd never let them take me away from her too. That's when I finally understood…how much she loved me." Noire breaks down crying. "She gave up her own life, just so I could escape! And when it was finally over, I waited for Mother to come back to me. She never did!"

I swallow the lump in my throat. By Yune's tail feathers… Tharja sacrificed herself to give her daughter a chance to live… Did she…always care? Does _our_ Tharja care for Noire like that?

I shuffle over to Noire and wrap her in a hug. "Forgive me, Noire. I know it's not my place to say this in the place of my future self, but…I'm sorry I broke my promise to you. That I left you when you needed me the most."

Noire looks up to me with tear-stained cheeks. "But you _did_ keep your promise."

"Huh?"

Noire shows me the Hiraishin Kunai again. "It's true. You never showed up on that day. But I kept the dagger anyway, because it was the only thing I had left to remember you by. And I… I hoped against all hope…that maybe, just maybe, you would be there for me when it really counted." A smile blossoms on her face amidst the tears. "And you did. Just when I thought I'd get caught by those slavers, you came to my rescue. You finally kept your promise."

I step back a bit and rub my chin. "Not exactly what I was referring to, but I guess that counts. Speaking of which, does the dagger still work for me?"

Noire blinks owlishly. "What do you mean? You're the one who made it."

"Correction; my _future self_ made it. I'm not even sure if I have the same abilities that allowed him to use the ability tied to that dagger in the first place."

Noire gives the handle a closer look. "You mean the symbols inscribed here? How do we even test it?"

Let's see… Minato essentially uses his Flying Raijin jutsu by having that kunai act as a beacon when he teleports, and the formula inscribed on the handle is the key to how he does it. What makes the jutsu work is the fact that said formula is keyed specifically to his chakra. If I understand future-me right, that should mean he and Henry's future selves managed to reverse engineer the formula and key it to future-me's mana. If that's the case, the formula should react to my own mana by default, since it's essentially mana from the same person. Sounds like it's worth a shot.

"I think I have an idea." I reply after that train of thought. "Try throwing the dagger at…the tree over there." I point at the tree in question.

Noire takes a look, takes aim, and tosses it.

*Thunk!*

Hmm… The edges are sharp enough to stick to wood. Seems she's taken good care of it. All right, now for my part. Inhale… Exhale… I close my eyes and extend my mana outwards, similar to how I spread my mana with Mind's eye. If my hypothesis is correct, I should be able to sense where the kunai is with mana alone.

There!

Wow… The handle of the kunai reminds me of a star shining in the night sky, only brighter. Considering I've used a replicated version of the Flying Raijin jutsu before, the rest should be easy.

*Flash!*

A pulling sensation moves me towards were I sensed the kunai. At the same time, I hear Noire yelp in surprise. I open my eyes and find myself standing by the tree Noire aimed at.

But why is she so short?

…

Oh, wait. That's just me being above the ground.

What the- I'm off the ground!

"Whoa!"

Good thing I managed to activate Air shoes so quickly, or else I'd hit the ground with an uncomfortable impact.

I float back up to where the Hiraishin Kunai is stuck on the bark and pull it out. "Well, looks like it worked." I tell Noire smiling.

"Sensei, that was incredible!" Noire chimes in with an excited smile on her own. "Do you think I could do that too?"

I float down and rub my chin as I dangle the kunai form my finger by the ring in the handle. "Hmm… I'm not sure, Noire. The thing is, the symbols on the handle are what makes what I just did work. It's worth a shot, though."

I jam the blade back into the tree trunk and take a few steps back. "All right. Try pushing your mana out from your body and towards the dagger. See if you can sense it with your mana alone, almost like you're touching it, except you use your mana instead of your hand."

Noire nods, closes her eyes, and exhales. The area falls silent.

Noire frowns after a while. "I don't think it works, Jack-sensei. Am I doing something wrong?"

I shake my head. "No, I think you just lack the right tools. The reason why it works for me is most probably due to what me and Henry in the future managed to do to this thing." I pull the kunai back out and show Noire the handle. "Based on what I know about this technique, the key lies in the symbols inscribed here. It's basically designed to resonate specifically with my mana, and apparently no one else's. That's how I was able to pull it off, even though I technically never had any hand in making this weapon or the symbols inscribed here."

Noire looks at the dagger with a disappointed frown. "So I have a weapon that I can't use?"

I shake my head. "Oh, you can still use it like any ordinary dagger. But I think it could serve another purpose."

"Which is?"

I smile. "Now that I know I can move to this thing's location in an instant, that means I'm never too far away from you. All you have to do is throw the dagger towards where you want me to appear, and I should pop up there unless I'm busy with something – just like future-me promised."

I hand the Hiraishin Kunai back to Noire. "I may have broken my promise to you in the time you came from, Noire, but this time around, I'll be able to keep it."

Noire gives me another teary smile. "Thank you, Sensei."

 **Your relationship with Noire has improved!**

* * *

Heading back to camp may have been a happy trip with Noire in a visibly better mood, but what I'm about to do will put a bit of a damper on my own.

And the reason why is right in front of me right now; Tharja's tent.

"Tharja? It's me." I call out.

"Jack?" I hear Tharja ask from within the tent. "Come in."

Walking in, I'm a bit surprised to see the inside of the tent being brighter than I remember the first time around.

"The lighting in here's a bit better than last time." I remark.

"That's because Tharja decided to let up on the gloomy atmosphere." Gaius explains as he pops up from behind me.

"Stuff it, Gaius." the Sorcerer hisses. "I have an image to uphold."

"Don't see you doing a mighty good job with it, hon." Gaius replies smiling.

I regard the married couple for a bit before I take a deep breath. This could either become awkward or snowball into disastrous territory real fast.

"Tharja, we need to talk." I tell the Sorcerer.

Tharja gives me a neutral look (which turns out to be a _friendly_ look by her standards). "I'm listening."

"It concerns your daughter, Noire."

The Sorcerer raises an eyebrow. "Well, what of her? She's not causing you any trouble, is she?"

I shake my head. "No, on the contrary. She's a big help. Rather, what I came here to talk about concerns her relationship with you."

"I think there's not much to discuss there, Jack. We only met her yesterday, so there's not a lot that's happened between us." Tharja remarks.

I nod. "You're right – provided we're talking about this timeline. But remember; your daughter came from another timeline, one ravaged by the Fell dragon."

Tharja nods. "Yes, that's something we established ever since Chrom's children joined up. Could you get to the point, though? I still don't understand what you're getting at."

I narrow my eyes at her. "I probed a bit into Noire's past, specifically regarding growing up with you. And what I found disgusts me. Ever since Noire was a child, your future self used her as a test subject for her research in the dark arts. Ever wondered why she seemingly shifts from meek to violent at the drop of a hat? That's because years of living under that treatment has damaged her mind to the point that she's developed a dark side much like your own, only Noire keeps it suppressed for fear that she may hurt others."

Tharja scoffs. "I fail to see how that has anything to do with me. Remember, this is future-me we're talking about here, which means I _technically_ didn't do anything. And even if I did, I'm pleased to see that my child at least isn't some weakling."

Winds start to slowly build up around me. By this point, Gaius is already tense, having crouched slightly and reaching into his robes, most probably for a dagger hidden underneath.

"This is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about, Tharja." I reply. "No child deserves to suffer under the cruelty that Noire grew up in. Different version of yourself or no, Noire basically sees the same person whenever she looks at you, which will only remind her of her upbringing."

"Buttercup, you might want to back down now." Gaius warns me.

Tharja scoffs. "What does it matter to you what I do to her? She's my daughter, and therefore, my responsibility. I may do with her as I please."

Oh, that's _it_!

I point my open hand towards Tharja and pull her towards me with Telekinesis. I have Tharja in a chokehold off the ground faster than either of the married couple can react.

"Unlike you, I genuinely care for Noire's well-being." I growl. "She may be your daughter, but she's also one of my students, and I refuse to let her relive the very suffering she grew up in before her family was torn apart by the Fell dragon."

I idly note the tip of a dagger against my jugular, courtesy of Gaius, who now stands behind me.

"Buttercup, I'm only going to say this once." Gaius tells me with steel in his voice. "Let go of Tharja. _Now_."

I briefly glance at Gaius before I lock his entire body under my telekinetic hold. The Assassin's eyes widen in surprise when he finds himself completely immobilized.

"Believe me, Gaius, I didn't want to do this unless there was any other way." I tell him. "But if Tharja plans to use Noire the same way her future self did, what will happen to Noire? She's _your_ daughter as much as hers. Tell me, are you willing to let your wife treat your own daughter as a mere test subject?"

Gaius flinches back at my question. Seeing as he has nothing to say, I turn back to Tharja. "Well, what will it be, Tharja?"

Tharja grasps at my wrist as she struggles to breathe. "F-fine… I'll think…about how…I treat her…"

I hold my grip a bit longer before I let go and Tharja falls to the ground. While the Sorcerer coughs and gasps for air, I release my hold on Gaius as well.

I turn around and stop at the tent flap. "I'll let you off the hook for now, Tharja. But know this; as your commanding officer for the duration of this trip, I consider it my responsibility to assure the well-being of _every_ member of this group, and that includes Noire. If I learn you went back on your word, I _will_ have you court martialed for insubordination." I turn my head and glare at the two. "That means you will answer to Chrom. He may be understanding, but he's nowhere near merciful if you cross the line. And by what you've said today, you're practically walking on it."

"Then what…do you want me to do?" Tharja gasps out while rubbing her throat. "Unless you've noticed, I'm not the nurturing type. And growing up in Plegia at the time I did doesn't exactly show you what a happy childhood looks like."

"You should be able to figure something out. From what I've seen of when you're with Nowi, you know how to care for a child. And Noire needs it far more than Nowi does." I turn back to her. "If you can't figure out how you'll apply that for Noire, then just think of what you hated about your own childhood. Find what you want to spare your child from, and give her what you wished you were given when you grew up."

Tharja's eyes become downcast. "All I wanted…was for someone to accept me, dark side and all. Yet no one did. They only saw the witch. Or some easy girl with an attractive body."

"Then give Noire the acceptance you never got." I reply. I scratch my head. "Honestly, it frightens me how hard that girl can snap. In a way, she may be scarier than you when you're in a foul mood. If you scared others away on a normal day, imagine how alone she must feel when she loses herself in her rage."

Tharja's eyes widen upon hearing my words. I take that as a cue to continue.

"You two may be more alike than you think, Tharja. Try to see yourself in Noire. Then maybe you can find out how to treat her like a parent caring for their child."

I'm about to leave when Gaius speaks up.

"Crivens, Buttercup. Don't you think this was too extreme?"

I stop right as I'm about to grasp the tent flap.

"Maybe. But what other options did I have, Gaius? Simply talk it out? I hold little hope that it would be enough to sway your wife to treat Noire the way she needs to be treated. I simply thought this was the most efficient way to bring about the change I feel is necessary. When I say Noire is one of my students, I mean more than just someone I pass down my knowledge to. I may be overstepping my bounds as an instructor, but I've come to care for them a bit like they're my own children, and I'd rather die than watch something bad happen to them. Hate me all you want for what happened in here, but know that I'm doing this mainly for Noire's sake. And one more thing, Gaius; all that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

I lift the flap of Tharja's and Gaius's tent and leave the married couple to contemplate my words.

 **Your relationship with Gaius has worsened! Your relationship with Gaius is now "Strained"!**

 **Your relationship with Tharja has worsened! Your relationship with Tharja is now "Strained"!**

Well, that could've gone better.

* * *

As expected, dinner at camp is a tense affair, what with me eating my stew in absolute silence while Tharja and especially Gaius send me an occasional glare. The worst part is that both Noire and Nowi have picked up on the tense atmosphere. Sigh. It's in moments like these that I wonder whether I did the right thing or not.

I decided to finish dinner early and retire to my tent to plot our next course. Just as I'm about to sit down, however, I hear the flap of my tent move. I turn around and spot Nowi at the entrance.

"Nowi? What can I do for you?" I ask curiously.

"Jack, something happened between you, Tharja and Gaius, didn't it?" the manakete remarks.

I scratch my head with a sigh. Considering Nowi's personality and her relationship with all three of us, I really should've seen this coming.

"You could say that." I reply after some pause. "We got into an argument. I won't divulge any details, but it concerns the way Tharja treats certain other people and my objections regarding that. In the end, I pulled rank on her, which upset Gaius."

Nowi frowns at me. "And you won't make up?"

I shake my head. "It might be selfish of me, but I have no intentions to apologize to Tharja or Gaius unless something changes with them. What happened between me and Tharja touched a topic that's very sensitive for me, and it's an area where I refuse to back down."

Nowi rolls her eyes. "I swear, I'm the child of this group, yet you adults are the ones acting immature. Fine, I'll talk to Tharja and Gaius and hear their side of the story. Somebody has to play the mediator in this mess."

I raise an eyebrow. "You sure you're up to the task?"

Nowi nods. "Sure I'm sure. I know fully well that I'm one of the few in the group that Tharja listens to, so if anyone can untangle this stupid squabble, it's me." The manakete winks. "You'd do well to never underestimate your elders, Jack."

I roll my eyes. "You're the one elder who I constantly debate over whether to take you seriously or not."

Nowi pouts. "Meanie. I'm trying to act as the voice of reason here, and you just insult me. Real mature, Jack."

Great… I'm being scolded by a child. Granted, she's a child who's over a thousand years old, but she's still technically a child. Ugh. When did my life hit such a low point?

I rub my temples. "You know what, Nowi? You're right. Maybe I _am_ acting immature right now. Good luck in talking it out with Tharja and Gaius."

Nowi turns to the exit of my tent with a confident smile. "I don't need luck. Just some good old-fashioned life wisdom."

The flap closes, and my tent falls silent.

I'm still debating with myself whether what just happened was Nowi acting her age, or just me being an irreconcilable brat.

Bah! I'll handle that at another time! I've got plans to make.

As I study the map and possible travel routes, I hear some shuffling at the edge of my tent. Oddly enough, it's not coming from the entrance.

I narrow my eyes. If it's a thief or assassin, they're doing a terrible job at sneaking into my tent.

So imagine my surprise when Mind's eye reveals that it's a squirrel trying to get into my tent through the gap between the ground and the canvas.

I walk towards where the little critter struggles to squeeze itself through the deceptively tight gap. Aside from wearing the familiar robe of black moss (though mysteriously missing the red leaves), this squirrel has a swirl-patterned mask made of bark sitting on its face – and the mask only has one eyehole.

I crouch down and help the squirrel get into the tent. "Tobi? What are you doing here?"

The squirrel dusts himself off before he waves up at me. " _Finally found you, Jack! Boy, do I have some news for ya!_ "

I blink at the critter owlishly before I sit down on my bedroll. "All right. How about you take it from the beginning?"

The masked squirrel nods. " _Okay, so I've been scurrying around all over the place lately for all kinds of odd jobs for the clan. Gotta work hard to make the A-team, right? Anyway, while I was busy checking the southern forests, I stumbled upon something really cool!_ "

I sweatdrop at Tobi's story. "We're up north, Tobi. How the heck did you go from the southern forest to here without noticing?"

" _Anyway…_ " the squirrel continues unperturbed. " _…there I was, minding my own business while checking out the area when a bunch of humans passed through. And that's when I sensed it! One of the humans in their group smelled like you, Jack!_ "

I blink. "Me? How come?"

Tobi shrugs. " _Heck if I know. All I know is that this human, a female, smelled like you. And if I understood the situation right, she was a prisoner in the group._ "

I frown and rub my chin as I process what Tobi tells me. A female that smells like me? Robin's already known by the clan, so it can't be her (thank Naga). But it's not her, then who is that mysterious female?

I pull out the map and get ready to jot down notes. "Did you find out where that group of humans were headed?"

Tobi nods proudly. "S _ure did. I followed the group until they stopped. If I remember correctly, they shouldn't be that far away from here. About five hundred maple trees in that direction._ "

I look in the direction Tobi points me at and check the map. If my geography matches up, Tobi's pointing east from here.

" _There was something else that smelled strange with the human._ " Tobi adds. " _Aside from smelling like you, I also smelled ashes and rotted flesh. But it didn't seem like her own. It was more like she's fought against something that smells like that._ " The squirrel shrugs. " _As if. Who in the world fights a walking corpse while everything around you is burning?_ "

My eyes widen at the last comment. In fact, I know quite a few who used to do it on a daily basis. And if my deduction is correct, this girl Tobi speaks of may have some common ground with said people who've fought corpses.

I nod as I run the conversation in my head one last time. "Well, this sure is an interesting piece of information."

Even with the mask on, I can sense Tobi beaming at me – as if his exuberant movements didn't already give it away. " _Yay! I got praised by our client! Deidara-senpai will be so proud when he hears this!_ "

"I doubt it." I reply bluntly before I hand Tobi an almond. "At least you've earned this. Enjoy."

Tobi eagerly accepts the treat. " _Oh, yummy!_ "

I do a doubletake as he slowly reaches for his mask while lifting up the almond. I know he's just a squirrel, but I'm still intrigued by what's behind the ma-

Tobi turns around, eats the almond, replaces the mask and turns back to me – all in the time it takes for me to blink. What…the actual…heck…?

" _Thanks for the treat, Jack!_ " Tobi chirps happily. " _But I've gotta go back and report to the chief now. Tobi's a good squirrel, and good squirrels are always on time. Unlike that jerk Kakashi!_ " *Poof!*

Tobi vanishes in a puff of smoke, leaving me on my own inside my tent.

Hmm… The location Tobi pointed out isn't too far out of the way, considering where we are right now. This might be worth investigating.

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Side quest: Enslaved legacy  
** _Reports from one of the squirrels on patrol indicate that a girl has been captured by local slavers. This may be your best chance at tracking the slave ring down and strike at its heart. You'd better hurry, though. Should this information prove accurate, it's only a matter of time before that girl is sold off.  
_ **Objectives:** _Locate the slave trade headquarters, Defeat the ringleader, ?  
_ **Rewards:** _8 000 EXP, 8 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _1 000 EXP, 1 000 gold  
_ **Failure:** _You may not know it now, but failing this mission will result in a deep personal tragedy that you may never recover from._

* * *

I exit my tent and have about half a dozen clones spread out through camp to gather the others. We're all soon in front of my tent, where I've set up a desk with the map on top and a lantern floating above, courtesy of Telekinesis.

"Meeting very sudden." Gregor remarks. "Why Jack call in so late?"

"There's been a slight change of plans, everyone." I reply. I place my finger on the new location. "Turns out the squirrels have pointed out a location I hadn't considered before. If their reports are accurate, someone with some kind of connection to me should be there."

Sully raises an eyebrow. "Sounds pretty vague. Ya sure what you're getting' into, Jack?"

I shake my head. "It's a longshot at best, but I think this is important. According to what I heard, this person in question is supposedly a girl who was taken prisoner."

Vaike scratches his head. "Wait a sec… People don't just take others prisoner for no reason. You said it was a girl, right?" His eyes widen. "You don't think…"

I nod grimly. "Considering where all the leads line up to this point, it's safe to assume the squirrels have picked up a trail that leads to those slave traders Anna mentioned back when we defeated those bandits. And even if it's not the slave traders in question, it would probably be someone who knows where the head-honcho for the whole operation has set up shop."

I notice the others around me tense up. Looks like we're all on the same page now.

"In other words, we just got a lead that can lead us straight to the ringleader of this whole slave business. And since someone potentially important to me could be in their grasp, I have all the more reason to pay them a visit." I conclude.

"You don't expect us to just go with you on this wild goose chase, do you, Buttercup?" Gaius asks me tersely.

One glance at him and Tharja tells me how bad things are still between us. I may still outrank them, but their trust in me is severely strained. I'd better tread carefully.

"*Sigh* Look, I understand if this doesn't sit well with neither you nor Tharja, Gaius. In fact, I'm ready to go out on this particular excursion all by myself if need be. I don't know what awaits me there, but I get the feeling it's something I can't afford to miss. So I _will_ go. Whether I go alone or with company doesn't matter to me. If you don't want to go with me, I might as well leave a copy of myself to lead the way to the next planned destination and catch up with you guys on the way there."

"Nope." Sully interjects. We look at the Paladin in surprise at her sudden response. "Look, I don't know what beef ya suddenly have with some of us, Jack, but that shouldn't be so big we can't even work together." Sully smirks at me. "You ain't doin' this alone, 'cause I'll be right behind ya."

"She's not the only one." Vaike adds with a grin. "This whole "slave trade" thingy just sounds like a pile of horse plop to me. I say we go there and clean up the mess."

The others nod and give their consent one by one, even Noire (albeit very nervously), until only Gaius and Tharja are left.

Tharja shrugs. "Well, _someone_ needs to keep an eye on you while Robin's not around. I may not view you the way I used to, Jack, but that's not reason enough to just give you the cold shoulder."

Nowi taps her foot with a disapproving glare.

Tharja rolls her eyes. "And I had a chat with Nowi about how important it is to cherish the people in my life, even if I get in an argument with them." The Sorcerer glances at the manakete. "Satisfied, Nowi?"

Nowi keeps her glare for a few more seconds before she nods smiling. "That works for now. Next time, you have to be nice and mean it."

"What are you, my conscience?" Tharja mutters as she averts her eyes.

The rest of us look at Gaius. The Assassin takes a glance at all of us before he reaches into his robes, pulls out a chocolate bonbon and pops it into his mouth. Then he chews… And chews… And _chews_ …

Nowi stomps her foot on the ground. "Oh, come _on_ , Gaius! You can't stall us forever!"

"Father, please…" Noire begs him.

Gaius chews a few more times before he rubs his temples. "*Sigh* Fine. Sign me up. I'll run out of candy before you guys give up anyway, and that just spells bad news for everyone." The Assassin scowls at me. "Just remember this, Buttercup; we're nowhere near chummy with each other."

I shrug. "After what happened earlier, I'd be surprised if we were. I'll…try to tread carefully."

Gaius nods. "Guess that'll work."

I glance at my teammates before I nod. "All right. The course for our next destination is set. Considering the late hour, we'll retire for the night and set out early tomorrow morning. Make sure to get as much rest as you can…" I grin. "…because tomorrow, we hit the slave market."

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: The next morning**_

Considering the urgency of this mission, I have a group of clones clean up the entire camp while everyone else gets ready for the day ASAP. Within half an hour, we're all gathered in a new square of clones, breakfast to eat on the go and ready for some swift transport across the landscape.

"Friend sure knowing where to go, yes?" Gregor asks before he tears into a loaf of bread.

I glance at the mini map in the upper left corner of my vision. The arrow marking the right direction flashes a bright yellow.

I nod back at the Hero. "Yeah, I know exactly where to go." I point in the direction. "Full speed ahead!"

"Yes, Boss!" my clones reply and slap the ground. And we're off!

Even as we speed along the Feroxi plains, it takes all my willpower to suppress the urge to go faster. I know it's unreasonable of me to speed up when we're clearly making good time, but a part of me just wants to be there already. Heck, that part of me wanted to be there the moment Tobi delivered his report yesterday.

It's strange, though. Going by what I could figure out from Itachi's initial report, I should already have the location of every future child of Lucina's generation pinned down as far as the ones on this continent are concerned. And yet, Tobi's report indicates that there was at least one more who joined Lucina and her friends on their trip back in time. It's not like I could dismiss it as an impossibility either. The mission parameters I set for Itachi when I first hired him for that task were based on my own knowledge of the Awakening cast, so it's only natural that the squirrels would keep an eye out for individuals matching the descriptions of characters in the game. But who's to say there can't be more?

That line of thought becomes possible due to my own relationship with every single future child we've run into up until this moment. In every instance, I was an instructor of sorts for Lucina and her peers, which means I existed in her timeline as well. Is it possible I took another pupil besides the future Shepherds under my wing? It sounds plausible, but it doesn't explain that detail about Tobi catching my smell from that mysterious girl – assuming she's from the future at all.

I shake my head in frustration. This speculation leads me nowhere. I have to find that girl and get the answers myself.

"Ya look troubled, Jack." Donnel remarks. "Somethin' eatin' at'cha?"

I sigh. "You could say that, Donnel. The more I think about this mysterious girl, the more I want to find out who she is. It's like an invisible force is pushing me to do this, or else I'll never get any peace of mind."

Donnel looks in the direction we're traveling at. "Well, ya ain't gonna find out about her until ya find her, so there ain't no point in thinkin' 'bout her now."

I chuckle at the wisdom in his simple advice. "Those are probably the wisest words I've heard all day. Thanks, Donnel. I needed that."

The Fighter tips his brass pot. "Happy ta help."

* * *

Some twenty minutes later, my clones stop the stone slab from moving any further. I zip up a nearby tree and squint into the distance.

There. A lone fortress-like building by the coast. By the looks of it, this one seems intact, unlike the ruins where we found Noire yesterday.

"How does it look, Sensei?" Noire asks as I get back down from the tree.

"Looks like we found the location. It not only looks big, but heavily fortified as well." I reply as I look in that direction. "We need to approach the building carefully."

Sully raises an eyebrow. "You? Careful? You'd have better chances stormin' the d-mn thing head-on and tear through whatever gets in your way."

I give the Paladin a flat look. "And have my wife laugh at me for using such obvious tactics while she's not around? I think not, Sully." I shake my head. "The landscape around here is pretty open, so sneaking into the place under cover is pretty much out."

"That only leaves storming the place, right?" Anna asks.

I smirk. "Not necessarily. There's one more option; hide in plain sight."

The others blink at me owlishly.

A grin spreads over my face. "Can you guys say "disguise"?"

* * *

It's a good thing we hired Anna before this whole thing started. Being the crafty merchant she is, Anna has all sorts of useful and odd stuff in her cart. Sure, most of it is merchandise, but who said that's the only purpose? In this case specifically, who said the clothes she has in store have to be bought before worn?

Of course, it took some serious negotiating before the redheaded merchant even agreed to this plan, mainly because she doesn't want to run the risk of getting the clothes ruined before she can offer them on the nearest suitable market. The promise that she can loot the whole place by the same rules as back in the bandit hideout made for a good enough compensation for what we're about to do.

At the moment, I lead the group dressed in an elegant purple jacket with matching grey pants, a silk cravat tied around my neck (I really need to thank Virion for those lessons), silk gloves on my hands, polished shoes on my feet, my hair pulled back in a ponytail and a monocle over my left eye. And I carry a fancy cane in my left hand for good measure. If this doesn't make me look aristocratic, then I don't know what does.

Following my lead is Anna, dressed in a green dress covered with lace bands embroidered on the bottom half in an elaborate pattern. Sully and Gregor walk beside us in their usual attire, posing as bodyguards. The rest have stuffed themselves inside Anna's cart, seeing as she owns the fancier one.

The entire purpose of this garish getup is to fool the guards into thinking Anna and I are a pair of aristocrats looking to do some…unconventional business with whoever's in charge of the building we're about to infiltrate.

"Halt!" one of the guards at the front gate shouts as we approach. Hmm… Definitely a hired mercenary, but he's quite well-dressed. Whoever owns the place either swims in gold, or is very concerned about keeping up appearances.

His companion points his lance at our traveling party. "State your name and business."

I plant the tip of my cane on the ground and clear my throat. Time for my snobbiest tone of voice – complete with ridiculously rigid posture and my face angled upwards juuust a little bit.

"Count Jack of Ylisse, traveling with the company of my sister, Countess Anna, and our two retainers." I reply. "We recently heard that the master of this establishment conducts business of the – How shall we put it? – _exotic_ variant. We wish for an audience with him to discuss possible business relations."

Guard # 1 glances at Anna. "Truly? And what do you have to offer?"

Anna gives her best merchant smile. "Oh, we have brought a wide selection for your master to look through at his leisure. For instance…" Anna snaps her fingers, prompting Gregor to walk to the back of the cart and soon return with a roll of fine silk dyed red. "…our family has established good contacts in the silk trade. Not only do we have access to silk of top quality, our relations have gone so good that we can buy this luxurious fabric at prices no merchant could ever hope to match." Anna gently sweeps her hand over the top of the roll. "Why not try feeling it for yourselves?"

The guards hesitate for a bit before guard # 2 walks up to us carefully. He removes his gauntlet and slowly drags his fingertips across the finely woven fabric himself.

"Hey, this stuff's smooth." he remarks surprised.

Anna beams him another charming smile. "Why, of course. Only the finest quality will do when discussing business with a potential partner."

The guards trade glances with each other before # 1 shrugs. "Seems good enough for me."

Guard # 2 nods. "Agreed." Then he turns to us. "You may pass. Please follow me, Count Jack and Countess Anna."

We follow the guard through the front gate and into a courtyard of sorts. Anna's cart, our two horses, Sully and Gregor are led to what I presume are the stables.

"We will meet up here after we are done discussing business." I tell Sully and Gregor. The two nod and follow another guard towards a room.

For mine and Anna's part, we're led into another part of the building. As we walk the corridors, I mentally map the inside for when we'll eventually shed our disguises and raise some hell.

We stop in front of a pair of double doors after a few minutes of walking.

"Wait here." our guiding guard tells us and walks in through the door.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Jack?" Anna whispers when it's clear we're alone.

I nod. "Considering the fortified structure of this building and the surrounding terrain, nothing short of an army could storm this place with a high chance of success. From what I could gather while walking around, the guards here are all hired mercenaries, and several of them wield bows. They're more than equipped to defend this place, should we attack from outside. Sneaking in here was the best way to slip past their defenses."

Anna adjusts her dress. "Well, we're in. Now what do we do? And how are you sure those guards won't peek into my cart? The others are in there, remember?"

"Sully and Gregor can buy us time for that, since they pose as our retainers. They should be able to push away any prying eyes long enough until it's time for us to strike. Until then, we keep up the act a little longer, at least until we know where they keep their prisoners here."

Our conversation grinds to a halt as the guard from earlier returns. "You may enter."

I nod in thanks and walk in with Anna right behind me.

Huh. This room is really big. I think it even stacks up to Emmeryn's throne room. Except there's no throne by the end of the room – just a desk.

My eyes widen slightly in surprise when I see who sits by that desk. Gaston Ferros.

Gaston. Mother freakin'. Limp-as-a-wet-noodle. Ferros.

"Greetings." the sleazy noble begins as he rises from his seat. "I was informed I had guests who wished to discuss business with me?"

I nod while keeping a tight grip on my cane. What were the odds I'd run into this Casanova here, of all places?

Gaston raises an eyebrow at me. "Hm? Pardon me for asking, but have we met before?"

I keep my expression neutral. "I am certain I would remember having ever met a notable aristocrat such as yourself, ah…"

"Gaston." the noble supplies, thankfully unaware of my ruse. "Gaston of House Ferros."

I nod. "Count Jack of Ylisse."

Anna curtsies. "Countess Anna, Count Jack's sister."

Gaston's face lights up when he spots Anna. "A pleasure, my dear. Would you care for a cup of tea after we are done discussing business?"

As flirtatious as ever, I see. It's a good thing I have a cane to near-strangle, because I'm very close to punch this pansy in the face.

Anna waves off the offer. "Well, I'm flattered by the offer, but I believe we have urgent errands to tend to after this meeting."

"Oh, surely you can find some way to rearrange your schedule." Gaston insists. "It would be such a shame if someone as charming as you had to leave so soon."

I clear my throat. "*Ahem* As interesting as this conversation may be between you and my sister, I believe we have other matters to attend to, do we not?"

Gaston throws me a condescending look and straightens out his suit. "Hmph. Yes, quite. And between the two of us, you remind me of someone most vexing that I had the misfortune to run into some two years ago. A commoner of the worst kind."

I allow a small, wry smile. "Truly? Quite a small world we live in."

Gaston huffs as he sits back down at his desk. "Like you could never imagine." The aristocrat laces his fingers in front of his face. "Now, then. What exactly did you two wish to discuss?"

I take a moment to select my words carefully. Gaston might be a wimp, but he's well-guarded. I count two dozen armed guards spread out evenly along the walls of what I now know to be his office. Sure, I might be able to take all of them, but I still need to think about Anna and the others.

"A business acquaintance to our family mentioned in passing that he had been in contact with a trader in, ah, an _unconventional_ business avenue. When I asked for further details, he merely pointed at one of the servants accompanying him. Quite a beauty, she was. And garbed in an unusually revealing manner at that. I found the prospect of such a servant most fascinating, and therefore asked for directions."

A glint sparks in Gaston's eye. "Ah, I see. And as such, you found your way here."

I nod. "Indeed. I take it this is the place to search in case I wish for female servants for attending…certain needs, is it?"

Gaston nods pleased. "Yes, yes, it is." He raises an eyebrow as he glances back at Anna. "What about your sister? Does she consent to this endeavor?"

I glance at the disguised merchant as well. She's hiding it well, but I think her right eye is starting to twitch.

"My sister- How do I put this? Ah, yes. She has quite _exotic_ tastes. In fact, she found the prospect of such a female servant as intriguing as myself, if not more so."

When this is over, I think I'll try to reinvent the toothbrush. Keeping up this act leaves an absolutely _terrible_ taste in my mouth.

Gaston blinks bemused before he hides it behind an amiable smile. "Well, that's certainly…unexpected. Though, who am I to question the tastes of a fair lady?"

The aristocrat claps his hands. A mercenary guard leaves the wall and walks up to us.

"Take our guests to the dungeons. They may select any one of our current tenants and bring her up here." He directs his gaze at us. "We will discuss payment after you've made your choice. Now, if you will excuse me."

I nod. "Of course."

I hide my scowl as Anna and I follow the mercenary guard out from Gaston's office. Judging by how he reacted to our act, it's safe to assume he's the ringleader in this local slave trade. And we've managed to sneak right into his headquarters. Best we find the girl we came looking for and then bust this place wide open.

At one place where no other guards are currently patrolling, I make a Shadow clone while the leading guard rounds a corner and temporarily loses sight of me. The clone transforms into a mouse and scampers off towards the stables. The task is simple; find the others, and get ready to fight their way to the dungeons where we'll rendezvous. T-minus: 2 minutes.

* * *

A few corridors later finds the three of us walking down a set of dark stairs, lit only by the torches lining the outer wall. Considering how much we've walked, this means we're underground now.

The lead guard stops in front of a massive oak door. "This is where you'll find what you were offered. Take your time."

I nod. "My thanks. Shall we?"

The guard nods and pulls out a ring of keys. Right as he's about to push the right key into the lock on the door, the sounds of some loud commotion echoes down from above.

The lead guard turns around in shock. "What the- What's going on he-" *Whack!* "Ow!"

The guard stumbles back from the blow I delivered to his face, courtesy of the cane in my hand. I rush him before he can do anything else and release a flurry of jabs in his face until he slumps down against the wall unconscious.

"Hey, watch what you're doing with that!" Anna shouts indignant and points at the cane. "I'll have you know that cane is expensive! Do you realize how fast its market value will plummet if people learn that it was used for violence?!"

I roll my eyes. "Oh, stuff it, Anna. I already promised you the loot in this place, didn't I? Consider that payment for everything we'll do here."

Anna glares at me. "This place better be loaded with valuables, or I'll shove an invoice in your face."

I wave the redheaded merchant off. "Relax. I can cover it. Speaking of which."

I unequip all the fancy clothes and accessories and replace them with my ordinary clothes and good old Harvest Moon, all with a simple mental command. The fancy stuff goes right into my inventory.

Anna gapes at me. "How did you-"

I place a finger on my smiling lips and wink. "It's a gift."

I crouch down and pick up the key ring from the unconscious guard. Though now that I think about it, it might be a moot point.

"Hey, Anna? You're good with locks, aren't you?" I ask my partner-in-crime.

Anna smirks and summons Gilthunder with a flick of her wrist. "The best there is. Why do you ask?"

I unlock the massive oak door and swing it wide open. A long corridor stretches in front of us, each wall lined with doors with small barred windows at eye height.

"I figured there will be a few locks that needs to be opened, and finding the right key for each lock is too much of a pain."

Anna pouts at me. "What am I to you, a human lockpick?"

I count off on my fingers. "As well as our new quartermaster, main healer for the time being, resident expert in merchantry and miser."

Anna huffs. "That's not how you make a girl feel appreciated."

I grin at Anna. "Hey, at least you're not a one-trick pony. That'd be boring."

Anna gives me a flat look. "And you need to learn how to give compliments."

I place my hands behind the back of my head and walk in with an air of nonchalance. "Nah. I mainly reserve those for my wife and my friends."

"And I don't count as your friend?!" Anna asks indingant as she follows me inside.

I shrug. "I count you as a hired ally – for the time being."

Anna puffs a stray lock of hair from her face. "Way to be blunt with me, Mr. I-only-have-eyes-for-my-wife. Would it kill you to learn some tact?"

I grin back at her. "Nope. I just don't feel like it."

Anna slumps forward and gives a frustrated sigh. "I can already tell, it's only a matter of time before I want to strangle you."

"Oh, don't be like that. You're lucky to have met me, and you know it. We'll both be better off by the time this little trip is over. Trust me."

"You've yet to give me good enough reason to believe that."

"I let you keep some of that loot back in the bandits' hideout, didn't I? On top of that, I got you a stable job for the foreseeable future."

"My pile would've been a lot bigger if you didn't cut in on it, you jerk!"

"Hey, I'm trying to do the locals some justice here."

"…And you just _had to_ pull the goody-two-shoes card…" Anna grumbles. "Why can't you be this nice to me?"

"I am. You're just being too picky with nice moments." I conclude. I stop in front of a particular door and rub my chin. "Strange… I can tell this corridor is lined with prison cells, but this is the only one that's occupied. As morbid a thought it may be, I expected there to be more captives here."

"Just be happy there isn't." Anna replies. "Besides, it makes it easier for us to get out of here, right? The less girls there are here, the less dead weight we have to lug around."

I raise an eyebrow. "I wouldn't exactly call them "dead weight" unless we get involved in a fight." Loud noises echo from the staircase before a mercenary guard stumbles down the stairs. "Speaking of which…"

Judging by the hollow look in his eyes and his smoking, unmoving body, he probably got blasted by Nowi's dragon fire or Tharja's magic before he tumbled down here. Right on cue, the others join us in front of the cells.

"Right on time, guys." I tell them smiling. "Nice work in finding your way down here."

Gregor shrugs. "Finding way easy with Jack copy leading. Getting here? Not easy."

Vaike nods. "For real. The moment we made our way here, guards kept coming from all directions. If it wasn't for Noire, we would've taken even longer before we found the stairs."

I blink in bemusement before I face my student. "Really? How exactly did you find the way here, Noire?"

A small smile grows on Noire's lips. "Well, I just took a wild guess, and blasted my way through any wall that got in my way until now. I think some of those guards got caught up in the blasts as well."

I sweatdrop at Noire's explanation. Something tells me she's got _a lot_ of repressed anger. Here's to hope her rampage won't bring the whole place down.

"Uh, hello? I can hear voices outside." we hear a female voice call out from the other side of the door. "What's going on? I heard tons of commotion upstairs, and now it's gotten quiet."

Oh yeah. Gotta open the door.

I step aside and gesture to the door. "Anna? If you would?"

Anna raises Gilthunder and taps the lock on the door. Sparkles fly from the lock as we hear the telltale clicking sound of a lock open. I grasp the door handle and open the prison cell. I find a lone silver-haired girl inside, garbed in a pink and purple jester's outfit and…is that a skirt made of books around her hips?

* * *

 **Rose Lvl 27 Class: Dark Mage**

* * *

Huh. This girl bears a striking resemblance to Magilou from Tales of Berseria. Only difference is the color of her hair, which happens to be silver, and her eyes, which happen to be brown.

I gesture Anna to follow me inside, seeing as the girl, Rose, is chained to the wall. A few scuff marks here and there on her body tells me she's been involved in a scuffle or two before she ended up here. Poor girl.

"You'll be fine." I tell Rose in a comforting voice as Anna gets to work on her restraints. "We're here to get you out of this prison. Say, you wouldn't happen to know of any other maidens trapped down here, would you?"

Rose shrugs. "Nope. As far as I know, I'm the only one down here. Isn't that convenient?"

The cuffs soon come off her. Rose rubs her wrists gingerly. "Phew. Man, those cuffs were tight." The Dark Mage gives me a happy smile. "I'm happy you got here to pick me up, Dad. Last I heard from the sleaze running this circus, he'd sell me off to someone else in about two days."

I nod as I turn to leave. "Think nothing of it. I'd hate to imagine you being sold off as a slave." I freeze mid-step as Rose's words finally register in my brain. I turn around robotically and look at her with wide eyes. "Wh- What did you just call me?"

Rose raises an eyebrow. "Oh yeah. Forgot you're technically not my father. Well, long story short, I'm Rose, your daughter from the future." Rose reaches behind the collar of her shirt. "I even brought proof. Check it out."

The breath hitches in my throat as Rose reveals the object tied around her neck with a leather cord. Observe only confirms the undeniable. It's a Mysterious medallion – identical to the one I'm wearing around my own neck right now.

Seeing the green accessory in Rose's hand brings up a memory from the beginning of my travels through the Outrealms.

* * *

 _ **Flashback**_

 _I showed Hubba a Traced replica of the medallion I left in Robin's care back in Ylisse. "Well, Old man Hubba? What do you make of this?"_

 _Hubba accepted the replica with an annoyed comment regarding his age and examined the object from different angles. The old gatekeeper rubbed his chin after a minute._

" _Huh. Well, I'll be, sonny. Ya got me stumped on this one. Never seen anything like this before in my four hundred plus years, and believe me, I've seen stuff."_

 _I raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? But I thought someone in your position and with your experience should be in the know about it."_

 _Hubba shook his head. "Sure, I've been around the block fer a while, but I never said I've seen everythin', sonny boy. The Outrealms're a big place. There's no tellin' where they end. Fer all I know, this lil' trinket could be from a galaxy far, far away." He shrugs. "Yer guess is as good as mine."_

 _Anna took a look at the Traced medallion herself. "Yeah…no. I'm pulling a blank too. I've been to markets just about everywhere since I got hired here, but this thing is unlike anything I've ever seen. At this rate, I'm willing to bet it's completely unique – to the point that you won't find any one more of them, no matter how hard you search the Outrealms."_

 _ **Flashback end**_

* * *

True to Anna's word, I never stumbled upon a medallion like that one during my travels, no matter where I searched or whom I asked. For all the effort I put into finding another such medallion, the only conclusion I've been able to draw is that my medallion is, in fact, one of a kind, kind of like Falchion. But like Falchion, here's a person sitting in front of me, with a medallion exactly like mine in her hands.

The only people I would ever entrust something as important as my medallion to would be people that I hold very dear to my heart, like Robin – or my own child. My mind works at supersonic speed as I process my thoughts. Considering everything I've learned up to this point, there's only one explanation where all this makes sense.

Rose is telling the truth, and is, in fact, my daughter from the future.

And that, in turn, leads to another realization. One that makes my blood boil.

 **BGM:** **Vim and vigor, Kingdom Hearts 2 music**

Winds begin to whip around me as I shake with barely contained fury. "Those…scum…"

Anna fearfully backs away. "Uh… Jack?"

The winds turn into a small storm. "They dare…make a slave…out of MY DAUGHTER!"

Rose places a hand on my shoulder. "Dad!"

Rose's voice cuts through my anger like a ray of light in pitch-black darkness. The winds die down a bit as I release a shaky breath and pull her into a hug. "We'll talk later, Rose." I tell her as gently as I can at the moment. "Right now, there's something I have to do first. I'll finish up quickly. I promise."

I release her and point at Anna. "Anna, heal her wounds and make sure she stays in good shape at all times." I then turn to the others and delegate orders as I exit Rose's prison cell. "Gaius, secure an escape route for our party. Sully, Vaike, clear the path Gaius shows. Donnel, Gregor, guard Rose with your lives. Nowi, Noire, you two bring up the rear. Provide cover fire wherever you're needed. Tharja!"

"What?!" the Sorcerer snaps at me irritably.

I glare back at her. "If any slavers stand in your way…fire at will."

Tharja blinks before she smiles with a sinister giggle. "Oh, I could get behind that."

"Wait! But what about you, Sensei?" Noire asks.

I stop right at the door and draw Harvest Moon. "Me?" The winds pick back up in strength and get tinted black. My eyes flash yellow as my voice goes arctic. "I'll teach those lowlifes what happens when you harass a bear cub."

"Hey! The intruders are down here!" some guards shout as they run down the stairs. No, not guards. They're slavers. Every last one of them!

I point my sword at the slavers as they come into view. "You angered the wrong father." I declare darkly. I dash straight at them.

*Shing!*

I slide to a stop behind the slavers. A moment later, the top halves of their bodies slide off from where I cleaved them clean in half through the torso.

"This place is about to get hectic!" I shout back to the others. "Get outta here! Now!"

I ascend the stairs as the winds keep howling around me. Stealth? Subtlety? Screw all of that! There's a new goal I intend to achieve in this building, and I'll destroy anyone who gets in my way!

More slavers attack me as I stalk the corridors of the slave headquarters. I parry the lance thrust of the first and behead him with barely a thought. The next has his axe cleaved in half before I grab his face and slam him through the wall. The third one I pick up with Telekinesis and throw into the courtyard below through the window.

I eventually arrive at my destination; the double doors of the ringleader's office. I take a deep breath and reel in my wind magic. The thought of who's still sitting on the other side of these doors makes my fury go from blazing to bone chilling. I won't be satisfied by merely killing him. I will END him!

With my composure restored, I raise my foot and Sparta kick the door clean off its hinges.

*Ka-Bram!*

 **BGM ends**

Aside from all the commotion outside – no doubt due to the others making their grand escape – the ringleader's office is so quiet that the sound of my footsteps are clearly heard.

"You…" Gaston growls as I come to a stop a few dozen steps into the office. "So you are the one responsible for all this noise coming from outside. You have put me in a foul mood, and you will pay for that. All of it." Gaston's bodyguards point their weapons at me at the snap of his fingers.

"That's my line." I reply coldly. "Two years ago, you had the audacity to force yourself onto my girlfriend despite her repeatedly asking you to back off. And now, you have the gall to not only imprison yet another person dear to me, but also sell her off as a slave. It was bad enough the first time we met, but you've crossed the line this time, _Master_ Gaston."

Gaston blinks before he glares at me. "Wait… I recognize you now. You are that meddling commoner who I had the displeasure to run into during Prince Chrom's wedding! How dare you meddle in my affairs again?!"

I narrow my eyes. "Just as I thought. You're the ringleader of this slave trade. What? Helping in the family's mining business wasn't glamorous enough for you?"

"Silence!" the aristocrat shouts. "You think you know it all, don't you, you ignorant mongrel?" Gaston makes a sweeping gesture across the room. "Take a moment to take all this in! This is a business that I alone run independently of my father's iron mines. And I will have you know this trade fills our family coffers far better than any find in those dirty old mines ever could. I have been regarded as a rascal merely coasting on my family name long enough! With this business, I shall make a name of my own, and no one will stop me."

I scoff. "Really? Last time I checked, slave trade was abolished and outlawed in Ylisse generations ago, and the rest of the continent followed soon after. The only contribution you make to your precious family name will be the role of the black sheep."

Gaston sneers. "And you think the law alone is enough to stop me? Hah! There are nobles and others in power from all corners of the world who are involved in my web of contacts. Every last one of them has bought themselves at least one maiden to bring home and treat as they please. Not that I particularly care about that. So long as they pay handsomely and swear to keep quiet, what they do with those slaves is no concern of mine. Besides, who would speak out against them? Anyone who does soon finds themselves stripped off their home, their family, and their freedom."

The fact that Gaston's guards laugh along his smug smirk tells me exactly how they feel about this sickening business.

If looks could kill, my glare would send the entire room to the grave. "I thought you were an intolerable sleaze the first time I laid eyes on you, but now I realize that was just the surface layer hiding a heartless coward. You say the law can't stop you? Then I'll take its place and give you the sentence you so rightfully deserve!"

Gaston growls. "How dare you speak to me in such an insolent tone?! I care not if you are some war hero of Ylisse. I shall have you killed here and announce your death as a tragic accident. And then, Lady Robin will be mine. Kill him!"

A General charges me at full speed with his lance ready to impale me. As he thrusts the polearm forward, I grab hold of it and stop it cold before it can reach my chest. The General looks at me confused before he tries to pull back his lance – to no avail. No matter how much he struggles, the lance doesn't budge.

"Hmph. Pathetic." I scoff. I yank the slaver towards me by the lance and slam the hilt of Harvest Moon right in his face.

*Krang!*

The General gets knocked off his feet by the impact and lands hard on his back. I flip the lance still in my hand in a reverse grip and impale him in the gut right through the armor plate with enough force to pin him to the floor in the process. His anguished screams ring through the entire room as he desperately tries to get loose. Those cries get silenced as I stab Harvest Moon right in his face in the same manner.

The other mercenary guards flinch back at the violent death of their ally while Gaston himself pales at the broken and bleeding man.

I redirect my glare at the remaining slavers. "This is the fate that awaits all of you." I point at Gaston. "As for you… For the suffering you've caused for every maiden you sold off, and for scheming to steal my wife, I sentence you to death by agony beyond your imagination!"

I spread my arms with my palms facedown. Blue flames of mana appear in the air all around the room.

Gaston looks at the flames apprehensively. "W-what is this?"

* * *

 _Life, death, and the border between.  
My craft reaches beyond what is seen.  
Pain and toil was all I could feel  
as I stood, day and night, forging my steel.  
Yet those hardships were a small price to pay  
to make these creations see the light of day.  
They will slay my foe, peasant or lord,  
for __**I am the bone of my sword!**_

 _ **Unlimited Blade Works!**_

* * *

The flames spread through the air until reality itself burns away. As the flames dissipate, we find ourselves standing in the sunset hills of my reality marble, with all manner of weapons stuck in the ground everywhere. The mercenary guards and Gaston look around the place.

"Hey! What gives? How'd we get here?" one of the guards asks confused.

"This place is a manifestation of my soul." I explain to them. "And soon, this shall be your grave. Your fates were sealed the moment I pulled you all in here."

The slavers look back at me with fear now visible in their eyes.

"I care not how you do it, just kill him and get me out of here!" Gaston shouts and runs for the, well, hills. The mercenary guards ready their weapons in response.

"Fight back all you want. Nothing you do can delay your impending demise." I declare as I put my hand in front of my forehead. Black mana gathers and swirls in my palm. "When Death comes to claim your souls…" I swipe my hand down my face. When the mana disperses, it reveals that my face is now covered by a bone-white tengu mask with holes where the eyes are meant to be. My eyes glow yellow in those eyeholes. " **…tell him you've already met a Reaper.** "

 **BGM: Crisis city: Whirlwind, Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) music**

I stretch out my right arm as sparks dance along it. " **Trace on.** "

The hammer and axe combo of Kabutowari fly into my hands – the axe in my right, and the hammer in my left. The moment they're in my grasp, I dash straight towards my first target; a Hero. I swing down the axe with a battle cry. The Hero raises his shield and blocks the blow with visible effort. He brings up his Silver Axe to retaliate, but that's when I bring up the hammer and slam it right at the blunt side of the axe before he can wind up a swing.

*Ka-bram!*

The force of the hammer concentrated on the sharp edge of the axe allows me to cleave right through the slaver's shield and slice his arm clean off. The Hero drops his axe and screams in agony as the pain registers. I swing the hammer and break his kneecaps to force him on his knees, and then I finish him off with an axe chop that splits his skull in half.

"You- You monster!" a Swordmaster shouts as he rushes at me with his Killing Edge ready. I discard Kabutowari and Trace my next weapon; the blastsword, Shibuki. The sharp edges of both our weapons meet in a shower of sparks. But since my strength exceeds his by a wide margin, I push him back easily. I run in for a follow up, which the Swordmaster manages to block. But he doesn't expect me to disengage and spin around to hit him with Shibuki's other side – the one covered in paper bombs.

*Boom!* "Augh!"

The Swordmaster flies back from the violent explosion. Quite a bit of the left side of his torso is covered in burns, and everything from his left shoulder and down are just gone. He barely has time to reach the ground when I zip in front of him and slice him from shoulder to hip. I pivot and glare at two Warriors step back in caution. I tense my legs and Gale step right towards them with Shibuki already in mid-swing. Explosions rock the area as I swing the bomb side at the two slavers over and over, quickly turning them to charred, mutilated husks.

As the two Warriors fall, I notice five more slavers attacking from a direction each in a coordinated strike. Good, but not good enough!

The moment my next weapon flies into my hands, I channel a massive amount of mana through it. The bandages wrapped around the blade fly off from the intense pressure of the mana flow, revealing the flat form of the great twin blades, Hiramekarei. As I grab Hiramekarei by both handles and raise the sword up, the mana surging through the weapon expels from the blade and takes the shape of a gigantic mallet head. I swing Hiramekarei down with a distorted war cry. The impact on the ground is so powerful that the resulting shockwave scatters the attacking slavers.

I twist the blade along its length to split Hiramekarei in two, thus revealing the reason behind its namesake. With mana coating both blades, I dash at the nearest slaver and deliver a brutal double-bladed assault. One by one, four of them suffer the same fate. I turn to the remaining of that group of five, now standing at a relatively long distance with a bow trained on me.

"Your sword won't reach me from here!" he shouts nervously as he releases the arrow.

I reunite Hiramekarei's two halves and block the arrow with the flat of the blade. Then I rear back the blade and swing horizontally while I spike the mana surge. The mana surrounding Hiramekarei's blade grows to immense proportions as I swing, which catches the slaver completely off-guard as he finds himself well within my range one split-second, and bisected the next.

I cease the mana flow and stab Hiramekarei into the ground. " **Yes it will.** "

As I dash towards the next set of opponents, I Trace my next weapon: the needle sword, Nuibari. An Assassin meets me head-on and swings his Silver Sword at me. I bat the sword aside with my free hand and then stab him through the chest with almost no resistance. In fact, Nuibari slides through the Assassin's body so easily that I can run past him, catch the sword on the other side and continue my assault. I ramp up my speed and dart through one slaver after the next. Each one gets pierced through the chest until seven of them find themselves with a hole through their upper body.

I skid to a stop, grab hold of the wire extending from Nuibari's hilt, and _pull_!

" **Get over here!** "

The slavers that I pierced through earlier all get pulled towards me, starting with the Assassin. Soon all seven get bundled up and fly helplessly towards me, all connected to the wire. As they get closer, I toss Nuibari aside and Trace the massive executioner's blade: Kubikiribōchō. I roar, swing the massive sword and cleave the entire bunch in a single fluid motion.

"Don't let up! Form up and strike!" a General shouts as he rallies together another group of five slavers, himself included.

The sparks that dance along my arms do so for a good reason this time. Within seconds, the twin boltswords Kiba reach my hands. I channel mana through the blades, causing them to light up a brilliant blue-tinted white with the mana now converted to the lightning element. I settle in a dual-blade stance and take a deep breath before I dash towards my next set of adversaries, lightning trailing in my wake as I move. My arms become a blur as I swing all around me, sending both lightning coated swings and literal thunderbolts every which way as I assault the slavers. One Paladin tries to lock the dualblades against his lance by the prong, only to find that Kiba's cutting power is absolutely ridiculous while they're coated in lightning mana. The blades cut through the lance like hot knives through butter, and the Paladin gets pierced next, quickly followed by a violent electrocution. I notice the other four slavers try to attack me while I'm still pulling back and have yet to settle back in a stance. Abandoning that plan, I instead flip the left Kiba blade in a reverse grip and stab it into the ground. Right as the slavers are about to get on top of me, I slam the other blade on the first so they meet hilt-to-hilt.

*Krzz! Ka-BRAM!*

A massive surge of lightning mana explodes from the Kiba blades with the sound of a literal lightning strike and fries all four of the slavers within the blink of an eye.

I stand back up and look around. Only two more to go. They both back away, having witnessed the insane devastation I wreaked upon their comrades. I scoff as I Trace my seventh weapon for this fight. Samehada may be beyond my reach, seeing as I'm unable to Trace living weapons…

" **Hraa!** " *Ka-Bram!*

…but a Traced replica of Arlong's Kiribachi makes for a nice substitute!

The massive, sawtoothed sword swings vertically over and over as I tear up the ground in my frenzied chase after the two slavers. As much as they struggle, it's just a matter of time before I catch up to them, even as I cartwheel with the momentum of swinging the sword so violently into the ground. One of those slavers, a third General, realizes the futility of running away and decides to stand his ground instead. Big mistake.

" **Orah!** " *Kra-bam!*

"Aaugh!"

Not only are the sawtooth-patterned blades on Kiribachi sharp, the sheer size of the weapon means each swing has a frightening amount of weight behind it. The General just learned that the hard way, as a massive swing tore right through his shield, his armor, and into his body all at once. I rip Kiribachi out where the blade stuck in his flesh, tearing up his body further and make armor and blood alike fly in a red shower. The General collapses on the ground from the pain, which gets a brutal end as I slam Kiribachi across his back and make another ripping pull that no doubt tore his spinal cord to shreds.

The last slaver to face me is a Sniper. The guy is so terrified of me at this point that he can't even keep his bow still as he takes aim at me.

" **The effort needed to kill you almost doesn't feel like it's worth it at this point.** " I tell him impassively. I zip in front of him with Kiribachi raised in the air. " **Keyword being "almost". You're going down like the rest.** "

The Sniper screams in panic as he releases the arrow at me. I catch it by the shaft between my left index and middle fingers before I twirl it in my hand and snap it in two.

" **Gotta admit. That was a nice shot.** " *Shrr!*

His pained scream rings out across the hills of my reality marble as Kiribachi bites into him, one sawtooth blade after another. By the time my slash ends, he collapses on the ground with his torso torn up from having effectively been shredded by a saw.

 **BGM ends**

I dismiss Kiribachi as I look out over the plains of my UBW. There's still one more to go, and last time I looked, he won't be any problem. Time to give that sleazy aristocrat what's coming for him.

I manage to find Gaston and catch up within a minute. I can hear him gasping for air even from so far behind him. Guess my mask scared the wits out of him. And now I'm about to confirm his fears.

I slap my hand on the ground. Sparks race along it and overtake Gaston before they stop in a circle. A stone slab rises up from the circle, making him stop in his tracks. Gaston does the mistake of turning around, and that's when he finds me just one pace away from him.

" **End of the line.** "

I grab hold of the front the aristocrat's shirt and slam him against the stone slab with enough force to knock the air out of his lungs. Before he can catch his breath, I slam my other hand against the stone and Transmute restraints around his wrists and ankles to secure him against the stone.

"You… What do you want with me?" Gaston wheezes out, even as he struggles against his restraints. "What are you?"

" **When I declared your sentence, I was your judge. Now, I'm your executioner.** " I reply. " **But unlike with your bodyguards, I won't soil the ground here with the filth inside your body that you call your blood. No. Your death will be a different level of pain.** " I grab the top of his head and turn it up so we have eye contact. " **You will suffer the agony of having your very life force drained through your head, and your soul ripped right out of your body.** "

I activate Soul drain and proceed to drain Gaston's HP. It takes some concentration, but I manage to slow the draining down a little bit, all for the sake of prolonging his agony. The effects are immediate, judging by how his scream becomes more panicked and painful by the second.

"Please… No! Spare me! Have mercy!" he begs as his agony becomes palpable.

" **How many maidens did you sell off to a living hell, even as they begged to you with those exact words?** " I ask coldly.

Gaston's eyes widen at my reply. Guess I struck right at home.

" **You showed them no mercy, so expect none in return.** "

Gaston's screams slowly die down and his body begins to shrivel up as his HP approaches 0. The moment it hits that number, I pull with a grunt and yank his soul out through my grip on his head.

What first looks like an ethereal form shaped like the aristocrat quickly shifts and eventually stabilizes into a white sphere roughly the size of an orange. A blue, shifting substance radiates around it in a manner that reminds me of a flame, giving the soul the shape of a teardrop.

The mask on my face dissolves into pieces that fade into the atmosphere. At the same time, my eyes return to their original color. I sigh in relief before I examine Gaston's soul closer. Soul drain's Observe log told me that I can view his memories if I manage to pull the soul out, and I'll try just that. I close my eyes and channel some mana through the soul.

* * *

The first memory that comes up is the memory of Gaston's slavers bringing Rose in. The hairs on the back of my head stand on end as I view how he grabs hold of her face and inspects her like she's some prize. A sensation of pain erupts at that moment, which reveals to be caused by Rose managing to aim a kick right at his crotch. A pleased smile spreads over my lips upon realizing this. Atta girl, Rose! Though that's all the resistance my daughter manages to put up. She immediately gets restrained and shoved away, most likely to be locked away in the dungeons.

An odd part of this memory is that I see one of the slavers hand something pink to Gaston. The slaver explains that Rose had it on her, and that she protected it fiercely, even as they restrained her before she was brought to Gaston's headquarters. Gaston gives it a quick glance before he walks to a chest hidden behind a bookshelf and places it in there.

Deciding to check that out later, I decide to dig a little deeper into his memories.

Images of dozens of young women flood my mind. Each one of them begs Gaston to let her go, and each plea falls to deaf ears. Instead, they all get shackled and pulled away by some grinning, fancily dressed man – most probably the people who bought them as slaves. What's disturbing is that the faces of each woman who was sold off is blurred. If this is Gaston's memories, that can only mean that he showed them so little regard that he didn't even bother with remembering any of their faces. He just saw them as commodities to earn a profit.

* * *

I open my eyes and glare at Gaston's soul with pure loathing.

"Death is too good for you." I growl.

I clench my hand and shatter Gaston's soul into thousands of pieces. As the pieces dissolve in the air, the sound of his pained scream echoes one last time before my reality marble falls completely silent.

* * *

 **Gaston has been killed! You gain 100 EXP! You gain 150 gold!**

 **Due to moving accurately at high speeds in battle, DEX increases by 1!**

* * *

It makes me wonder. Will his soul pass on to whatever afterlife there is after what I did, or has his very existence just been erased? I honestly hope for the latter.

I don't care if I go to Hell for this. What Gaston has done to all those women is beyond redeemable. There may well be people who disagree with me on that matter, and I know I acted a lot on emotion here, but the moment I realized that he tried to sell off my daughter to such a fate, Gaston made it personal.

" **Huh. It's been a while since I saw you go all-out, Jack. Guess that pretty boy really pissed you off.** " a voice sounding like my own, yet also distorted, comments behind me.

I turn around to face the owner of the voice. He looks like me in a lot of ways, though there are several key differences. For starters, his skin and face are colored like ash and his hair is pure white. His eyes are black with yellow irises. A black tengu mask hangs off the side of his head. And instead of a purple robe, he wears a blood-red one.

This is the Hollow spirit residing within my own soul; Sparrow.

I nod. "Well, you know me, Sparrow, so you should know exactly what made me react the way I did when I realized that Rose is my daughter."

The Hollow spirit raises an eyebrow. " **Ain't that the truth. You were pretty annoyed when you realized that sleaze was the head-honcho of this place, but what happened after you found the girl was just crazy. I mean, Unlimited Blade Works** _ **and**_ **my mask at the same time? And you keep saying** _ **I'm**_ **the one with no restraint.** "

I narrow my eyes. "In my defense, those slavers had it coming."

Sparrow shakes his head with an amused smile. " **Sure. You keep telling yourself that. But we both know that the real reason why you flew off the handle like that is because you're a papa bear – and a savage one at that. Had she been anyone else, you'd just get her out of her cell and be done with the whole thing.** "

As much as I hate to admit it, Sparrow's right. Though I suppose it should be expected. Sparrow was originally formed from my own soul. Simply put, Sparrow is essentially me, with all my abilities, wants and desires, but with no inhibitions. Have you ever felt like there's this mysterious voice in your head that keeps whispering and telling you to do stuff that you want, but you refuse due to what the consequences could be? Yeah, it's literal in my case, and Sparrow's the source of that voice. What's more, due to the connection we share on a spiritual level, Sparrow experiences everything I do, and I mean _everything_.

" **Though I've gotta say…** " Sparrow muses as he rubs his chin grinning. " **That daughter of yours is kinda cute. Definitely got her looks from your wife. You wouldn't consider letting her meet me, would you? I'm game.** "

I glare at my Hollow spirit and point in the air above his head. With a mental command, I Trace an anvil and drop it right in top of his head.

*Wham!*

" **Ow! Sheesh! It was just an idea!** "

"One better left ignored and untouched." I warn him coldly. "If I ever learn that you look at my daughter with less than pure intents again, I'll drop an even bigger anvil on your head."

" **Fine. I'll be good.** " he grumbles.

Sigh. This keeps happening. Due to the deal Sparrow and I have made, I'm the one between us in control. Which is good, since letting Sparrow assume control would cause all kinds of trouble. Any time I want to eat a certain kind of food, Sparrow's practically drooling at the prospect. If I want to buy something at a market, Sparrow would want it before even considering haggling down the price or trying to look somewhere else in the hopes of finding something better or more fitting. And if Robin's involved, the only thing Sparrow can think about is trying to get me to take Robin to the nearest bedchamber and get steamy with her, no matter how many other things take priority.

All in all, it's for the better that I'm the one in charge. And if Sparrow ever steps out of line, I just need to Trace an anvil on the mental plane and drop it on his head. Doesn't matter how much he tries to dodge either – the anvil _always_ finds its mark. It's not so much abuse as it is keeping my desires under _very_ tense scrutiny.

Okay, maybe I'm _a little bit_ abusive to Sparrow. But really, he deserves it, what with all the crazy ideas he comes up with and keeps shoving into my thoughts.

Sparrow rubs his still aching head. " **Ah, screw it. I'm going back to my nap. Wake me up next time you're about to go on a rampage, will you? I almost missed the show.** "

"The only fights worth your attention would be the ones when I summon your mask anyway." I reply.

" **Yeah, if you even remember to summon it. Seriously, you can be so scatterbrained sometimes, Jack.** "

"Better a bit scatterbrained than obsessed with wanting to bone my wife every waking second."

" **Hey, you want that just as much as I do. Robin's hot!** "

My glare returns full force. "Yes, she is. But unlike you, I also consider everything happening around her and know how to hold myself back until an opportunity presents itself when it works for both of us. Now drop the matter, or I'll drop an anvil on top of another anvil on your head."

Sparrow huffs. " **Freakin' prude. Fine, I'll shut up. Later.** "

Sparrow vanishes into the distance of my UBW, making the inside of my soul go silent.

I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh. Having the ability to summon a Hollow mask may be a great boon, but good grief, if my tenant can't be a massive pain in the neck.

Urahara, if I ever see your goofy grin and bucket hat again, I'll go so Vasto Lorde on your ugly mug that the Gotei 13 will believe the Espada have returned. This is all your fault! Harmless experiment, my foot!

* * *

My UBW shatters like glass, bringing me back to Gaston's office. The only evidence of any violence is the General that I killed before I dragged the rest of them into my reality marble. All the other corpses are left inside. Speaking of which, I see Harvest Moon remains stuck in his head. I yank my sword loose, flick off the blood, and put it back behind my back.

Now to examine this place. I walk over to the bookshelf that I saw hid Gaston's little treasure chest and pull it out from its hiding place. A quick slash on the lock opens the chest with no problem. The insides mainly consist of…night clothes? A set of adult size pajamas with ducks embroidered everywhere? A night cap with a sheep motif?

What the heck? What is this chest for, his personal sleepwear when he's off traveling somewhere?

Wait, that's not important right now. I need to find the pink object that he stole from Rose. Let's see…

Ah, there's something pink underneath another set of pajamas- Huh? What's this thing?

* * *

 **Kirby, Doll, Base damage: 50, Unique  
** _This plush toy is a life-size replica of the star warrior hero of Pop Star, Kirby. While simple in design, the attention to detail makes this toy almost seem alive. But there's more to this adorable plushie than meets the eye. Deep within the pink fabric and soft stuffing, an intricate web of threads made of mana-conducting metal has been woven, making this seemingly harmless looking toy an excellent medium for channeling mana for spells and even general combat.  
Skills available when equipped: Hypernova_

* * *

…Rose had this on her when she arrived here?

Now that I take a closer look, this stuffed toy does indeed bear a striking resemblance to HAL:s most iconic character. And the fabric's high quality as well. What's most eye-catching is how clean it is. If Rose had this in her possession before traveling back in time, that means she had a means of washing it, even amidst a zombie apocalypse.

I put the plush toy in my bag and continue my search, this time at Gaston's desk. With what I could glean from his memories, he kept records of every maiden he sold off to slavery. If he at least has that quality of an aristocrat, he should keep those documents somewhere in his workplace.

An examination of his desk soon leads me to a locked compartment. I try to fiddle with the lock a bit before I give up and simply smash the thing open. There's quite the stack of documents inside. I pull the stack out, place it on the desk, and get comfortable in Gaston's former chair.

Just as I suspected, these documents are all copies of the various slave contracts Gaston has made since he started this slave ring. As disgusting as I feel when I read the way he describes the ones sold off, I have to commend the now deceased noble with how meticulous his note taking is. These documents give me pretty much everything I need to know about what happened when selling those women off; how much money was exchanged, transaction date, the name of the client, basic physiological information of the woman-turned-slave. They even bear a wax seal that I suspect belongs to House Ferros. The only thing missing in every document is the name of who was sold off. It makes sense in a twisted way. The women Gaston sold off had their faces blurred in his memories, which indicates that he never bothered with their identities. That's reflected in his wording. They weren't humans in his eyes, only merchandise.

I'd better keep these documents. Chances are news of Gaston gone missing will spread quickly. And if his family somehow learns that I'm involved in this incident (which would be correct), they'd more than likely drag me to court, if for no other reason than petty revenge. These documents should serve as evidence to show who the true culprit was.

…That's strange. I've gone through the documents that describe all transactions made while Gaston was in charge of this slave ring, but there's still more documents in the stack I retrieved from his desk. And yet, these other documents are of the same character as the ones signed by Gaston.

Hmm… These documents date back to before I met Gaston for the first time. A glance at the documents at the bottom of the stack show that the first transactions took place while the sleaze was still an infant. That can only mean one thing; Gaston didn't establish this slave ring – he inherited its business. And judging from the common wax seal on all the documents, this slave ring was strictly a family business. It seems House Ferros has more to answer for than just their crook of an heir. Better keep these older documents as well. I can only imagine the expression on the head of House Ferros, should his old crimes be exposed to the public.

While going through the older documents, a word on one of them makes my blood freeze.

Manakete.

To my knowledge, manaketes are extremely rare on this continent. The only one I know of is Nowi, who is also the only manakete I know who's been captured by slavers. In fact, the more I read about the manakete described in this document, the more it matches Nowi's description.

A dreadful realization dawns on me. This is the very slave ring where Nowi was first sold off as a slave! No wonder she looked so worried the whole time ever since we fought the slavers around here. All this business with slavers must have made those horrible memories in captivity resurface in her mind. Poor girl.

It takes all my mental restraint to stop myself from shredding the document to pieces in anger. This document might be the most important of all. With this, I can finally bring Nowi's original captor to justice. Nowi may have already moved on, but exposing the slaver at that time for the criminal he is should serve as a long overdue reparation for the young manakete.

I take a deep breath before I gather the remaining documents and put all of it in my bag as well. All right, that should be everything here. All that's left is to reunite with the others.

* * *

"Hey! There he is!" Nowi exclaims as she spots me approach from the now deserted slavery headquarters.

"What took you so long, Jack?" Sully asks as I finally arrive.

But I ignore her, much to her confusion. I instead walk straight to Nowi, crouch down to her level and embrace her.

"It's all right now, Nowi." I tell her gently. "Your captors are all gone. Your past will no longer haunt you. I made sure of that."

Tears start to well up in Nowi's eyes before she hugs me back.

"Thank you, Jack. Thank you so much…" she cries out between sobs.

* * *

 **Your relationship with Nowi has advanced! Your relationship with Nowi is now "Friends"!**

 **The bond you've nurtured has given birth to a new ability! You can now perform the Union Strike "Dragon Rage" with Nowi!**

* * *

I gently caress Nowi's head as she cries in my embrace. Maybe this excursion was more worth the effort than I originally thought. More importantly, there's one more person I need to see – one who I didn't even know until today.

 **BGM:** **Flowers blooming in the church, Final Fantasy 7 music**

I slip out of my embrace and approach Rose.

…I had such high hopes to talk with her after I was done with the slavers, but now that I'm here, I find myself at a loss. How do you talk to someone who you had no idea existed, and suddenly reveals herself to be your daughter from an apocalyptic future? I could really use some help from Chrom and Cordelia right now, seeing as they've gone through this twice.

Rose puts her hands behind her back. "So… What's up?" she asks tentatively.

I scratch my cheek. "Honestly, I'm shocked. To think Robin and I had a daughter. Or, well, _will_ have a daughter. And yet, that medallion you showed me back then could only be explained by us being part of the same family."

Rose nods and pulls it back out. "Yeah… This medallion is a memento of you, you know. You're the one who gave it to me, Dad."

I blink in confusion. "Uh, I get that I could entrust it to you, but why did I even give it to you in the first place?"

Rose shrugs. "Beats me. You were kinda vague when you did. Never managed to figure it out."

I shake my head with a smile. "Eh, we can leave it be for now. The important part is that you're here with me, Rose. Starting a family has been a dream of mine for years. The fact that you're standing here in front of me shows that my dream came true."

Rose rolls her eyes. "Yeah, there were quite a few times while growing up when you told me that. And you always did while hugging me like I'm some plush toy." She rubs her arm. "But I admit, I liked those times. It shows that you cared. You always did."

I raise an eyebrow. " _Did_?"

"Seeing as you've run into Noire, I guess you know what happens in the future. Everyone in your generation dies, including you. So I had to fend for myself. Luckily, Henry and Miriel trained me enough for me to stand on my own two legs. I figured out a lot of the stuff on my own as I went though."

"…Henry and Miriel? Didn't I have a hand in training you?"

"Nope. We tried a bunch of stuff, but you eventually figured I'd learn more if I trained under someone else. Turns out I was so good with magic that you had me train under some of the best magic users of your generation." Rose grins. "Heh. I still remember the days when you clung to Miriel's leg, begging her to train me. You told her you wouldn't let go until she agreed. And you made good on your word."

I shake my head in disappointment at myself. "I couldn't even assist my own daughter in growing stronger. Some father I am…"

"Hey, it worked out for the best." Rose protests. "Like I said, I learned a lot under those two. Honestly, you couldn't have found me any better teachers. So, thanks. You helped me in every way you could, and I'll always be grateful for that."

Hearing Rose's reassurance lifts my mood a bit. Then I remember what I found out went I looked through Gaston's memory of her. I rummage in my bag and pull out the plush toy I picked up earlier.

"By the way, does this look familiar?"

"Kirby!" Rose lunges for the pink plushie with a big smile. She hugs the toy tight and rubs her cheek against the pink fabric. "Oh, I've missed you so much! I'm so happy to have you back!"

I look at Rose with a sweatdrop. "Huh. Didn't expect you to be so fond of a plush toy."

"Well, of course I am." Rose replies. "You gave me Kirby when I was still a child. You told me to always treasure him, so I did. And…when you died, I could still always hug Kirby and find comfort in that. Doing so reminded me of all the happy times we spent together as a family, or maybe when it was just the two of us." Rose tosses Kirby around between her hands. "Besides, I later found out that Kirby was crafted in a way that let me channel mana through him. He's not just my friend, he's also my partner when I fight. And it's all thanks to you, Dad."

Hearing Rose's backstory with the plush toy hits it home for me how hard she had it, right alongside Lucina and the others. A tear forms in the corner of my eye as I avert my gaze.

"I'm so sorry, Rose." I tell her.

Rose tilts her head to the side. "Huh? For what?"

"For not being there for you when you needed me. There were nights when you didn't have anyone to hold you when you were scared, did you? Nights when I was supposed to be there." I shake my head remorsefully. "But I wasn't. You had to learn how to sleep on your own, no matter how scary it looked. You had to press on, no matter how much you just wanted to sit down and cry."

Rose averts her eyes and kicks the ground. "Hey, I don't blame you, Dad. You did what you could. You always did. And before you died, you always made it clear that you love me. For what it's worth, I couldn't have asked for a better parent. Well, maybe besides Mom."

She doesn't resent me… Thank Naga…

I walk up to my daughter and hug her.

"Huh? Dad?"

"Thank you, Rose." I tell her as the tear slips out. "Thank you for accepting me. For becoming a part of our family. For telling me how I truly was in your life. I know you're technically not my daughter, but I don't care. I love you all the same."

Rose squirms uncomfortably. "Oh, stop it, Dad. You're embarrassing me."

I pull back a bit to look her in the eyes. "Hey, what's wrong with me wanting to show my daughter some much-needed affection?"

Rose rolls her eyes. "It's the amount of affection I have a problem with." she replies bluntly. "Between you and Mom, you were always the doting one. I've lost count on the number of facepalms I've done because you wouldn't stop gushing over how I'm – you said, and I quote – your "little angel"." Rose sighs before she smiles at me. "But deep down…I liked it. You were always there for me. I always felt safe, yet you also encouraged me to explore and learn new things every day. I got to live in a happy family, and you played an important role in that. So…thank you. Oh, and, Dad?"

"Yes, Rose?"

Rose returns the hug. "Happy birthday."

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Side quest: Enslaved legacy  
** _After following the lead of the squirrels, you not only managed to strike at the heart of a large slave ring – you also found and rescued your own daughter from the future! While unexpected, this event calls for celebration. More importantly, make sure to help her have the happy family life she once lost. Better let your wife know.  
_ **Objectives:** _Locate the slave trade headquarters, Defeat the ringleader, Rescue Rose  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
** **Rewards:** _You gain_ _8 000 EXP! You gain 8 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Gather evidence on the slave ring's operations.  
_ **Bonus objective cleared!  
** **Bonus rewards:** _You gain 1 000 EXP! You gain 1 000 gold!_

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Rose's character sheet**

 **Rose Lvl 27 Class: Dark Mage  
** _Jack's daughter from the future. This young woman bears a striking resemblance to the prodigy witch, Mazhigigika Miludin do Din Nolurun Dou, also known as Magilou, right down to her attire. Like the prodigy spellcaster, Rose has a very cheerful, if sometimes nonchalant personality, though anyone who manages to gaze underneath the rock-solid façade can find hints of the same emotional wounds that she shares with everyone else of her generation. She also has a strange tendency to refer to a mysterious entity whom she calls "the Author". The most self-aware.  
Rose's note: He's basically saying that I'm an expert at breaking the fourth wall.  
Born on December 21_ _st_ _._

 **Titles: Arcane prodigy (Grants Arcane mastery)**

 **HP: 3 650 / 3 650  
MP: 2 550 / 2 550**

 **STR: 21  
VIT: 19  
DEX: 24  
INT: 53,3 (48 * 1.11)  
WIS: 34  
CHAR: 16  
LUCK: 17**

 **ITEMS:  
Kirby (Equipped)  
Book skirt  
Mysterious medallion**

 **Skills:**

 **Doll mastery, Lvl 38 [41 %], Passive  
** _Conventional weapons are overrated! With proper crafting, a seemingly mundane doll can become just as effective in combat as any other weapon wielded on the battlefield. Since a well-made combat doll can serve as a conduit for mana channeling, they make surprisingly effective tools for spellcasters to use. As an added bonus, you can use the dolls for their original purpose when outside of combat. I mean, have you ever heard of someone snuggle with a spiked mace?  
Passively increases INT by 11 %. Increases attack speed and attack power by 190 % when attacking with a doll. Damage is determined by the wielder's INT stat._

 **Arcane mastery, Lvl 42 [42.0 %], Passive  
** _Fire? Ice? Lightning? Eh, you're not picky. Why decide on only mastering one element when you can master all of them? With the unusual talent for all things magical that you've been born with, this opportunity is well within your grasp, and you've taken it. Just make sure you have your stuff in order. Getting the elements jumbled up can cause some serious mishaps when casting spells. It should also be noted that spreading yourself so thin over so many elements tends to decrease the overall potency of individual spells. You know what they say; jack of all trades, master of none._ **  
** _Increases damage dealt with magic of any element by 105 %. The cost of all magic based skills is reduced by 13 %._

 **Magikazam!, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 100 MP  
** _The ultimate spell! What does it do? Nobody knows. The only way to find out is simply by casting it. And if nothing notable happens, just pretend it's part of your grand master plan, and act like a dove._ **  
** _Causes a random effect when cast._

 **H** **l-** **%** **" _a${, [vl zB [G %], A** **tix9, C** **Ø** **-t: /£ M~ p3_ s** **ï** **c¨n¤  
** _4a"in9 ta!e_ _ō_ _the &ol-o# s*'ri[ w´_hi[ you, ?ou h &e =ai%-d th3 }bi7it) 6o m#ni-2s+ ~^s !as6 nd a-3 4t£ p0we3 t´ y$u{ o!9. Bu¤ b! w-*ne¨. T4e m2s{ of 4 H0l)$w mA! g=a_t im£e$"e p\?e', 2u¤ me/y 6ea1i)g it £u´s a h*av- s-rai( on 6o#r ow= s?i]¤t. 0nl5 $um´o~ 4hi" o+he6wo¤ld^y }ow3? in d1 5it£at2on[, 7es& you r{s# e-h-us*in\ y0u% 1a+a poo$ at "=e w5rs? of +im3$. M_:h! a¨so 6or! }or -n+im?d3ti/n p\rp"s3s if ¤0u ca9 m;in!a3n the m-s3 l+n9 e$ou!3. #h' e*p-? #l -hr5u{h the 3!e ´o~es and th% -is{or]?d 2o&ce ca= be f3ar$o{e.  
In£r1as+s a´l d*m0#e d$_lt by 1a+ %. I3c-ea1es m}ve?'nt s"e-d by A4 %. If he m0s- i£ d¤st%¨ye5, t+?s s¤i/l au-o*a~ic e4te$s a #oo_;n s$at1. T'e 0o}ld/&n l-st" for I0 m]nu es.  
Rose's note: Hey! The data on this entry's all corrupted! What gives?!_

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

*Risen wander the halls of a dark mansion*

 **Nowi:** There are Risen everywhere here. We'd better be careful.

 **Nah:** Don't worry. I'm not scared of them.

 **Donnel:** I'll keep ya both safe, so just stay back an' ol' Donny'll protect ya.

 **Nah:** No, really, I'm not scared of these things.

 **Vaike:** Aw, li'l girl's trying to act brave. No worries. Teach ain't lettin' those things frighten ya.

*Nah unleashes a massive torrent of blue fire on the Risen*

 **Nah:** I SAID I'M NOT SCARED!

 **Jack:** Guys, I think she's made her point clear.

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Maximum cuteness overload! Burn the undead with FIRE!**

 **Anna:** Please tell me there was nothing valuable in that direction…

* * *

 **Omake: How Jack tamed Sparrow.**

Craters litter the plains of Jack's UBW. Broken weapons of all kinds and shapes lay strewn across the hills. And in the center of this mess are Jack and Sparrow, both panting from the exhausting battle of trying to best the other through constant switching between Traced weapons, skills, wit, and pure willpower.

"Okay…" Jack huffs out between gulps of air. "No matter what we've tried, it always ended in a draw. I think we've established that we're equal in nearly every aspect."

" **Yeah? Well, I'm not accepting this.** " Sparrow replies wheezing. " **We've tried all kinds of weapons, barehanded fighting, arm wrestling, heck, even chess. This battle is too important to let a draw be the decision. There's gotta be an aspect where we haven't squared off yet.** "

A smirk grows on Jack's face. "Well, I said " _almost_ ". There is one important aspect we still haven't tried yet."

Sparrow huffs. " **Honestly, I'm willing to go for anything at this point, just to prove I'm the better between the two of us. So, what's the plan?** "

"An endurance contest."

 _ **30 minutes later**_

Sweat drips down Jack's brow from the sweltering heat. A few paces in front of him, Sparrow sits in the same predicament. The source of their suffering? The countless torches and bonfires burning around them while the two combatants sit on top of a raised stone slab. Neither have any intention to yield in this contest of enduring the sweltering heat from all the fires.

" **Ya feel like giving up yet?** " Sparrow taunts with a tired grin, even as he's panting from the heat.

"Look who's talking." Jack replies. "You look like you could keel over any second."

" **Fat chance. I could sit here all day. You?** "

"I'm almost freezing here. What do you say we turn up the heat some more?"

" **Bring…it…on…** "

Sparrow finally collapses from exhaustion in the heat. Jack summons a few clones to put out the fires and vent some cooler air around the two immediately. As this happens, Sparrow spots something behind Jack that he couldn't see from his previous position. Stuck in the ground right behind Jack's is the Mysterious Abyss keyblade.

Sparrow's eye widen as realization dawns on him. " **You…** " the Hollow growls. He points at Jack. " **You cheater! You planted that keyblade behind your back from the start!** "

Jack crosses his arms. "So? We never stated any rules that forbid us from bringing any weapons to this contest. I'm still the winner. As per our agreement before we began, that means _I'm_ the one who calls the shots around here."

" **Like h-ll you are!** " Sparrow shouts as he gets up. " **If you think I'll accept this, you've got another-** "

*Wham!*

Sparrow's tirade gets cut short as an anvil falls right on top of his head.

Jack smirks at the Hollow cradling his head in pain. "I simply outwitted you, which proves I'm the superior one between the two of us. That was the condition to decide the victor in the battle, and I have fulfilled it. Deal with it, Sparrow. Of course, I'm not going to enslave or suppress you."

Sparrow glares up at the Outrealmer. " **Yeah? Then what do you want?** "

Jack crouches down and offers his hand. "I want a partnership. I let you reside within my soul as a tenant, and in return, you let me call upon your power whenever I wish it."

Sparrow looks at Jack in shock before he grins wryly and takes the hand. " **Heh. Not a bad deal, I suppose. Fine, then. I accept.** "

* * *

 **New skills**

 **Hollow mask, Lvl 28 [66 %], Active, Cost: 72 MP per second  
** _Having tamed the Hollow spirit within you, you have gained the ability to manifest its mask and add its power to your own. But be warned. The mask of a Hollow may grant immense power, but merely wearing it puts a heavy strain on your own spirit. Only summon this otherworldly power in dire situations, lest you risk exhausting your mana pool at the worst of times. Might also work for intimidation purposes if you can maintain the mask long enough. The empty glare through the eye holes and the distorted voice can be quite fearsome.  
Increases all damage dealt by 140 %. Increases movement speed by 44 %. If the mask is destroyed, this skill automatically enters a cooldown state. The cooldown lasts for 10 minutes._

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **Book skirt, Accessory, Very rare  
** _This leather belt is a must-have for any book enthusiast. Harnesses for holding books have been added along its length, allowing the wearer to carry their books by the hip. What's more, each harness is adjustable, so they can be adjusted to each book's size and thickness. Or you could just load a bunch of spell tomes of various elements into the harnesses and turn yourself into a Swiss army knife of elemental magic. It's a matter of preference, really. It should be noted that the front harness is especially built to hold layer cake.  
Can hold up to six tomes or other kinds of books. Books held in this accessory do not take up any slots in the inventory._

 **Arcane prodigy, Title  
** _You posess a talent for magic unlike anything seen among spellcasters since many generations back. With proper cultivation, this talent has blossomed into a magical prowess several times greater than a spellcaster your age would be expected to achieve. Your understanding of how mana flows not only makes you highly knowledgeable when practicing magecraft, but also it translates into giving you access to more avenues in the arcane arts than most pursue in their entire lifetime. Your talent is a gift. Use it wisely, and mankind's understanding of magic may reach a great breakthrough in the future.  
Grants the skill "Arcane mastery"._

 **Kiribachi, Sword, Base damage: 103, Unique  
** _The signature weapon of the ruthless Fishman pirate, Arlong the Saw. This massive weapon is a heavy steel pole with several blades shaped like saw teeth attached along the length. The sheer size of this weapon and the density of its materials makes it very heavy, and its swings become equally heavy. Due to how each blade is aligned, getting hit with a swing from this will be more akin to being sawed or torn apart, rather than cut. What's more, the weapon is still usable, even if a blade or two would break. And even if all six blades would break, the metal pole is still heavy enough to deal some painful blows._

 **Dark Mage, Class  
** _Practitioners of the dark magic arts. While these spellcasters are fully capable of casting magic of the more common elements, the dark is undoubtedly their forte. Not only are they at their best when channeling dark mana through their tomes and even bodies, they are also known to conduct many rituals and experiments of sinister nature. Because of these practices, Dark Mages are often shunned by the masses in general and more traditional magecraft practitioners in particular. And while these beliefs are justified from time to time, far from all practitioners of the dark arts are truly evil. On the plus side, they often prefer to be alone, which the social stigma provides them with in spades. Nevertheless, they long to be part of a fellowship just as much as anybody else.  
_ _Damage dealt with melee weapons of any kind is reduced by 10 %. Damage dealt with dark-element magic is increased by 10 %. Damage dealt with magic of any other element except for light is increased by 6 %. Damage taken from light magic is increased by 10 %._

* * *

 **As shown in this chapter, not all of Jack's relationships go smoothly. The friction between him, Gaius and Tharja is meant to show how Jack's love for children and his students can both be a major source of motivation for him, but also cause him to act recklessly. In a way, Jack's sometimes reckless behavior can become a weakness, as has already been demonstrated a few times before.**

 **You readers didn't think I introduced some no-name noble just to bash him for the duration of a single scene, did you? I had planned Gaston's role in this fic ever since his first appearance during Chrom's and Cordelia's wedding reception. And as you can see, his family has a hand in more than just the mining business.**

 **So there you have it; Jack's daughter, Rose. I admit, basing her so strongly on Magilou's character isn't the most creative idea I've had, but this template is an important part of what I had in mind for Rose's role in this fic. It also helps that I think Magilou is one of the most well written characters I've ever seen, from her backstory, to her complex personality, her hilarious dialogues, her expressive gestures, and let's not forget her unique fighting style and skillset. If you have no idea how Rose acts, just look up some videos that show skits in Tales of Berseria when Magilou is involved. If nothing else, you'll get to see some brilliant writing and some of the most entertaining interactions I've ever seen in a video game. As for the skill with the corrupted entry in Rose's character sheet; that one's a secret until a future chapter.**

 **And here's my answer to the Jack Sparrow reference; Jack has Hollow powers. All those times when Jack's eyes flashed yellow? That was him unconsciously drawing on his Hollow powers. Now, before you point out that giving Jack a Hollow mask but not a zanpakut** **ō seems unreasonable, know that those two are completely different kinds of power. Jack may be unable to Trace living weapons, but Hollow masks are based on a Hollow spirit living inside the user's body, kind of similar to the jinchūriki in Naruto. If you're curious of how Jack's Hollow mask looks, it pretty much looks like the face of Madara's perfect Susanoo.**

 **The reason why I chose a tengu mask is a nod to Jack's character. Depending on your source material, tengu are depicted either as war mongers or fierce guardians in Japanese folklore. In Jack's case, it's a nod to the latter, since the point of Sparrow's Hollow mask is to showcase Jack's protective nature.**

 **One of the things that I realized as I read about tengu is how much inspiration Masashi Kishimoto draws from Japanese folklore and myths when he made the various story elements in Naruto. This covers everything from the relationship between the Sannin, to Naruto's experience as a prankster, to the entire Uchiha clan. Dear me, the entire Uchiha clan is a treasure trove of cultural references towards the tengu. The fan in their clan crest, their nigh obsession with conflict and power, their martial prowess. Heck, by the time Madara reveals his perfect Susanoo, Kishimoto doesn't even try to be subtle anymore. The man just whacks us over the head with his tengu references. Say what you will about Masashi Kishimoto and how he handled the latter part of Naruto, but the man is a brilliant storyteller who clearly did his homework when it comes to the cultural heritage of his homeland. My hat's off for you, Kishimoto-san.**

 **That's all for now. Until next time.**

 **VipeR out.**


	22. Chapter 20

**Hello, dear readers. This is CrossVipeR316 here with the newest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening. Let's get right to the reviews.**

 **Hashirama 1710:** Why, you ask? Because I'm just that awesome, that's why!  
Jokes aside, yeah, the Hollow part felt like the most natural way to include that specific reference.

 **Narharcan:** You raise a good point, considering how laid-back Gaius usually is. I'd like to counter that with this argument, though: When placed in a tense situation, humans in general act according to their gut feeling, and I can't think of any more in line with that than protecting those you care for. Gaius has known Tharja for far longer than Noire, whom he only met the day before. Sure, he might care for his daughter, but I argue that a threat against his wife holds a lot more emotional weight for him than a threat to his daughter. Hence, Gaius's behavior.

 **TheOrangeLord:** Nope. That kunai was one that Jack's and Henry's future selves reverse engineered from scratch in Lucina's doomed timeline. While Jack _could_ replicate that kunai, doing so would just be too much. He's already a one-man army. There's no need to let him go 4th Hokage on the enemies on top of that.

 **warrior of six blades:** To clarify, Gaston himself wasn't responsible for Nowi's enslavement. That falls on the aristocrat's father, the previous ringleader.  
And regarding Sparrow, yeah, I'm trying to think of ways where the Hollow spirit gets on Jack's nerves. Hopefully, it shouldn't be too hard, considering all the headaches Jack's gotten from the squirrels.

 **kyle77776:** Rose's build is meant to make her the wild card of her generation. She doesn't necessarily need brute force to defeat her enemies. Her random and unpredictable fighting style can blindside just about anyone. A soldier may be trained to expect the unexpected, but Rose simply flips that notion on its head.

 **3-13 Sniper and SuperVegitoFAN:** I highly recommend that you read up on Magilou on the internet and watch the skits from Tales of Berseria where she's involved. She's one of the most well written and entertaining characters I've ever seen.

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _I hate haunted mansions, okay?! Those cursed walls and all these Risen running around creep me out! Cut me some slack here! – Nah_

* * *

 **Chapter 20**

 **Maximum cuteness overload!  
** **Burn the undead with fire!**

"Come on, Gaius. Put your back into it." Anna commands the Assassin.

Gaius grunts as he struggles to carry the giant sack placed on his back out from the empty building formerly known as the slave ring's headquarters. "You're _really_ pushing this, Moneybags." he mutters irritably.

"Hey, you lost our bet, and now I'm cashing in on that." Ann explains. "Besides, Jack promised me all the loot in that building, and I, for one, intend to milk this deal for all it's worth. Their ringleader was an aristocrat. Do you have any idea how loaded those guys are?"

"Oh, I know." Gaius replies. "I used to sneak into their homes and help myself with whatever I could find there, you know? 'Course, it's been a while since I last did that if we ignore the bandits' hideout."

Anna nods sagely. "Then you know exactly why I wanted this. I'll have you know the merchandise Jack and I used for our disguises was expensive stuff, so if I want to make a net gain from this trip, I'll need to strip that place bare."

"Looks more like you're just hoarding everything you can get your hands at." Gaius comments.

Anna kicks him lightly on the butt with a disapproving glare. "Enough complaining. You lost our bet, so you have to help me carry the sack to my cart. Now, mush!"

"What am I, your pack mule?" the Assassin grumbles.

Nowi shakes her head with a sigh. "That girl is way too attached to her money purse. Doesn't she realize money won't make you happy?"

Sully scratches her head. "Well, good luck tellin' her that. Somethin' tells me she ain't the type to listen to that kind of stuff unless she's at death's door."

Nowi rubs her chin before she drops her fist into her open palm. "I got it! If she falls in love with someone, she'll definitely understand that money isn't everything!"

Sully glances at the manakete. "Oh yeah? And who's the chump that fits the bill?"

Nowi racks her brain for an answer when her gaze falls on Gregor. A scheming smile grows on her face. "I have an idea…"

Donnel and I look at her with some apprehension.

"Nowi? What are you up to?" I ask her carefully.

Nowi gives me an innocent smile. "Oh, just trying to figure out who fits with whom. It's all for a good cause, Jack. Honest."

I give her a deadpan look in return. "Somehow, I'm not convinced."

Nowi puffs her cheeks and stomps off while dragging Donnel with her. "Well, I'll prove you wrong. You'll see."

Something tells me we'll need an adult soon. Nowi doesn't count as an adult, age one thousand plus notwithstanding.

* * *

"Well, here we are." I tell Rose as we stand in front of my tent. "I didn't expect to run into you on this trip, so I didn't prepare any extra tents. Guess we'll have to share until we reunite with your mother."

Rose shrugs. "Eh, could be worse. I still remember times when you and Mom let me sleep together with you on some nights. Of course, that was back when I was just a little girl." Rose gives me a sidelong glance. "Unless…you're trying to take advantage of this situation by making me share a bedroll with you too. Never took you for that kind of guy, Dad."

I look at my daughter in shock. "Wha- Why in the world would I even consider that kind of thing!? We'll be sleeping in separate bedrolls!"

Rose places her hands behind her head and smiles in a carefree manner. "Oh, relax, Dad. You're way too easy to mess around with. No wonder Mom kept outsmarting you." Then her entire mood shifts as tears literally stream down her face and she tugs on her shirt. "Not that I'll ever turn the head of any hot-blooded male out there! I mean, look at me! My curves are nonexistent! Why, oh why did the Author have to base me on such a flat-chested female character? How will the readers fantasize about me when I look more like a pole than a bombshell?"

I give Rose a confused look. "Author? Readers? Rose, are you sure you're fine? Maybe we should take you to a physician before we continue our trip."

Rose instantly returns to her carefree attitude. "Meh, I'm fine. It's not like you're aware of the true nature of your existence anyway.

I sweatdrop at how quickly my daughter's mood shifts. It's not _that_ time of the month for her, is it? Then again, from what I read from her profile, she takes after Magilou _a lot_. Sigh. Here's to hope she won't give me too many headaches. Keep it cool. She's my daughter – my family. Get to know her, and embrace her as she is. That's what every child wants, no matter the age.

I close my eyes and take a breath before I focus back on her. "Well, on a different topic, how about you tell me more of how you were tutored under Miriel and Henry?"

"Funny story there." Rose begins. "Those two were always at odds with each other when it came to how I would be trained. Miriel was always a stickler for protocol and kept insisting that I follow her curriculum, while Henry just wanted me to experiment with whatever I got my hands on. You should've seen the look on Miriel's face when she saw me try a Rexbolt tome at age eight. I've never seen her move so fast as when she snatched it out my hands, marched me to Henry's room, and chewed him out while scolding me at the same time." Rose shrugs. "Of course, Henry laughed his way through all of it. That's when Miriel set a personal record for largest number of aneurysms at the same time. I'm amazed she didn't blast Henry with said Rexbolt tome with how far he could push her temper."

I give Rose a flat look. "I'm amazed that you managed to learn anything at all between two teachers bickering with each other. And that Henry walked away from that alive."

Rose smiles smugly. "Arcane prodigy, remember? As much as they bickered, I managed to pick up on a lot of stuff between their discussions. Oh, but the best part was when Miriel told me to put the tome back where I found it. Getting back to the bookshelf where I got it was the easy part, but the reason why I got my hands on the tome in the first place was because Henry plucked it out of its shelf for me, since I was too short to reach it on my own. So when I tried to replace it, I found myself staring up at the shelf instead. Not that I let that stop me. I chose to climb up the shelf until I found the right one."

"I have a feeling this story will end painfully." I comment apprehensively.

"Well, you're not far off the mark. Just when I was about to put the tome back, I lost my grip and fell backwards. And just because the Author has a knack for slapstick humor, I got buried under half the books from the shelf in the process." Rose's expression turns passionate as she clenches her fist. "But it was there, buried under hundreds upon hundreds of pages of arcane wisdom, that my mind was enlightened! Eureka! I had discovered the fourth wall!"

"The what?"

Rose brushes off my question. "Oh, don't sweat that detail. It's not like you'd understand what I had stumbled upon anyway."

Great… My daughter's acting crazy again.

"You could say that's when my studies in magic really took off." Rose continues unperturbed. "Magic came as naturally to me as walking for a baby." She strikes a pose with her arm stretched out as if showing to the world an object the size of her palm. "The arcane world lay bare at my feet! And in the center of it all, was the spell that would become the foundation of my illustrious repertoire of magic!" Rose grins at me. "Wanna see?"

I blink owlishly before I nod. I think I'll have to replay this conversation in my mind in the future, if only to filter out all the weirdness coming out of my daughter's mouth and figure out what she's actually saying.

Rose stretches her fingers. "All right. Here goes!"

She strikes a new pose, one where she kicks up one leg behind her and points both index fingers at the boulder to her left, all with a wink and a confident grin. "Magikazam!"

…

"Was something supposed to happen?" I ask my daughter curiously.

Rose exits her pose. "Yeah, or so I thought." She shrugs with a sigh. "The thing with this spell is that, for one, the Author put it in my skillset because he wanted to make a reference, and second, while the data entry says that the effects are random, it's just an excuse for the Author to do whatever the heck he wants. As far as I know, literally anything can happen."

"Anything?" I ask her skeptically. "That sounds way too ambiguous. What's the strangest thing that could happen?"

"Well, there was this one time when a hoard of Risen got overrun by a herd of sheep, which allowed us to escape. And then there's the time when Yarne's hair turned blond and he yelled so loud that the earth shook, which is the only time it ever happened. And then there was that one time when Severa's sword turned into a fish, which attracted a tiger from a nearby tree, who wanted to gobble up her sword. We had our first ever dinner consisting of roast tiger that evening. And then there's the time-"

"Okay, stop. I believe you." I interrupt her.

"Anyway, the point is that literally anything can happen when I cast my signature spell. Mom, Miriel, Lucina, heck, even Henry told me that I'm only allowed to use it as a last resort in battle. The thing is, we've been cornered so often that I found myself with no other option more times than I could count, so I eventually learned to just roll with it."

A sweatdrop forms on my head. "Let's just hope it doesn't come to that. The last thing I want is my own sword to turn into a fish."

"I'll try. But don't get your hopes up, Dad. The Author's got some crazy stuff in store for you."

* * *

 **AN: For the love of- No spoiling the plot, Rose!**

* * *

"Hey, you're the one who let me break the stupid wall, Author! This is your own fault!" Rose shouts seemingly into the air.

* * *

 **AN: I'm the one who made your character design, and I can easily rewrite everything for an alternate design that I had planned before your current build!**

* * *

Rose huffs. "Fine, I'll shut up about the script! Happy?!"

…

"Rose? What was that?" I ask my daughter.

Rose pouts. "Just the Author being a jerk. Trade me for some adorkable cookie monster with a mechanical scythe, will he?" She shrugs. "Meh. I'll be off-screen if you need me, Dad. See you around."

"Off-screen? What do you-" I shake my head. "Look, Rose, there's just one more thing."

Rose turns to me. "Yes?"

"Just… Please stay close to me if we get in another battle. I want to make sure I can keep an eye on you at all times."

Rose smiles. "Come on, Dad, that won't be necessary. You practically have a seventh sense when it comes to me or Mom being in danger. The moment you suspect something bad will happen, you'll just barrel through everything in your path to protect me. And for your information, I know my way around a fight. I'll be fine."

I'm about to protest when I realize that she has a point. This isn't the apocalyptic future she and the others from her generation are trying to prevent. At the very least, it should be less dangerous here than when she had to fight for her life every day.

Doesn't make me feel any more relieved though. So I'm a worrywart when it comes to my daughter! Bite me!

I sigh and scratch the back of my head. "Oh, fine. Just now I'll be there for you."

Rose kicks the ground with a somber, yet unreadable look on her face. "Yeah, sure. Not that I can always depend on that."

With those words, she walks off. Wonder what was with that sudden shift in her mood – again.

 **Your relationship with Rose has improved!**

"No offense, Buttercup, but Blossom's got a few screws loose." Gaius comments.

I raise an eyebrow as I turn to the Assassin. "Blossom?"

"Your kid." Gaius clarifies. "She spent half the time talking gibberish. You sure she's all right in the head?"

I point at Noire, who's busy decorating the nearby landscape with craters and destruction.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!* "A-HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

"Pot or kettle?" I ask Gaius.

The Assassin nods. "Point."

* * *

 **AN: Gaius calls Rose "Blossom". He calls Robin "Bubbles". And he calls Jack "Buttercup". Put them together, and what do you get?**

* * *

Gaius shifts the lollipop in his mouth. "Ya know… I had a look in the slavers' hideout while Moneybags forced me to loot it. And from what I remember, there were fewer bodies in some places than there should be, considering the security. It all looks to me like they just up and vanished."

"You could say that." I reply. "Some of them are pretty much erased from this world due to my powers."

Gaius looks at me in shock. "You're kidding."

"Do I look like I am?"

Gaius keeps his shocked expression a bit before he sighs. "I should've known. You completely flew off the handle after you found out Blossom's your daughter, but, sheesh… You weren't kidding when you told me how much you care about Noire, and that's for someone who technically isn't you kid. Overreact much, Buttercup?"

"Maybe." I relent. "I usually try to keep an even temper, but there are things that I'll never stand for. I bet you're the same in a way."

Gaius nods. "Sort of. When you held Tharja in that chokehold, all I could think of was making you let her go, rank or no rank."

"And I respect that in you, Gaius. It shows how much you care for the people you love. Just know there are people out there who can react just as poorly as we do."

"Between the two of us? I think you're worse, Buttercup."

"Yeah… You may be right."

 **Your relationship with Gaius has improved!**

* * *

The sun is setting and we've just made a campfire when the time comes to make dinner. Today, that duty falls on Sully and Nowi. Just as the two are setting things up for making stew, we hear some grunting coming from a nearby forest. As we turn that way, we see Donnel and Vaike walk back into camp – with Vaike carrying a boar over his shoulders with a proud grin.

"Hey, Sully! Look what me and Donnel found!"

Sully smirks. "Huh. Not bad, boys. Lemme guess; Donnel did all the hard work, and you just picked the thing up to look cool when you hauled it back to camp."

A tic mark appears on Vaike's forehead. "Hey! I'll have you know I helped the guy set the trap for this bad boy!"

Donnel nods. "Teach's right. I hoped we could catch some wild game for tonight's dinner, so he helped me settin' up traps all over the place. We were bettin' on small game like rabbits, but hoo wee, did we strike gold on the pitfall trap. Lil' bugger just up an' tripped into the hole not long after we set it up, so we just clubbed it down and Teach hauled it back here."

Vaike nods. "Yeah. What he said."

Nowi beams at the two men. "That's great, you two! We'll have a feast tonight!"

Sully eyes the boar skeptically. "I don't know… That thing's pretty big. Ya sure we can cook it in time for dinner, Nowi?"

Nowi winks at the Paladin. "Sure I'm sure."

*Flash*

Nowi reveals her dragon form.

" **One dragon fire roasted boar coming right up.** "

Donnel runs for cover in the blink of an eye while Vaike's face pales.

"H-hey! At least let me put this thing down before you roast it. And make sure you don't turn it into a pile of ashes!"

" **Come on, Vaike. I won't burn the food…much…** "

"Hold, wee one!" Gregor interjects. "Freshly caught boar not good for roasting. Needs cleaning out the insides before cooking, no? Or else get sick from eating very easily. Gregor knows. Learned the hard way."

Sully nods and walks up to Vaike. "Ya ain't wrong, Gregor. Come on, Vaike, give it here. I'll clean this thing out."

Sully grabs the boar by a tusk and lifts it off her husband's shoulders with only one hand. Yeah… Sully's that strong.

Nowi reverts back to her human form with a pout. "Fine… I'll wait."

Sully chuckles at her behavior. "Why don't ya get the pot ready? We'll need lots more than just boar if we wanna make a good meal tonight."

Nowi shrugs and gets right back to dinner preparations.

However, just as Sully raises the knife to clean out the boar, we're all reminded about an important detail; she's a lousy cook. I can vouch for it. I still suffer from flashbacks back when I tried her cooking for the first time.

"You know what, let me do it!" I interject hastily. "You and Nowi are, uh, already busy with preparing everything else, so pushing all this on top of the other preparations just wouldn't be fair."

Sully raises an eyebrow. "Meh. No need to worry, Jack. I'm just gutting a boar. It ain't that hard."

Curses! She's got a good argument there. What to do, what to do? Think fast!

"Well, uh… I'm sure it's easy for you. It's just that…well…"

I look around in hopes of finding inspiration for a good argument. Come on, there's gotta be something! Vaike? Nah, Sully will see through my ruse instantly, and when she does, she'll punch me in the face. Anna? Wait, don't you dare run to your tent for merchant business! Your life's as much on the line as everyone else's! Tharja? She doesn't even look me in the ey-

Wait, that's it! Tharja!

"Well, the boar's entrails can be useful too, you know." I argue while praying to Naga that my BS isn't too obvious. "Like Tharja's dark magic, for example. I know from conversations with her that entrails are a common ingredient for dark concoctions."

Sully raises an eyebrow. "And?"

I clear my throat as sweat starts to build on the back of my head. I also see signs of nervosity among the others.

"W-well… Extracting entrails that are good enough for Tharja's brewing is a delicate process. Steady hand and all that, you know." I wave my hands around frantically as Sully starts to glare at me. "Not that I think you're clumsy or anything, Sully! It's just, uh… I've been told during my travels that I have excellent knifework. Don't you think it's safer to let me handle it then? I mean, Tharja's magic could help us out in a bind, but it won't work as well if she can't get her hands on useful ingredients!"

I look at the Sorcerer with a pleading look that screams "Please play along! It's for the greater good, I swear!"

Tharja shifts between looking at Sully and me before she settles on Sully and nods nervously. "Y-yeah. I- Uh… I might need those boar entrails for a hex later… But only if they're completely unharmed when you extract them."

Sully looks at us skeptically before she shrugs and hands me the knife. "Whatever. Knock yerself out, Jack."

I accept the knife while trying to keep my hand from shaking. Naga be praised! Disaster has been averted!

* * *

Phew. Adding that boar meat to the stew turned our dinner into an _awesome_ dinner. All in all, the mood was great around the fire, between the unexpectedly good flavor and most of us breathing a sigh of relief over letting Nowi handle the main part of the cooking instead of Sully.

For real, had Sully handled the cooking, we'd all probably suffer from food poisoning right now. I refuse to perish in this snowy landscape a whole continent away from my wife!

Rose walks into the tent yawning.

"Man, I'm beat. What a day. I woke up in a prison cell this morning, got to meet my Dad again, escape from the jerks who imprisoned me in the first place, and have my very first argument with the Author within the writing of this fic."

"Not sure what to make of that last part, but it sounds you've had it rough before I found you." I reply and pat the extra bedroll I got from our supply wagon. "Here. It's not the most comfy arrangement, but it'll have to do for now, Rose."

Rose shrugs and shimmies into the bedroll.

I kneel down and kiss her on the forehead with an affectionate smile. "Sweet dreams, honey."

Rose smirks at me. "Oh, going for the kisses already, Dad? Mom wasn't kidding when she told me you could be quite bold sometimes."

I tic mark pulses on my head. "Hey, I'm trying show some parental affection to my daughter who spent several years fighting for her life in a zombie apocalypse. Isn't that what every self-respecting father would do?"

Rose snickers and places her hat on the ground. "You know, you should be able to tell by now when I'm messing with you."

"I'll have you know I take parenting seriously, Rose." I huff. My expression softens quickly. "But I guess it's fine if you can still crack jokes, even after everything you've been through."

Rose gives me a flat look. "You make it sound like you expected me to turn emo during those times."

I sweatdrop. "That's…one way to put it. But, really, with everything I've heard from the others in your generation, I'm just happy that none of you so far seem to have turned into complete emotional wrecks. War is hell, especially if you go through what happened to you all at your age." I avert my eyes sadly. "I don't even want to imagine how it feels losing my family in that hellscape."

Rose shrugs. "For what it's worth, we still had each other. R-N-Gesus knows what would've happened if we never learned to stick together through thick and thin. It was rough, but we managed…somehow."

I nod. "Thank goodness for that. But now that you're here, I'll make sure none of you will ever have to relive those tragedies again, least of all you. That's my duty as your father, and as your ally."

"Oh, cut the drama already, Dad. Do you want the readers to go looking for onion slicing ninjas in their vicinity?"

"The what?"

"Never mind."

I sigh and settle down on my own bedroll, which is placed right beside Rose's. I caress her hair gently. "To think you inherited your mother's beautiful silver hair…"

Rose grins. "Yup. Mom told me how you kept gushing about it after I was born. You wouldn't stop telling everyone else how I had inherited, you said, and I quote "My wife's beauty, condensed in the adorable body of a baby"."

I grin back. "Hah! I'm still a man with an eye for beauty in the future! Score!"

Rose gives me a flat look. "Yeah… You kept annoying everyone around you the exact same way too. Mom lost count on how often she had to smack you over the head with one of her tomes just to make you stop. And that was before I ditched my diapers. Look, Dad. I'm not a little kid any more. By Ylissean standards, I'm an adult. So treat me like one."

It pains me to hear the truth, but she's right.

"*Sigh* All right. I… I'll try." I smile at my daughter. "But know that you'll always be my daughter, no matter what."

"I'm never getting away from that, am I?"

"Hey, I'll have you know your grandmother told me the same before I met your mother. I felt the same back then as you do now, but, looking back, I think I finally understand why she said it. You're always welcome to my side, Rose. Never forget that."

Rose sighs. "I won't – not that you'd ever stop reminding me." She turns around and settles on her side. "Good night, Dad."

I turn off the lantern hanging in our tent. "Good night, Rose. Love you."

"Love you too."

* * *

 **You have slept in a bedroll! HP and MP have been restored by 50 % of its maximum value!**

I blink as I slowly become aware of the world around me again. Now that I pay attention, I become aware of how uncomfortable it is sleeping in the Feroxi outdoors. It's cold out here, and sleeping while being cold plain _sucks_. Props to all the soldiers throughout history who have slept in these conditions for months, sometimes years on end. That's some top tier discipline and dedication, right there.

Which brings me to the next item on my list; Rose. I turn to the side and see my daughter still asleep faceup, with Kirby clutched to her chest and sleeping with a peaceful expression you'd normally find on a child. In a way, her sleeping face reminds me of Robin's. No wonder future-me kept gushing about how my daughter inherited my wife's beauty. I'm not necessarily referring to the looks. I'm also including behavior for this one.

As much as it pains me to disturb such an adorable sight, it's high time to get the day started. I get up from my bedroll and roll it back up to traveling shape. Then I kneel down at my daughter's side and shake her shoulder gently.

"Wake up, Rose. It's morning."

Rose grumbles before she turns on her side away from me. "Five more minutes, Dad."

I walk over to her other side and poke her in the cheek. "Nope, not happening. As commander of this expedition, I have to set an example for the others. If I can't even have my own daughter get up when the time comes, it'll reflect back on me in a way that challenges my authority."

Rose opens her eyes with an annoyed glare. "Cut me some slack, will you? Do you have any idea how early it is?"

"Hey, I imagine you guys had to manage without much sleep before you traveled back here, so you should be used to it. Besides, the early bird catches the worm."

Rose huffs and turns on her other side. "Don't wanna…"

Sigh. I need to get her out soon. But how do I do that while acting like a responsible parent? Just threatening her will only harm our bond in the long run.

Wait. I remember some stuff back when I studied psychology and watched a few psych videos online. What did they say again? The best way to help someone learn is through positive reinforcement.

Positive reinforcement… Now how do I implement that?

"Tell you what, Rose." I persuade my daughter. "If you behave, I'll take you to a bookstore next time we arrive at a town. I'll buy you any book you want."

Rose glances over her shoulder. "Any book?"

I nod smiling. "Any book." That should do the trick.

Rose turns back to her sleeping position and falls silent.

…

Then she shuffles a bit before she finally sits up, stretches her arms and lets out a big yawn.

"Man, that was the best night of sleep I've had in…a long time." my daughter remarks as she rubs her eyes sleepily.

D'aw, she's even got a bedhead! That's adorable! So adorable, in fact, that I can't…hold back…

"I can't take it anymore! I just _have to_ hug you!" I shout as I do just that.

"Whu- Hey! Lemme go, Dad! It's getting uncomfortable!" Rose protests. Not that she can pry me off.

"Your mother's gonna be so happy when she meets you! Becoming a father's the best thing to happen to me since I got married!"

"Jack, am I interrupting something?" I hear Nowi's voice ask.

Our moment stops as both me and Rose spot the manakete standing at the tent flap.

"Oh, I'm just bonding with my daughter, is all." I explain.

Rose renews her efforts to pry me off. "And by "bonding", he means treating me like I'm a plush toy."

Nowi rolls her eyes. "You'll get used to it. Jack treats me the same."

"Hey! That was one time more than two years ago!" I protest.

Nowi points at me. "Don't deny it, Jack. You still want to hug me like a stuffed animal whenever you have the chance."

"Well, you're not wrong…" I admit. "But to be fair, I'm doing that as your sort-of brother figure nowadays, unlike when we just met."

Rose glances at me. "First me, and then Aunt Nowi? For shame, Dad. What will Mom say when she finds out?"

A tic mark appears on my forehead (even as I keep my hold on my daughter). "I keep telling you, it's not like that! I just prefer to show my affection through physical contact."

"He's telling the truth." Nowi tells us flatly. "Jack's so touchy-feely with Robin that these past few days are the first in a long time that I _don't_ smell her on him. The only thing even bigger than the physical contact between them is his devotion to their marriage."

"I know." Rose returns with an equally flat tone. "I grew up with him, so I saw all that touchy-feely firsthand."

"You'll understand when you're married yourself…I think." I reply.

Nowi shakes her head. "I doubt it. It's more like a thing that only happens between you and Robin, Jack."

"Hey! Back me up here, will you?"

"Nope! I'd be lying if I did. And you know how the old saying goes:"

Rose and Nowi grin as they chant in unison.

"Liar, liar, pants on fire!"

I finally let go of Rose to turn around and cross my arms with a huff. "Fine, gang up on me. See if I care."

Rose pokes me on the cheek, in a similar manner in which I tried to wake her up earlier. "Oh, you care. You're way too easy to read when you're not fighting, Dad."

Rose and Nowi flee the tent right afterwards. I'm after them with a new tic mark pulsing on my forehead. "That's it! Get back here!"

* * *

To say the others looked at me strangely during breakfast after that little chase through camp was an understatement. I don't care. My daughter and sister figure were annoying, so I claim my right to be slightly grumpy. Only temporarily, mind you.

"Travel where from here?" Gregor asks after everyone finishes up. "Beginning return trip now?"

I shake my head. "Not quite, Gregor. We still have one more stop to make before we turn and follow the northern coast of Ferox." I pull out my map and point at a place close to the eastern coast, not far from where we are at the moment.

"South from here should be where one of the people we're looking for was last spotted. We'll head there and use that as a starting point for our search."

The old Hero rubs his chin as he looks at the spot I'm pointing at. "Place look familiar. Gregor traveling there many times while sellsword in Ferox."

Gaius raises an eyebrow. "Really? What can you tell us about it, Pops?"

"Very remote area." Gregor explains. "Rumor of there once living very rich family, but long ago. Gregor never find client there, so Gregor never actually seeing for self."

"Hey… If there really were rich folks livin' there, that means there's supposed to be a fancy house and everythin', right?" Donnel asks.

Nowi nods. "Most likely. But I haven't heard anything about people living there for quite a few decades. Wonder what's been going down there?"

"We're probably about to find out." I declare. "That'll be our first destination then. We'll break camp and head for their residence."

"So, this is basically what we're doing for this whole trip, right?" Rose asks as she helps me put away our tent.

"Pretty much." I reply. "The whole point of this trip was for us to travel around the continent and round up the others from your generation before we head to Valm. Considering the threat of the Conqueror, we'll need all the help we can get. I never expected a child of mine to be one of those people we'd end up meeting along the way, but I'm grateful for it."

Rose tugs the rope taut around the rolled-up canvas and puts it in the pile with all the other stuff that'll be loaded in the cart soon.

"Well, aren't I lucky?" she mumbles sarcastically. "Though I suppose it's a good thing." My daughter rubs her chin. "Come to think of it… If we count Noire, this is the third place in a pretty small area that we ended up in after that whole time travel thing. How come we never met up?" She shrugs. "Meh. Probably a plot hole."

* * *

It's a good thing we're moving a bit further south on the road. All this snow these past few days were a pain to pave a way through for our carts. Granted, there's still snow on the ground, but only a thin layer that hardly impedes our progress.

Walking further south means the climate is more suited for trees to flourish in. And where there's trees…

The foliage ruffles before a tiny blur races out on the road.

…there are squirrels. Like the one in front of me, with the familiar black moss cloak and a twig with three smaller twigs fastened on one end at a right angle.

" _About_ *squeak* _-ing time you got here, Jack._ " the critter complains. " _Do you have any idea how hard it is to find any decent nuts up here in the north? Foraging's a pain in the tail, and_ *squeak* _it if Kakuzu isn't being stingy with his acorns._ "

"I'll have you know one of your trainees had it even rougher just to get me the information I needed, Hidan." I tell the squirrel bluntly.

" _Hey, let the rookie get through his trial by red leaves. I'm a full member. I deserve better than this_ *squeak* _._ "

"Hey, you have to set an example for your juniors." I counter as I pull out an acorn from my bag and hand it to the foul-mouthed critter. "So? You got the road mapped out?"

" _Of course I do._ " Hidan huffs. " _I'm no amateur. I know my way around this place like the back of my front paw by now. Now gimme that acorn, and I'll get you where you need to be._ "

Greedy little furball, ain'tcha? Though I guess he doesn't get to enjoy so much if this Kakuzu is as stingy with resources as a certain rouge ninja bearing the same name. Fine, I'll let him enjoy the treat for a while.

Hidan pats his stomach after the acorn's been gobbled up.

"*Squeak* _yeah, that felt good. Alright, humans. Follow me!_ "

I shrug and signal to the others to follow the weirdly dressed squirrel.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: One hour later**_

"Are we there yet?" Vaike asks.

A vein pulses on Sully's forehead. "Oh, for the love of- Will you lay off on that question, Vaike?! It ain't even hot out here!"

"But we've been walking for, what? An hour? Where the heck is that squirrel even takin' us?"

"I thought you'd have picked up on the pattern by now, Muscles." Gaius interjects. "Buttercup's hired those woodland critters to scout the continent, so he's had us tag along on this trip to round 'em up, and that lil' thing's our guide for…whoever Buttercup's got his sights set on."

"And we're all the better for it." Nowi adds cheerfully. "I mean, look around. Everyone we've met so far are part of a family." Stars twinkle in her eyes as she starts bounce on her feet. "Oh, what if one of the people Jack's looking for is my own child from the future. That would be so wonderful! I could be a mother!"

Nowi grabs hold of Donnel's arm and tugs at him. "Hey, Donnel! Wouldn't it be lovely if we became parents? A child to call our own! Our very own family!"

"Y-yeah…" the Fighter replies hesitantly as he tries to keep his brass pot from falling off his head. "But, uh, wouldn't that kid have lost their parents too? I mean, bleak future an' everythin' that comes with it."

Nowi skids to a halt upon hearing her husband's reply. In fact, she stands as still as a statue. Her eyes become downcast and a bit hollow as she crouches down and hugs her knees.

"Oh yeah… Didn't think of that. Then…maybe having a child from the future isn't so nice after all. Why would anyone want a child to grow up without their parents?" Nowi looks at me. "Jack? Am I a bad person for wishing for a child like so many others have met theirs these past few days?"

I rub my chin as I glance at Rose. My daughter… I'm overjoyed to have her here with me, to know that me and Robin are parents – technically speaking. On the other hand, the reason why our meeting happened in the first place was because of the dark future they come from. Nowi's got a good point. To wish for such a child would effectively mean you wish for an orphan – a fate no child deserves, no matter who they are.

I walk back to Nowi and rub her on the head. "I won't fault you for wishing for a child, Nowi. Honestly, even before we met Rose, becoming a father was something I've dreamed of for a long time. She's living proof that that dream came true." I shake my head. "But just because you wish for a child of your own doesn't have to mean you wish for someone who's one of Lucina's fellow time travelers."

Nowi looks up at me with a confused look. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"You remember the reason why Lucina traveled back in time with her allies, don't you? They did it because they wanted to change the course of history. And from what she's told me about what happened in her timeline, we managed to accomplish that by saving Emmeryn. That means the future can be changed. So what if you never have any children in the future Lucina comes from? That won't stop you and Donnel from having children of your own this time around. And even if you two do have a child from Lucina's timeline, that just means you have to be there for the little one when we eventually find them." I hug Nowi. "If such a child exists, be ready to comfort them, for all they've had to endure until meeting you. Never give up on your dream of starting a family if that's what you long for, Nowi. Just be the best mother you can be for the day when your child arrives in your life."

Nowi returns the hug and nods. "Thank you, Jack… I promise. I'll be the best mother there ever was for my child. I'll always make sure she has a loving home to return to, no matter what happens."

I pull back and regard my sister figure with a raised eyebrow. ""She"? How are you so sure it'll be a daughter?"

Nowi slips out of my hug and rubs the underside of her nose with a proud smile and her chest puffed out. "Budding motherly instinct."

I give the manakete a flat look. "Lissa's been rubbing off on you, hasn't she?"

" _Hey, humans! Are you following my lead or not?!_ " Hidan shouts from further down the road. " _I ain't got time for this dawdling, so move your tail ends and get going already. Man, this job is a pain in the_ *squeak*. _Why does Leader always saddle me with the grunt work?_ "

Complaining squirrel aside, it's only a matter of minutes before we spot something in the distance. According to what Gaius and Noire can tell, seeing as they have the best eyesight in our group, it's a mansion. And judging from the map, we've arrived at our destination.

" _Welp, here we are._ " Hidan concludes. He turns to me. " _My job here's done. And not a moment too soon. I'm falling behind on my daily rituals._ "

I blink. "Rituals? What? You make a circle of leaves and stick twigs in your body as you lie in said circle?"

" _What?! What kind of_ *squeak* _ed up practice is that?! No way in_ *squeak* _will I do something that stupid. Where do you get those ideas, Jack?_ "

I avert my eyes with a flat look. "Oh, if only you knew, Hidan."

The squirrel waves it off. " _Meh, whatever. I'm outta here. Oh, and one more thing. All glory to Jashinut-sama!_ "

The squirrel vanishes from view.

Did he…just mention the name of the deity he worships? For real, those squirrels are just plain weird…

* * *

As we approach the mansion, a strange feeling fills the atmosphere.

Tharja eyes the area around the mansion curiously. "Now this is quite an unusual place. The very air here feels dark." A giggle escapes her lips. "I wonder what kind of hexes I could cast in an area as sinister as this one."

Noire gulps. "You'd cast hexes in this dreadful place, Mother? T-the horror. Um, shouldn't we ask the ones living here first for permission?"

Nowi sniffs the air a bit before she pinches her nose. "I wouldn't put my hopes up if I were you. I can't smell any living creatures here. The whole house reeks of death."

This puts everyone on guard.

Donnel gulps. "Hang on… Ya mean there's no one livin' here?"

Nowi frowns as she looks at the mansion gates. "Not for a long while, no. If anything, we'll probably run into a lot of dead bodies." A shiver travels down her spine. "Yeesh. It sounds like I'm talking about a mass grave."

"Suits me just fine." Tharja comments as she walks through the gate. "That means there's no one to interrupt my research. Oh, the possibilities."

Gaius looks at his wife apprehensively. "Uh, Tharja? You sure this is a good idea?"

No reply.

Gaius scratches his head. "*Sigh* Can't just let her go in on her own, can we?"

I nod. "You're right about that, Gaius. I think this mansion bears some investigating."

Anna rubs her hands in glee. "Hey… Now that I think about it, a fancy mansion like this is bound to have valuable trinkets lying about all over the place. And if no one lives there anymore… Well, finders keepers, right?"

Gregor regards the merchant with a sweatdrop. "Anna very grabby with shiny stuff, no?"

"Better that than letting all those valuables gather dust in some abandoned house. Just imagine the profit they can ne- I mean, wouldn't it be nice if they were placed somewhere where they can be appreciated?"

The rest of us shake our heads. Good grief, she's obsessed with making money. You'd think she and the rest of her family has a good reason for all that money hoarding, but the games never explore anything resembling that kind of avenue.

* * *

If the exterior of the mansion looked sinister, that was only a preview of how the inside's like. Every lantern and lamp are put out, and every window's shut. I'm amazed there's enough light for us to see here at all.

"This place gives me the creeps." Vaike mutters as we walk around in the mansion.

Sully smirks at her husband. "What's the matter, Vaike? Getting cold feet?"

"It ain't like that!" Vaike protests. "Have any of you tried to listen around this place? Far as I know, it's silent, save for us. No sounds of footsteps around the house, no constant chatter in the rooms. The weird part is that all rooms I've checked are empty."

Donnel looks around the foyer where we're at. "Ya got a point there, Vaike. I ain't one for fancy houses an' all that, but aren't these places supposed to be, ya know, noisy?"

"So the place is empty." Anna comments cheerfully. "That means there's nobody here. And that means, I can just help myself~."

Rose smirks at our interactions. "Oh, I know where this is going. This is the part where we split off from the group one after another. And when the few remaining start to get concerned for the others, we go searching the mansion together. But just when we least expect it; Bam! We find one of our comrades on the floor – dead!"

The others eye my daughter with various looks of disbelief, bemusement and fear.

"Ya sure yer daughter's alright, Jack?" Donnel asks as he scratches the hair under his pot.

I facepalm. "*Sigh* Just go with it, Donnel. You'll get used to it eventually. I think." I frown at Rose. "Rose, did you happen to read some horror novels before we got here?"

My daughter shrugs. "Hey, this is the perfect setting for that kind of movie, right? Now all we need is some psychopath stalking the house, and we're all set."

Tharja scoffs. "This is ridiculous. I'll go around and explore a bit to see what I can make of this atmosphere."

"Um, Mother? Don't you want someone to go with you?" Noire asks worriedly. "I mean, what if Rose is right?"

Tharja rolls her eyes. "Please. We're the only one's here, right? There's no danger of me running into som-"

"AAAAAH! What the heck is that?!" a girl's voice screams.

The rest of us freeze.

"Did you hear that?" Gaius asks as he slowly reaches for his sword.

I nod and draw Harvest Moon. "Sounds like there's at least one more living person here. Come on, let's find out what's going on!"

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Side quest: Daughter to dragons  
** _Your journey leads you to an abandoned mansion. It looks empty at first, but all that changes as a scream echoes through the corridors. You're not alone, and you might not even be in a safe area. Find out who the voice belongs to, and make sure this doesn't turn into a horror scene.  
_ **Objectives:** _Defeat all enemies.  
_ **Rewards:** _10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _1 000 EXP, 1 000 gold_

* * *

 **BGM:** **Trap phantasm, Megaman ZX: Advent music**

We run down the main hall of the mansion, only to find out we've got more company than just one girl.

*Ka-bram!* "Raargh!"

A wall collapses, and Risen rush out from the opening.

"Risen! Here?!" Sully asks incredulous.

"There's no doubt about it." Nowi remarks as she gets ready to fight. "Now I know why this mansion reeked of so much death. This place must be infested with these things!"

Vaike brandishes his axe with a grin. "Then it's time for Teach to show how to make a good, old fashioned exor- Exer…" The Barbarian frowns in deep thought. "Er… What's that thing called again? You know, the one where Libra tries to get rid of evil spirits?"

Tharja rolls her eyes and charges up an Arcfire spell. "It's called "exorcism"."

Vaike grins gratefully, even as Tharja reduces two Risen to ashes. "Yeah, that! Thanks, Tharja!"

Sully bops the butt end of her lance against Vaike's head. "Ya don't even know how to perform that kinda stuff, Vaike. Lay off and get back to busting heads."

"Fine!" Vaike whines as he gets up close and personal with a Risen Fighter. The two axe wielders push against each other to a stalemate. That is, until Vaike grins and angles his axe to make the undead Fighter's slide into the hooked part of his own. With the weapons locked in a different position, Vaike closes the last of the distance and headbutts the undead soldier right in the face. The Risen Fighter reels back from the unexpected impact, giving Vaike the perfect opening to slice its head off.

A Sorcerer stands a dozen paces away and readies a Waste spell at Vaike. That where Anna jumps in with Gilthunder raised.

"Thundara!" *Krzzt!*

The lightning spell hits the Sorcerer right in the arm and disrupts the mana flow, causing the dark spell to dissipate. Anna follows up with a three-slash combo, a rising slash that sends the Sorcerer into the air, chases it into the air with a spinning series of slashes, and then stabs her keyblade in its chest as they both descend back to the floor. Right after impact, Anna twists Gilthunder, still stabbed into the Risen Sorcerer's chest, and casts a Thundaga spell all around her. The Risen around her get caught in the blast radius and start twitching from the potent lightning magic.

That leaves them wide open for the rest of us.

"Rose! With me!" I shout as I dash into the fray.

Rose pulls out Kirby and channels mana through the plushie, making it float above her index finger. "Hope this works!"

Harvest Moon tears through the stunned Risen on Anna's right with little resistance. On the left, Kirby flies right into the face of a Revenant. As the undead stumbles back, Rose calls Kirby back and winds up before she tosses the pink doll back at her target. This time, the impact hits the stumbling Revenant at an angle that makes Kirby bounce off and up from its face. Rose is already in the air upside down and launches Kirby at the stunned Revenant with a bicycle kick. The ballistic toy smashes right through the Revenant's head and bounces off the walls until it lands right in Rose's waiting hand.

"And another one down."

I point at Rose in shock. "How did you-"

Rose winks. "Told you I can handle myself. I was trained by _Henry_ , remember? Crazy runs through his blood."

A distorted neighing echoes through the corridors. A pair of Dark Knights round a corner, one with a Silver Sword in hand, and another one with a Thoron spell charging in its hand. The Thoron spell flies at us with a crack. Tharja saunters up to the incoming spell without a care in the world and catches it right out of the air. A sinister smirk grows on her face as she holds the captured spell to her face.

"You are already dead."

Tharja throws the spell right back at the original caster with some of her own magic stacked on top of it. The resulting discharge is so powerful that the Dark Knight gets blasted into pieces.

Well… She's technically right. Risen are nothing more than reanimated corpses, after all.

The second Dark Knight comes up with its Silver Sword in full swing. Sully rides to meet it head on.

*Clang!*

Silver Sword meets Silver Lance as the two riders clash and then pass each other. Sully rounds for another run, as does the Dark Knight. As they approach each other, Sully twirls her lance and strikes the Silver Sword upwards. Before the Dark Knight can react, Sully already has the butt end of her lance at the ready and shoves it right in the Dark Knight's chest, knocking it off the horse. For the finisher, the Paladin flips her lance into a reverse grip and lands on the Dark Knight point-first.

"We can't afford to waste more time with these!" Nowi shouts and transforms into her dragon form. " **Let's go, Donnel!** "

Donnel jumps up on his wife's back as she takes off through the corridors. Mere seconds after she rounds the corner, the sound of dragon fire roars through the halls, followed by Donnel's battle cry.

"Stay in the group!" I shout and lead the others around the corner. And as we turn-

Holy dragonstones…

Donnel's practically an axe whirlwind as he strikes through the Risen like they're not even there. A few Entombed try a coordinated(?) attack against him. That's when Donnel stops by a pillar, pats it, nods, and rears his axe back.

"Git ready!" *Ka-BRAM!*

The Fighter smashes through the pillar with a single swing, causing it to fall like a felled tree – right on top of the Entombed.

On the other side of the hall, Nowi blasts dragon fire everywhere she looks. She's made a small circle around her, marked by the azure flames. No Risen gets past that circle of flames.

That is, until a rune circle appears right underneath her. Wait, that's bad.

"Nowi!"

I dash right through the flames and tackle her away from the rune circle. Moments later, the rune circle erupts with the putrid green cloud of a Mire spell.

"You okay?" I ask as I get back up.

" **I'm fine.** " she replies. " **Dragon, remember?** "

"Oy, this big trouble!" Gregor warns us. "Risen cast dark magic from far away. Anyone see caster?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Gaius mutters while fending off a Berserker. "That spell can be cast from really far away, right? Who knows where they may be hiding?"

That's when the wall behind Gaius collapses without warning. More Risen stand on the other side, ready to attack from behind.

"Father, get down!" Noire shouts as she readies a Traced Armor Slayer.

Gaius heeds his daughter's warning, allowing him to dodge both Noire's weapon and an axe swing from the Berserker. As he slices at the Berserker's ankles, the Risen on the other side of the destroyed wall get blasted back from Noire's shot at the same time.

"Hey… Is it just me, or are the walls just collapsing around here?" Vaike asks while looking around frantically.

"Gregor of same minding." Gregor agrees. "Walls just fall, and more Risen showing up."

"All right, stay clear of the walls, then." I tell everyone. "That way, you won't get ambushed in case a wall crumbles with Risen waiting on the other side."

"Easier said than done, Buttercup!" Gaius shouts as he finally finds an opening and decapitates the Berserker. "If we're not against the wall, we're right out in the open for 'em to attack us from anywhere."

Drat! He's got a point. That means we're completely exposed from all sides, no matter where we position ourselves. What's more, there's those blasted Mire spells to keep track of, and we don't even know where the casters are. But that doesn't make any sense. You need to know where your target is in order to aim. So how do those Risen Sorcerers keep track of us?

At the very least, the fact that we can't see them means they're behind a wall. But that robs them of a clear line of sight by default.

On the other hand, I don't need a clear line of sight either.

I close my eyes and activate Mind's eye. Come on, don't let me down now…

There! I can see two Sorcerers standing in a corridor on the other side of the wall to the right, both of whom hold purple tomes. The fact that they're both open and glowing means they're chanting spells.

Food for thought; Since Risen barely seem able to talk, how the heck do they perform the complex verbal feat of chanting an aria for a spell?

"Nowi! Sully! Incoming spells!" I warn my two comrades. They manage to dodge fine thanks to my warning.

All right, I can work with this. I may not be able to figure out how they know our location, but I know where they are and who they're aiming at. It's likely that the range of Mind's eye exceeds their maximum sensing range. That means I have to stay close to keep an eye on everyone.

"Stay close to me! I can tell who they'll target next!" I order.

" **I hope you know what you're doing, Jack.** " Nowi tells me as we tighten our formation.

"Don't worry, Nowi. I got this." I assure her. I point down the corridor. "We need to fight our way through the corridors and take down those Sorcerers casting the Mire spells. That should give us some much-needed breathing room."

We progress through the dark hallways with caution, destroying the Risen as they come while I warn my allies of incoming Mire spells. So far, so good.

Then another wall crumbles, and- Yune above, how many Risen are there?!

"Cr-p! They'll surround us!" Sully shouts.

"Straighten out the formation!" I shout. "Cover each other's backs!"

We spread out in a single file line to stall their encirclement as much as possible. I take the frontmost position to relieve as much pressure as I can for the others. Even so, those murderous corpses won't stop flooding in!

"Whoa! Hey, watch where you aim that thing!" I hear Rose shout.

I risk a glance back to see my daughter back away from a pair of Generals hot on her trail. For a Dark Mage, Rose is surprisingly agile, being able to dodge their assault, but she's forced on the defensive. The hectic dance forces her so far backwards that she splits from the formation and towards- Wait, was that wall always down?

Rose does an impressive backflip over a double axe swing from the Generals, which also puts her on the other side of the wall – through the one hole that's there.

My eyes widen in panic. "Rose! Get out of there!"

"Huh?"

A rumbling sound is the only warning we get before the rubble floats up and reassembles itself into the hole, closing it and erasing any trace of it being there at all. Right before the hole seals back up, I notice several pairs of red eyes glowing in the darkness behind my daughter.

No… She'll be all on her own against an entire hoard! I can't leave her like that! I REFUSE to leave her there!

"ROSE!"

Sparrow's Hollow mask spreads over my face as I dash straight towards the wall. I'll tear that thing down, and no reanimated corpse is going to stop me!

My distorted voice echoes in a furious war cry as I tear through every Risen in my path towards the wall. I slide my free hand over Harvest moon's edge to draw blood.

"Sensei?! What are you doing?!" Noire asks alarmed upon seeing me slice myself.

Instead of answering, I stretch out my now bleeding palm so that my arm runs parallel to the wall. Mind's eye tells me that Rose has moved a bit away from the wall, so she should be safe from the blast area. That's good. No need to hold back on the power output.

The blood leaking from my palm begins to glow green as I channel a massive amount of mana through my arm. Some excess blood floats in front of my open palm and absorbs that mana as it grows into an emerald sphere that hums with restrained power and lights up the hallway. The sphere grows until it's roughly the size of my torso.

" **Gran Rey Cero!** " *VRRM!*

The emerald sphere lets loose the power contained within in a stream roughly as wide as I'm tall. Everything, and I mean _everything_ _ **,**_ in the direction I point my hand at disintegrates. That includes the wall separating me from my daughter.

When the dust finally clears, enough of the wall has been vaporized that getting through is easy. Speaking of which, both Rose and the Risen on the other side look at me in awe over what I just did. In fact, everyone does.

" **You just tried to kill my daughter.** " I accuse the corpses coldly. " **Prepare to die – again.** "

The Risen look at me before they charge with…guttural war cries? Doesn't matter. I'll slice them to ribbons!

"Gotcha! Crown fire!" Rose shouts.

The Risen only make it a few steps when a rune circle pops up above them and sends down a blazing vortex over their heads. I capitalize on the opening and send a wind spell at their feet that spirals upwards, combines with Rose's fire spell, and incinerates the corpses in a spinning inferno.

 **You have leveled up!**

" **You okay, Rose?** " I ask my daughter after I'm sure the Risen are dead – again.

Rose brushes off some dust from her sleeve. "Eh, I'm fine. They didn't have much time to target me before you went animé on the wall."

I sigh in relief. " **Good. Let's get out of here before we get trapped behind the wall again.** "

Rose looks at me flatly. "After that stunt you pulled? Dad, there's hardly any material left to reform the wall. Also, couldn't you have just, I don't know, Transmuted an opening to get through?"

I blink as my Hollow mask dissolves. I scratch the back of my head. "Oh yeah… Forgot about that. My bad."

"Need a little help here!" Donnel shouts from the other side of the now disintegrated wall.

The others are surrounded! Better break them out fast!

As Rose and I rush out to help our comrades, I notice something blue- No, azure glow down the hallway. It's getting closer, with a lot of noise.

Wait, that's a stream of dragon fire headed our way!

I grab hold of Rose and push her to the floor. "Everybody, get down!"

Fortunately, my companions obey quickly. The stream of azure flames roar just over our prone forms moments later, turning the top half of the Risen to ashes.

By the time the roar of flames stops, we look up in the direction the flames came from. A lone brown-haired girl in white clothes, a red cape, and a small handbag at her side walks up to us.

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **Nah Lvl 30 Class: Manakete**

* * *

Hah! Found her at last! But wait… Nah got here before us. So how did she end up behind us in this mansion?

"Finally!" the half-manakete shouts exasperated. "Those walls just kept collapsing and repairing themselves on me. Navigating this stupid old mansion has just been a big pain in the butt!"

Nowi immediately gets back up on her feet and skips up to Nah. "Oh, so you're the little girl we heard scream earlier!"

"It takes one to know one…" Nah replies dryly.

Nowi gives Nah one of her patented sunny smiles. "Ha-hah! I may look that way, but I'm actually quite old! I'm a dragonkin!"

"Oh? Well, so am I, actu-" Nah stops mid-sentence and gives Nowi a closer look. "Wait, are you Nowi?"

Nowi blinks. "Wow, nice guess!"

Nah smiles relieved. "It IS you!"

Nowi nods along. "All right, I've told you my name. Now you tell me yours."

"Nah."

…

Nowi pouts. "Oh, come on, why not?!"

Nah shakes her head. "No, NAH. N-A-H. That's my name."

Nowi crosses her arms and tilts her head sideways with a confused frown. "That's a confusing name…"

"And whose fault is that?!" Nah yells annoyed.

Nowi shrugs without a care. "How the heck should I know? Anyway, this place isn't safe. Let's get you out of here!"

Nah sighs. "After you…"

As our group reassembles, we suddenly find ourselves one member short.

"Huh? Did anyone see where Anna went?" I ask as I look around.

Everyone shrugs.

"Hrgh! A little help here!" we hear the Trickster shout from around a few corners. As we go inspect, we see Anna try to drag a massive chest over the floor.

Gaius gives the redhead a deadpan look. "Really, Moneybags?"

"Hey, this place is abandoned, right? That means anything we find here is up for the taking, no strings attached. I just found this empty chest and stuffed all the valuables I could find in it." Anna makes another attempt to drag it with her, though her success is slim. "Argh! Why do valuable trinkets have to weigh so much?! Gaius, give me a hand here!"

"And risk breaking my back lugging that thing around while Risen try to kill us at every turn? I much prefer to walk away alive and emptyhanded than loaded and dead, thank you very much."

"Hey, you're violating our deal!"

"Anna, enough!" I tell the merchant sternly. "You're right in that this mansion is abandoned and that you're free to loot it to your heart's content, but that only applies when we're not busy fighting for our lives. Until our enemies are dealt with, you're leaving that chest alone."

"What?! But what if someone steals it?" Anna protests.

"Your plundering is a hindrance for us while we're fighting! If anyone of us so much as get injured because you're too busy looting everything in sight, those wounds are on you! Now drop that chest and help us out, or you _will_ answer for it!"

I know I could just stuff the thing in my bag, but this lady needs to learn some discipline. And priorities. Seriously, you don't send the thief to loot the treasure chests before making sure the enemies won't box the poor fellow in and kill them, people! Treasure chests are optional, survival is not!

Anna drops the chest with a huff. "Fine! But if I find this baby any lighter by the time I get back, I'm charging for extra pay."

I rub my temples. "If that's what it takes to make you cooperate, fine."

I summon a clone, who promptly sits on the chest. "That chest is to remain untouched until we get back."

My clone makes a mock salute. "Got it, Boss. Can you _please_ get back to kicking those undead butts now?"

I glare back at the main hallway. "Gladly."

As we march down, Gregor sidles up to me.

"Gregor agree on defeating undead enemies, but how Jack intend to do that? Crumbling walls and surprise attacks cause much suffering and trouble, no?"

I nod. "You're right, Gregor. We still need to remain vigilant. But now, we can turn the tide easily." I glance back at Nah. "After all, we just got a new heavy hitter."

The others look at the newcomer in confusion.

"What do you suppose took out those Risen?" I point out. "That was an impressive display of wielding dragon fire you showed us back there, Nah. You're just the aid we need to put an end to these murderous corpses."

Nah nods resolutely. "Leave it to me. Burning those things to cinders is practically my specialty at this point."

At that moment, another wall crumbles, letting a pair of Entombed storm out with their claws raised high.

"Eep!"

Everyone's attention is directed back at Nah, who's hiding behind Donnel.

"I would like to say that, but these things are creepy!"

We sweatdrop at her one-eighty in resolve. It's a good thing Entombed have laughable movement speed in battle, as we have more than enough time to get our heads back in the game.

They cross barely half the distance before Nah jumps in front of us with azure flames surrounding her clenched fist.

"But do you know what's stronger than my fears?" the young manakete asks as she stares the approaching Risen down. "My resolve to wipe you off the face of the world! Manakete's vortex fist!"

One small fist covered in flames is thrust forward.

*Fwoom!*

And an azure inferno blasts out from said small fist, engulfing the Entombed in a matter of seconds. When the flames die down, the Entombed are already halfway dissolved in ashes or purple mist.

"Is it just me, or does that girl have a hard time deciding between cowering and fighting these Risen head-on?" Vaike asks while scratching his head.

"I hate haunted mansions, okay?!" Nah yells back defensively. "Those cursed walls and all these Risen running around creep me out! Cut me some slack here!"

"Don't worry, Nah." Donnel assures her. "'S'long as I'm here, I ain't lettin' those Risen lay a finger on you or Nowi. Ya have my word."

Nah shakes her head. "I'll be fine. I've been fine on my own for a long time. Just… Just give me a moment."

"Your moment better end soon." I tell Nah as I scan the walls. "Those things aren't letting up, and the walls are just plain unpredictable."

"Can't we just tear them down then?" Nah suggests.

"Huh?"

"You're good with wind magic, right?" Nah asks.

I nod. "You could count that as _my_ specialty – among a few other things."

Nah nods along. "Good. Then that should make things easy." Flames engulf her fist again. "Just aim lots of wind magic at the wall, and I'll handle the rest."

Some quick thinking makes me realize what Nah's going for. Clever. Time for some demolition work.

Wind magic swirls and surround my own fist as I grin. "All right. Sync up, and we'll blow those undead bozos away. Ready?"

Nah tenses up. "Ready."

We rush at the nearest wall and punch at it with synchronized battle cries. Our respective elements are let loose and combine just before they impact the wall.

A deafening explosion rocks the entire mansion. When the smoke finally settles, Nah and I have blasted a trail of destruction through wall after wall in front of us, letting us cut straight to the heart of the Risen infestation.

* * *

 **Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy detected!**

* * *

We find our target on the other side of the last wall-turned-rubble. A Risen Sorcerer that stands at least a full head taller than the others. What's more, this Risen chief is practically radiating with dark magic. It's like standing in front of a lesser Validar in terms of sheer dark power.

The Risen chief raises its right arm while the tome in its left hand glows purple. Three purple rune circles appear around it, spawning another Risen each.

"Huh? What the h-ll is going on?!" Sully asks stunned.

Tharja rubs her chin. "I see. So that's why there are so many Risen here. That big one is drawing on the sinister energy that seems to fill this entire mansion. Then it uses that dark power to summon more underlings."

"Oh no! If this keeps up, it'll build an entire legion of undead soldiers that it can unleash on the whole continent!" Noire remarks terrified.

Nowi frowns. "But how did that thing even get here in the first place? And why is it doing this?"

I notice Gaius glare at the Risen chief. No, it's more like he's glaring at a specific part of the hulking corpse. As I follow his line if sight, I find out why. A purple symbol depicting six eyes sits in plain sight on the Risen chief's robes.

"The Grimleal." I growl.

"Looks like we're on the same track, Buttercup." Gaius mutters. "Seems like they're the ones who planted the big guy here."

My own glare appears as I connect the dots. "This is no coincidence…"

The Risen chief directs its empty gaze at us and points in our direction. The Risen in the chamber we're in all soon have their eyes on us.

"Uh, guys? I think we've been spotted." Donnel remarks nervously.

No s-it, Sherlock.

Winds whip around me as I get in a battle stance. "We're wiping these Risen out right here and now. Let no one escape, least of all the big one."

Anna summons Gilthunder and flips the keyblade in a reverse grip. "Uh, do you really think we can pull this off? There's a lot of them."

"We have little choice." I reply. "I'll explain later. For now, we have a mansion to clean up."

The small horde of Risen charge us, even as the Risen chief starts to prepare another spell. This is bad. With all this sinister energy permeating the atmosphere, that Risen chief has a virtually inexhaustible source of power to fuel its spells. If we don't take it down fast, these corpses will outlast us through sheer numbers.

Wait a minute… That giant undead uses the ambient energy to power dark magic. But we have a dark magic user of our own.

"Tharja! Can you tap into the dark energy in here as well?!" I shout as I start to engage a General.

Tharja smiles sadistically as she raises a hand covered in a purple glow. "I already have."

A black orb of concentrated dark magic swells in her palm until it's roughly the size of Tharja herself. Tharja flicks her hand and sends the orb right through the throng of Risen and straight at the Risen chief.

Only for the giant undead to catch the orb with its free hand and absorb it.

Tharja blinks. "Well, that's annoying."

The Risen chief growls before it summons an orb of dark magic much like Tharja's earlier. Only this one's significantly bigger.

Tharja pouts. "Oh, that's just unfair."

The Risen chief points the orb back where it came from, meaning it's aimed at Tharja.

"Mother, get down!" Noire shouts as she nocks a Traced Blessed Lance.

Not taking any chances, Gaius tackles Tharja to the floor. A split-second later, three Blessed Lances-turned-arrows fly over the couple. The three streaks of light manage to hit the orb due to its massive size. Light and darkness begin to mix inside its core.

I pale as I sense the energy build up to dangerous levels. "Everyone, hit the floor!"

*BOOOM!*

By Dheginsea's majestic stature, that was dangerous!

I cast a quick wind spell to clear out the dust in the air. "Is everyone all right?" I shout.

"Man, that was rough." Vaike groans. Similar groans echo around the room as the others get on their feet. "Why does everything suddenly explode around us?"

"Because the Author watches way too much animé." Rose grumbles as she dusts off her clothes. "Seriously, what was that guy smoking when he designed Noire's character build?"

* * *

 **AN: I don't smoke anything. I'm just that crazy.**

* * *

"I call BS!" my daughter shouts into the air.

"Rrrgh…"

We tense up upon hearing that guttural growl. Our gazes return to where the Risen chief was when the explosion happened. The dust parts to reveal the giant undead very much alive(?), judging from the glowing eyes. The Risen chief opens its palm and summons a sphere of concentrated fire magic. So, that thing still wants to fight, huh? All right. I'll just finish this up-

Wait… Why isn't it casting the spell? Now that I look closer, the Risen chief seems more intent on holding the sphere above its palm instead of throwing it.

"Kill…dragon…" the Risen chief growls.

A strange hum echoes through the air. I follow the source of the sound – and notice a red glowing rune circle appear below Nowi's feet. No! Nowi's still getting her bearings after that explosion!

"Nowi!"

"No!"

Nah tackles Nowi away from the rune circle, but ends up standing on top of it herself. At that same moment, the Risen chief clenches its fist.

*Fwoom!*

A vortex of fire erupts from the rune circle and obscures Nah from view.

Nowi looks at the flaming vortex in horror. Tears start to form in her eyes. "Nah… But why…?"

"You…" we hear Nah's voice growl from within the flames.

Wait, what?

Everyone does a double take, including the Risen chief. Upon a closer look, Nah's silhouette is still visible among the flames and looks very much intact.

Her eyes glow white among the flames. "You've got some nerve, attacking a girl still getting up from the ground."

 **BGM:** **Dragon Slayer, Fairy Tail OST**

The flames shift and gather in Nah's outstretched hand until they coalesce into a miniature sun, roughly the size of an apple. As for Nah herself; she's _pissed_!

"I'm gonna send you straight to Hell, and I'll make the trip so hot that you'll freeze by the time you arrive!"

Nah brings the glowing sphere to her mouth.

And _eats_ it.

The sound of a heartbeat echoes through the air.

Then Nah roars as her entire body erupts in flames.

The half-manakete levels a glare at the Risen chief. "You've robbed a creature of their life for the last time, you corpse! Get back to the grave you crawled out from, and _stay there_!"

The Risen chief points its free arm at Nah. More Risen crawl out of the ground and advance on her.

"Not on your false life, you coward!" Nah roars and coats her arms in azure flames.

The half-manakete proceeds to tear through the Risen like they're made of paper. No matter what they try, Nah punches, kicks, rips and burns her way through the undead throng. But while she's distracted, the Risen chief blindsides her with a Thoron spell.

*Krrzz-Bram!*

Nah slides back from the impact, but remains standing, albeit hunched over and with sparks dancing over her body. She gets back up, and now she looks even angrier.

"All right, now I'm mad!"

Nah rears her head back and inhales deeply.

"Manakete's… ROOOOAAAR!"

Nah breathes out a torrent of flames even wider than herself straight at the Risen chief. For a brief moment, it actually looks like the giant undead soiled its robes. The next moment, the entire mansion shakes from the deafening roar of flames consuming everything in their path. When it finally dies down, Nah has blasted a path that goes all the way to a new exit out of the mansion in the form of a giant hole in the wall. Everything between her and said wall is just…gone. Interior structure, decorations, Risen – not even ashes remain.

* * *

 **Risen chief has been destroyed!**

 **Nah has leveled up!**

* * *

 **BGM ends**

Nah places her hands on her knees as she pants heavily.

"That'll…teach you…"

"Holy cr-p…" Sully breathes out in awe. "What the h-ll were her parents feedin' that kid?"

After Nah catches her breath, she turns her gaze at us, her eyes twinkling sharply.

Wait a minute… She's looking specifically at me.

Nah's focused glare turns into a giant, genuinely happy smile. "Uncle Jack!"

*Glomp!* "Oof!"

"Uncle Jack! I'm so happy to see you again! I've missed you so much!" Nah gushes as she plants herself around my torso.

I look down on the half-manakete with a bewildered look and question marks almost literally floating in the air around me.

"Wha- "Uncle"? What in the world are you talking about?"

"Friend never tell family around. High time of introducing, no?" Gregor asks as he rubs his chin.

"That's the thing, Gregor." I explain. "As far as I know, I've never met any of my family since I woke up in this realm. The only family I know of is my wife and Rose." I poke Nah on the head. "As for you, you have some explaining to do, young lady."

Nah looks up at me and tilts her head (Gah! The cuteness!). "Um… Okay?"

After the girl removes herself from my torso (Read: I pried her off with more than a little effort), she dusts herself off and faces Nowi. "We need to talk."

Anna claps her hands. "Well, while you guys make yourselves comfortable, I'll go back and retrieve my loot before someone else gets any funny ideas. Come along, Gaius."

"What?! Heck no!" The Assassin protests.

Anna taps her foot on the ground. "The deal is still on, so you're helping me in carrying that chest that I left a while back. Now, hop to it."

"For crying out loud, I nearly broke my back fighting those zombies! And now you'd have me lug that heavy thing around?"

Anna zips behind Gaius and pushes him on the back. "No complaining, buster. Or are you telling me you can't keep your word?"

"One day, Moneybags…" the Assassin mutters. "One day…"

After Anna and Gaius leave, I take the time to address everyone else.

"*Sigh* As harrowing as this was, it's a good thing we got here."

Nowi rubs her chin. "Oh, do you mean it's because we found Nah?"

I nod. "Well, that's part of the reason. But there was something else – that giant Risen. As Noire remarked when we fought it, that thing could summon more Risen thanks to the ambient dark energy here. Based on what Gaius and I could figure out, the Grimleal made such a Risen for that exact purpose and placed it here to raise an undead army."

Tharja stiffens as she seemingly connects the dots. "And if they're preparing an army of Risen…"

"…that means they're planning an invasion in the future." I finish ominously. "We don't know when, or where their target may be, but the Grimleal have their sights set on a flood of Risen similar to the dark forces from the future."

Noire nods. "That's part of the reason why I came here. All those Risen that crawled out after the Fell dragon's return must have come from somewhere, and this area seemed the most likely. I had hoped that I could nip that in the bud before their numbers grew too much. But, looking back, I don't think I could've done it on my own."

Rose pats the Archer on the back. "Well, that's why the rest of us are here, right? And now that we've wiped out those wandering corpses, we've foiled the evil cult's plan. Score one for the good guys!"

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Side quest: Daughter to dragons  
** _A search through the ominous mansion gave hints that the Grimleal are raising an undead army. While your victory today means that you threw a monkey wrench into their plans, it's also become obvious that the evil cult is planning something big. The threat of the Valmese empire may loom in the horizon, but never forget that the greatest threats are the ones you don't expect.  
_ **Objectives:** _Defeat all enemies.  
_ **Objective cleared!  
Rewards:** _You gain_ _10 000 EXP! You gain 10 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Rescue Nah from the mansion and keep her alive.  
_ **Bonus objective cleared!  
Bonus rewards:** _You gain 1 000 EXP! You gain 1 000 gold!_

* * *

 **BGM:** **Family, Super Mario Galaxy music**

Nah walks up to Nowi. "Can I ask you something, Nowi? Does this look familiar?" Nah rummages in the bag at her side and pulls out a small, shiny object.

Nowi looks at it from a variety of angles. "Whoa, you have the same ring as me! What a crazy coincidence!" the manakete exclaims cheerfully.

Nah shakes her head. "It's not a coincidence. This _is_ you ring. It's a memento of my mother. From…the future. It keeps me safe, now that…" Nah swallows. "Now that you're gone."

Nowi's exuberance dies down. "Nah…"

"No, I'm serious. It does." Nah persists.

Nowi smiles at her daughter. "Huh? Oh, hee hee! You did it to yourself that time!" Nowi shakes her head. "But no, I think it's very sweet. And now that you're with me, you don't have to hold back."

"I wasn't holding back. I fought as hard as I could…" Nah tells her mother bluntly.

"No, you fought brilliantly, Nah. But that's not what I meant. I was talking about your tears." Nowi clarifies. "If you're sad, you can talk to me."

"No, I… I have to be strong." Nah protests. "Everyone expects me to. I can turn into a dragon, you know? And that's not…normal. So I have to put on a brave face to protect everyone, just like you do."

"Your mother cries all the time, dear." Nowi tells her daughter gently. "…Aaaaaaall the time. Trust me on this – holding things back won't make you stronger. Just be you, Nah. That's enough."

Tears form in Nah's eyes as she begins to sniffle. "I… This whole time, I…"

Nowi pats Nah on the head. "I know it's been pretty scary, but you made it through!"

Nah hugs her mother tightly. "*Sniff* Mother, I… Oh, it was awful… I thought I was going to DIE…"

As mother and daughter embrace, Nah's emotional floodgates open, and the half-manakete begins to wail in her mother's embrace.

A tear forms in Nowi's eye as well as she caresses Nah's head gently. "*Sniff* It…it's okay, Nah. Mother's here now. I'll be right here for you. I promise…"

 **To be continued (BGM ends)**

* * *

 **Nah's character sheet**

 **Nah Lvl 31 Class: Manakete  
** _Nowi's daughter from the future. Despite her youthful appearance, and in stark contrast to her mother's childlike nature, Nah is very adamant about acting like a proper adult in front of others. At the same time, those who get to know her closely soon discover that she is every bit the child at heart that her mother is, if not more so. Under Jack's tutelage, she has developed a skillset and certain personality traits similar to those of the fire dragon slayer, Natsu Dragneel. The most violent sleepwalker.  
Born on March 29_ _th_ _._

 **Titles: Dragon warrior (+ 15% unarmed damage)  
Hugger of the year (+ 6 % CHAR)**

 **HP: 6 250 / 6 250  
MP: 2 150 / 2 150**

 **STR: 66.3 (53 * 1.25)  
VIT: 78.8 (63 * 1.25)  
DEX: 40 (32 * 1.25)  
INT: 24  
WIS: 18  
CHAR: 13.8 (13 * 1.06)  
LUCK: 17**

 **ITEMS:  
Dragonstone (equipped)  
Concoction**

 **Skills:**

 **Martial arts mastery, Lvl 43 [81.0 %], Passive  
** _There are those who train with a weapon until they can wield it like an extension of their bodies. Then there are those who train their bodies until they can wield it like a weapon. This skill falls into the latter category. While martial artists usually fight at a disadvantage in terms of range, they make up for it with techniques most weapon wielders could only dream of. Underestimating a foe due to their lack of weapons can be a fatal mistake. Passively increases STR, VIT and DEX by 25 %. Increases attack speed and attack power by 215 % when attacking unarmed._

 **Fire mastery, Lvl 38 [12 %], Passive  
** _Fire is the element of power. With great power comes great responsibility, and never is this more apparent than when one wields the element that embodies heat. If carefully contained, fire provides warmth and light when the night grows cold and dark. However, if left unsupervised, even the smallest flame can raze an entire city to the ground with no hope of stopping it.  
Passively increases damage dealt with fire element magic by 190 %. The cost of all fire-related skills is reduced by 11 %._

 **Dragon slayer magic, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _A mystical fighting style that was originally developed for humans to combat dragons. Those who learn its ancient secrets gain the ability to emulate parts of a dragon's body and power to use as their own. According to legend, a true master of dragon slayer magic has enough raw power to rival that of a full-grown dragon, and might even transform into a dragon themselves. What's more, seasoned dragon slayers gain senses like those of a dragon as well, including superhuman smell and hearing. Oddly enough, these immense boons are offset by a near irrational susceptibility to motion sickness whenever a dragon slayer comes into contact with any sort of vehicle, be it a ship sailing on a story ocean or a raft gently bobbing up and down on a calm stream.  
_ _Passively increases all damage dealt to draconic creatures by 18 %. Grants immunity to any element that the holder of this skill has a corresponding mastery in. Consuming such an element restores HP and MP. Recovery depends both on quantity and quality of the element consumed._

 **Natural beast, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 50 MP per minute  
** _Rigorous training in all manner of environments has allowed you to establish a deep connection with your beastly side. So long as you carry an object linked to this side, you can use it as a medium to draw on the natural strength of your beastly heritage while still retaining the human part of your existence. In other words, you can combine the best, or worst, of two worlds.  
Allows the user to draw on their natural power attained through shapeshifting without transforming. Boosts stats according to the transformation. The user must hold a stone corresponding to their race in order to use this skill._

 **Aptitude, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _You possess potential only seen once every few generations. You might be weak now, but if given the time to harness that potential, you'll become a titan on the battlefield. Think Magikarp. So what if the enemy has an army? Your side has you.  
All stat growths increase by 50 %. All stats increase by 10 when changing to a higher-tier class (only works once per ascension)._

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

*Camera shows a lone Knight facing down a whole group of grinning ruffians*

 **Kjelle:** You said this would be a fair fight! Face me, you coward!

 **Ruffian leader:** Yeah, how about "no"? It's not my fault you're so gullible.

 **Kjelle:** It's called "honor"! Not that you'd know anything about that!

 **Ruffian leader:** Meh. Honor's for losers. That stuff's overrated these days.

 **Kjelle:** That's it. I'm taking you down, and I won't let anyone stop me!

 **Sully:** Girl's got guts, but she ain't good enough against those odds.

 **Vaike:** Wanna even 'em out a bit? No one said the good guys can't butt in.

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **It's time to duel! Straight chivalry meets twisted trickery!**

 **Anna:** *Sigh* Why do straight shooters have to be so simple-minded?

* * *

 **Omake: Deleted scenes, Vol 2**

Rose strikes a new pose, one where she kicks up one leg behind her and points both index fingers at the boulder to her left, all with a wink and a confident grin. "Magikazam!"

The boulder moves around a bit before it grows two arms on its sides and pushes up. A bored looking face on the round surface of the now revealed rock creature stares at the two humans. Two more arms encircle the lower part of its face while it stands on two stubby legs.

"Gra-ve-ler…"

Rose blinks before she turns back to Jack with a smile and her hands behind her back. "Um… Ta-da! A Pokémon!"

The Rock-type looks between father and daughter before a sinister grin grows on its face. Its entire body glows white and a few beams of light escape from the body as a sign of the massive energy buildup inside.

Jack pales. "Oh, cr-p…"

Rose looks at the glowing Graveler before she looks into the sky and sighs. "I hate you, Author."

Graveler used Explosion!

* * *

Tharja saunters up to the incoming Thoron spell without a care in the world and catches it right out of the air. She folds her hands over the crackling sphere and spreads it over them. An angry snarl spreads over her normally bored-looking features.

The Sorcerer blurs in front of the Dark Knight who launched the spell, bent low and Thoron coated hands reared back. Tharja's hands blur as she bombards the Dark Knight with a flurry of finger jabs.

"A- TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA AH-TA!"

After the last finger jab, Tharja turns her back on the undead rider. "You are already dead."

Sparks dance over the Dark Knight's body before both it and its horse burst into pieces with some stray electricity arcing out in the air.

Everyone looks at Tharja dumbfounded.

Gaius facepalms. "For crying out loud… Tharja, no watching Fist of the North Star before shooting the fight scenes!"

Tharja has the decency to blush embarrassed. "Sorry."

* * *

The blood leaking from Jack's palm begins to glow green as he channels a massive amount of mana through his arm. Some excess blood floats in front of Jack's open palm and absorbs that mana as it grows into an emerald sphere that hums with restrained power and lights up the hallway. The sphere grows until it's roughly the size of his torso.

" **I'M FIRIN' MAH LAZAH!"**

The emerald mana blast obliterates everything in its path. As the dust settles, Rose walks out from the debris and slaps a stack of paper in Jack's face.

"Dad, what have we told you about quoting memes instead of following the script?" the Dark Mage asks disapprovingly.

The Hollow mask dissolves to reveal a sheepish Jack. "Sorry about that. I just thought it'd be a fun opportunity."

Jack looks at the destruction he just wrought. "Say… Any chance we can have some our hired state alchemists fix the walls before we try the scene again?"

Rose slaps the stack of papers – now revealed to be the script – against Jack's head again. "Alchemy doesn't work like that! Law of equivalent exchange and all that, remember?"

Jack blinks before pushing his index fingers together with an embarrassed expression. "Oh yeah. I, uh… I'll send some clones to go get some boulders and replace the set walls."

"It better not be more Gravelers!"

* * *

"Hrgh! A little help here!" Anna shouts from around a few corners. As the others go find her, they see Anna try to drag a massive chest over the floor. In an attempt to transport the heavy container more easily, Anna tries to drag the chest up some rubble before she prepares a few conveniently placed logs.

That's when the chest falls on its side and spills out its contents; a pair of anvils.

Gaius gapes at the metallic objects. "You're having me lug those things around after the fight scene?! Screw that, Moneybags!"

"Well, how else will we convince everyone that this chest if heavy? Besides, iron's lighter than gold. Imagine if this whole thing was filled with actual gold instead."

"Not my point!"

* * *

Nah brings the glowing sphere to her mouth.

And _eats_ it.

The sound of a heartbeat echoes through the air.

*Buuuurrp!*

Nowi holds her sides as she folds double from the laughter.

Nah blushes and looks away with a huff. "Well, excuse me for not being able to help burping after a good meal! And stop laughing, Mother! It's not funny!"

"You're right…" Nowi wheezes out. "It was _hilarious_!"

Nah stomps away from the hallway.

Noire looks between the two manaketes before she runs after Nah. "Nah, wait! We're not done with the scene yet!"

"We'll try again when my mother's done laughing at me!" Nah shouts back.

Donnel looks at his wife, who's busy pounding the ground while still going strong in her laughing. The Fighter shakes his head.

"Yeah… That ain't happenin' for a while. Who's up fer a coffee break?"

Robin sighs from her director's seat. "All right. Break time, everybody. Return in five."

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Gran Rey Cero, Lvl 14 [31%], Active, Cost: 570 MP  
** _A skill only available to creatures who have tapped into a vast depth of Hollow powers. By adding some blood as a medium to concentrate mana, the user can focus it to an immense degree and unleash a blast that can vaporize all but the most resilient of resistance. This technique is so powerful, that an entity who once commanded the Hollow spirits only allowed it outside their stronghold for fear that the blast radius alone could reduce said stronghold to rubble after just one blast.  
Base damage: 17 300 % of the caster's INT. Element: None. Can only be used while Hollow mask is active._

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner:**

 **Revenant, Class  
** _Considered to be the weakest of all Risen, due to their slow and unrefined movement. But despite the seemingly low threat level, these undead possess enough strength to tear an ordinary person apart with their sharp claws. So long as you stay alert, taking these corpses down should be easy. Also, make sure to never face down a horde of these, lest you risk getting overwhelmed by sheer numbers. That's a textbook mistake for anyone who dies in a zombie movie.  
This unit counts as an undead creature._

 **Blessed Lance, Polearm, Base damage: 88, Very rare  
** _A weapon designed specifically to combat the undead. The metal it is made of has been purified and enchanted in holy rituals for roughly a month before a specially trained blacksmith forges it into its current form. The sacred power infused in the metal has the ability to dispel hexes, thus robbing undead of the force that drives them. Aside from that, this weapon still works as an ordinary armament for any soldier who picks it up. It's just difficult to come by due to the immense amount of preparations needed to even make one of these.  
Damage done to undead creatures increases by 300 %. HPR increases by 10 % while equipped._

 **Mire, Tome, Very rare  
** _A tome that even the most seasoned practitioners of the dark arts have a hard time getting their hands on. The spell written within its pages is rumored to open a portal to a demonic realm, where the rivers flow with poisonous goo. To go along these disturbing sayings, these tomes are also believed to be cursed, as any mage who wields it finds themselves unable to move faster than walking due to a strange, ethereal weight that comes over them. Even stranger, the weight seemingly lifts the moment the wielder lets go of this tome.  
Increases damage dealt from dark-element spells by 7 %. Decreases attack speed by 40 %  
Skill available when wielded: Mire  
Requirement to wield: Dark mastery Lvl 30_

* * *

 **All hail Super Nah!**

 **For real, anyone who becomes a child of Donnel's is sure to become an absolute beast. While you** _ **can**_ **make him pass down Counter if you're patient enough, I generally just give his child Aptitude and make said child get all of his benefits, but none of the babysitting. It's a win-win. And if Donnel's child is a girl, there's Galeforce up for the taking. And if that's not overpowered enough, I believe Donnel's LUCK cap increases the cap on the same stat of all of his children to 50. Add Armsthrift to that mix, and you have infinite divine weapons on top of all that I just mentioned. I turned Nah into a Wyvern Lord in that playthrough and gave her Gradivus. Needless to say, the Grimleal never stood a chance.**

 **Nah is an adorable little cinnamon roll and she will roast you – both verbally and physically – if you look at her the wrong way.**

 **Jokes aside, turning Nah into a dragon slayer in this fic was pretty much a no-brainer. Her heritage makes everything line up almost too perfectly in my head. And for all you Fairy Tail fans out there, you know what that means the moment Nah sets foot on a ship.**

 **Until next time. VipeR out.**


	23. Chapter 21

**Greetings, dear readers. Welcome to the newest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **As those who have written at least somewhat extensive reviews of the last chapter may have noticed, I have chosen to reply to those reviews individually via PMs directly on the site instead of answering them when I write a chapter. I mainly have two reasons for this choice.**

 **First, it's easier to respond to the reviews easier this way, as I can address each one individually instead of lumping all the responses together.**

 **Second, it lets me communicate with my readers in a more direct and efficient manner, which is honestly something I should've gone for from the start. Sadly, it was only recently I discovered that you can actually do this.**

 **As a consequence, I will only respond to reviews if the reviewer has an account on the site. On the plus side, I can address any questions you may have regarding this fic, on the condition that I don't fear risking any spoilers if I do answer them. General rule of thumb: If my answer is vague, it contains spoilers.**

 **So I recently completed Bravely Default – both endings – and all in all, it was a great experience. An innovative combat system, superb soundtracks, a really cool detail embedded in the final boss battle, this game has a lot going for it. On the other hand, it also has its flaws (as does just about every game).**

 **Not only that, but I recently got started on the sequel, Bravely Second. The core mechanics are still there, and many things have been polished or just plain improved. Among the aspects are the characters and their interactions with one another. Yew and Magnolia are just adorable together, and the new asterisk holders are practically overflowing with personality. It also helps that the conversations contain a lot more humor than the first one, making it easier – at least for me – to get more engaged in each character.**

 **While I have yet to unravel the full story in that game, I already find myself engaged in completing it, if for no other reason than to find out what Kaiser Oblivion's deal is and why he just HAD TO crash the peace conference after everything that had been done to ensure peace.**

 **But enough about my latest videogame ventures. Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _Head-on is how I live. –_ Kjelle

* * *

 **Chapter 21**

 **It's time to duel!  
** **Straight chivalry meets twisted trickery!**

"Hah!"

Nah flips into the air and brings down her flame covered leg in a burning axe kick. I reinforce my own leg and send my own kick to meet hers. The collision results in a small shockwave that sends the dust around us flying. Nah and I hold our positions for a split-second before gravity makes itself known again as Nah begins to descend. I break out of the lock and spin up for a snap kick. Nah catches my foot and swings around it like a monkey before she comes up and aims a kick at my head. I lean backwards and thus only feel the draft from her swing. I use my backwards momentum to flip back and get Nah off my leg. We quickly separate and get back in our combat stances.

Nah and I circle each other slowly, neither showing any openings. Good. She's disciplined, despite her fierce fighting style.

I tense my legs, and Nah follows suit right after. We rush each other and clash with our forearms locking against each other. I'm impressed by her strength. She managed to stop me, even though she's about as small as Nowi. Though my musings are cut short as Nah grabs hold of my arm, leans into my guard and opens her mouth. I see an azure glow build up in the back of her throat. Thinking fast, I slam a palm strike on her chin. The sudden impact shuts her mouth and sends her head back. A miniature explosion rocks the half-manakete's head before she loses her grip on my arm and stumbles backwards with a hand on her head and her face showing pain as smoke escapes her mouth and nostrils.

"Oww… Now I know how wyverns feel when you clog the only exit for their fire breaths." Nah groans as she struggles to regain her balance.

I ease out of my fighting stance. "Had enough for now, Nah? That looked like it hurt."

Nah shakes her head and gets back in her fighting stance with a determined glare. "Not before I pay you back for that stunt you just pulled, Uncle Jack! Do you have any idea how it feels having a blast of dragon fire trapped in your mouth?"

I shrug and get back in my own stance. "You're telling me. Unlike you, I can't breathe any flames."

Nah rushes at me with renewed vigor. "It hurts like crazy!"

I time the moment we clash and send a sweep kick at Nah's feet. As I predicted, she leaps over me. So I lean down and transition into a hook kick aimed upwards where Nah will be.

Except my kick only hits air.

I have half a second to blink in bemusement before my instincts scream at me to get back. I flip backwards, and Nah crashes into the ground with a burning fist one moment later. As I get back up, I notice a pair of dragon wings on her back that shimmer out of existence.

I raise an eyebrow. "Huh. Neat trick. Didn't know you could do a partial transformation into a dragon."

Nah smiles at me proudly. "Cool, right? I figured that out on my own when I realized I draw power from my dragonstone – which both Mother and I can use to transform into dragons in the first place. The only problem was that it took a lot of practice to get the transformation right."

I nod in approval. "That's a useful skill, especially considering how a dragon's body works." I coat my arms in wind magic, even though I know this'll put me at an elemental disadvantage. "Ready to take it up a notch, Nah?"

Nah sets her own fists ablaze with an excited smile. "You bet I am, Uncle Jack!"

Our battle cries ring out as we charge in for one more clash.

*Boom!*

We stand stock-still, fist meeting fist in the center of a charred and barren circle on the ground. We glare at each other, both of us still pushing back.

Then we both ease up on the pressure and sigh in relief.

"Good. Very good." I remark. "I can tell you've trained hard, Nah. That wasn't just brute force and dragon fire you were throwing around. You've honed your skills and moves well."

Nah beams at me happily. "I'm so happy to hear you say that, Uncle Jack. I trained until I dropped to become this strong."

I scratch my head. "That's another thing I've been wondering ever since you joined up. What's with this whole "uncle" thing?"

Nah tilts her head quizically. "Isn't that obvious? My mother kept saying that you're the brother she never had while she grew up, so I just assumed that you're part of the family."

"And it never occurred to you that I'm not a manakete, unlike you two?"

Nah shrugs. "Not really. I mean, Father's a human too, and Mother had no problems marrying him. I've never thought it strange. Besides, so what if we're not related by blood? What matters is how much we care for each other. You're the one who taught me that, Uncle Jack."

Huh. Here I am, listening to my sort-of niece basically destroy everything that all the talk about "pure blood" stands for, and she makes it sound natural. She's been raised well, both by her parents and, apparently, future-me.

I shake my head and smile. "Can't argue with that, especially since I'm technically the one who said it. And, honestly? I'd be thrilled to consider you family as well, Nah." I wave her to me. "Come here."

Nah walks over with a curious expression.

When she gets close enough, I wrap her in a hug. "This is actually the first time I meet you, but it's good to see you, Nah. I'm glad you're here."

I hear Nah sniff before she returns the hug. "I've missed you so much, Uncle Jack. You always brightened up our family. You were always there for my birthdays. You inspired me to become strong, so I could protect my family and friends. And when you died, I… I was heartbroken."

I rub Nah on the head gently. "It must've been so hard for you, losing your entire family. But that's what we're working to prevent. This time, we'll fight together."

Nah pulls back and nods determined, even with tear streaks still on her face. "You're right. I'm finally strong enough to protect those I care for. And I'll do everything in my power to do just that. That includes you, Uncle Jack."

I chuckle. "Hey, that's my line. There's no way I'll let you kick the bucket before me."

"Don't say that! I already lost you once! I don't want it to happen again!"

"Oh… Sorry."

Nah sighs. "Don't mind. I just…needed to get that off my chest. Gods, I've been wanting to say that for so long."

I nod. "Well, there's no need for you to hold anything back any longer. Your family's here, and while I can't speak for your parents, I'll always have time for you, Nah. Just let me know, and I'll hear you out, no matter what it is."

Nah smiles and nods. "Thank you, Uncle Jack." Then she glances at my hand. "By the way, will you be okay? That burn looks nasty."

I look at my right hand. It's covered in burn marks from our final clash.

"Eh, I'll be fine." I assure the half-manakete.

"You sure we don't need a healer to look at it?"

"No need to worry, Nah. I'm good."

Nah looks at my hand skeptically for a few more moments before she nods. "Well, whatever you say. I'll go see what Mother wanted to talk to me about. See you later, Uncle Jack."

I wave at Nah as she leaves. "Take care, Nah. Remember, I'll always have time for you."

 **Your relationship with Nah has improved!**

I wait until Nah is out of earshot. The moment I feel I'm in the clear, I grasp my right hand and wince. Good Ashera, that hurt! That's what I get for using wind against a fire user. But elemental disadvantage aside, Nah hits _hard_! Maybe I should have Anna look it up, just in case…

* * *

Rose nods as she reads through the book in her hands.

"All right, Gregor. The broth needs to boil for about another minute. That's when you add the potatoes and spices, and the rest should finish on its own just in time for dinner."

Gregor nods and gets back to chopping potatoes. Considering our future children have joined the group, it only made sense to let them join in on various tasks alongside the rest of us. Sure, it took some time to work out a new schedule, but better that than be lax on the planning and imply lazy favoritism. Hence, the current situation with Rose guiding Gregor through the cooking of today's dinner through a cookbook that just so happens to hang off her book skirt. From what I could gather, every book on Rose's book skirt is actually multi-purpose for the sake of versatility, which is why every single book is so thick.

Rose laments that she herself hasn't become thicc, but I digress.

Half an hour later, Gregor hits a ladle against a frying pan, signaling for everyone that dinner is ready. We're soon all seated around the campfire with our bowls filled with stew.

Yeah, turns out stew is among the easiest healthy meals to cook while out on the field. Repetitive? Yes, but redundancy has to be accepted for the sake of efficiency. That's army life for you. Of course, the situation would be different if we had a professional cook with their very own cooking tent and ingredient storage, but that's reserved for much larger military units.

Nah is the first to place down her bowl after three full servings. The half-manakete pats her stomach with a satisfied sigh. "Phew. It's been a while since I had a proper meal. That was great."

Donnel frowns at his daughter's words. "How long's a while, Nah? Yer still growin' right? Not eatin' properly could be bad for ya."

Nah shakes her head. "Well, between fighting against murderous corpses every day and trying to scrape by with what we could get our hands on, eating properly was quite far away from our minds. I'm amazed that we found food so frequently before we went back in time, small though our meals were."

Noire nods. "It's true. We were often hungry, but we never starved. I guess we have Laurent to thank for that. How he managed to ration what food we could find into enough meals to at least have us keep going, I'll never understand."

Rose shrugs. "He's got a galaxy brain, minimum. There's a reason he was one of Lucina's two top tacticians as well as our second-in-command."

I raise an eyebrow. "Huh. Guess some praise is in order the next time I see my intellectual student. By the way, Rose, who's the second tactician?"

Rose gives me a knowing smile. "Oh, I think you'll meet him soon enough, Dad. Honestly, you should already know who it is by this point. You married _Mom_ , for crying out loud. It doesn't get more obvious than that."

…

Oh… Yeah, I see where she's going with that. Really should've seen that one coming.

"Say… Can I eat the campfire too?" Nah asks tentatively.

The others in my generation look at the half-manakete like she grew a second head.

Vaike scratches his head. "Uh… Why the heck would you even want to do that, kiddo? You'd just, you know, burn yourself if you chewed the firewood."

Nah shakes her head. "No, not the firewood. The _fire_."

Nowi drops her fist on her open palm. "Oh yeah, that's right. You ate that fire spell back during our last battle." Nowi gives her daughter a bright smile. "That was so cool! Can you teach me how to do that, Nah?"

Nah rubs her chin. "I'm not sure. Uncle Jack's the one who taught me. Well, technically speaking at least. I kinda just went with what he said."

Nowi gives me an expectant look.

I really hate what I'm about to do.

"Sorry, Nowi. I have no idea how future-me even managed to figure that one out in the first place. I kind of know how it works, but I have no idea how to teach it."

Nowi slumps forward with a dark cloud hanging over her head. Donnel does his best to comfort his wife while the rest of us try our best to pretend one of our most innocent(?) companions isn't suffering from a temporary depression. Come on, Nowi, stop guilt tripping me with your cuteness!

Gregor shakes his head. "Eat campfire not good idea. Fire important for keeping wild animals away. So eating fire bad, yes?"

Nah's own mood deflates, though thankfully to a moderate extent compared to her mother. "Oh. No, I understand. I… I'll manage."

"Hey, just because you can't eat the campfire doesn't mean you can't have a snack." Rose tells her and reaches behind her back. Out of nowhere, she picks up a small log, big enough to make for good firewood.

As Nah notices the log, she gets starry-eyed. "Is that…applewood?"

Rose nods smiling. She snaps her fingers and lights a flame on the apple wood stick. Then she hands it over to Nah. "Make sure to eat the fire slowly, Nah, or you'll put it out."

Nah accepts the burning log with all the reverence befitting a sacred artifact, complete with trembling hands and eyes wide in awe. She slowly brings the burning end of the log to her mouth and nibbles on the tip.

Nah's expression turns into one of pure ecstasy. "Shhooo gooood~~…"

I'd probably suffer a heart attack from the cuteness overload if it wasn't for the burning log. The fact that my sort-of niece is completely fine with a burning piece of wood in her face just looks weird. Dragon slayers, I tell you…

"Hey, I just thought of something." Gaius brings up. We (minus Nah, who's off in her own little world) turn to the Assassin, silently asking him to elaborate.

Gaius points his spoon at Nah. "That kid's kinda special, don'tcha think?"

Anna rubs her chin. "Special how? And aren't normally her parents the first ones to say something like that?"

Gaius shrugs. "Maybe they are, maybe they're not. But my point is, Nah gives me the creeps."

Donnel gives Gaius a mild glare. "Now wait jus' a second, Gaius. My daughter sure ain't normal, but callin' her creepy's takin' it too far. Yer kid's not normal either, but ya don't hear me raisin' a fuss over it. Er, no offense, Noire."

Gaius waves a hand in front of him. "Whoa, cool it, Curls. That wasn't what I meant. I mean, just think for a second. Nah's the child of Nowi and you. That means she's half dragon and half whatever made you go from a scrawny farm boy, to chopping a stone pillar in half. _And_ she was trained by Buttercup."

The others freeze up and go wide-eyed before they slowly turn their heads back to Nah, who's hugging her piece of burning applewood while slowly savoring the flames with a blissful smile.

"D-mn…" Sully breathes out.

"Little girl actually _scary_ little girl, no?" Gregor adds for confirmation.

Gaius nods. "Exactly my point. Up until now, we've all seen instances of what happens when Buttercup takes someone under his wing for a few years. Every single one of our future kids have some ability or other that's about as crazy as Buttercup himself."

"Hey!" I protest indignant.

"But Nah?" Gaius continues unperturbed and hikes a thumb at the half-manakete. "She's a dragon who probably inherited whatever made Curls freakishly strong in just two years. And I wouldn't put past Buttercup's future self to make use of every bit of it." The Assassin pops a new bonbon in his mouth. "Well, we've already seen what this kid's capable of. Girl's a monster. No, not in that way, Nowi! Put that axe down! What I meant was that Nah's so strong, it's scary."

Nowi blinks before she puts down Donnel's axe (When did she retrieve it from the arm's tent – on the other side of camp?). "Oh." is all she says.

Gaius breathes a small sigh of relief before he clears his throat and turns back to me. "Bottom line, you created something terrifying, Buttercup. Please tell me that's the craziest you're doing with our future kids?"

I shrug. "Heck if I know, Gaius. I mean, I can't speak for my future self." I rub my chin in thought. "Speaking of which, Rose, can you tell me whether I took anyone else under my wing in the future, besides all the others from your generation that we've already met."

Rose grins. "Oh, there's a few more, at least. And I'll say this much; Nah isn't the wackiest nutjob among us. Neither is Noire, for that matter."

Noire frowns. "Like you're one to talk."

Rose shrugs. "That's because there's a method to my madness, Noire. Though whether the madness is mine or the Author's, I'm still not sure about."

* * *

Night has fallen in camp. First shift in night watch is coming up, and I'm on it. I'm tending to the campfire a bit before I go look for a spot with a good viewpoint.

As I poke the firewood with a stick, Nowi sits down beside me.

"Hey, Jack?"

"Mmm?"

"You know how we keep treating each other as family?"

My mind wanders back to that night so long ago when I first formed my relationship with Nowi. When we became sort-of siblings in all but blood. Come to think of it, Nowi and I have had quite a lot of conversations by a campfire at night.

"Honestly, I'm unsure of how much time I've devoted to that particular thing." I admit. "Be honest with me, Nowi. How much of a family have I really been for you?"

Nowi scoots closer to me while keeping her eyes trained on the campfire. "As much as you could." she answers. "There's no point in you beating yourself up over it, Jack. You did the best you could at being a brother for me while balancing everything else in your life. I'd never demand more of you than you could give, and neither should you demand yourself the same."

I turn to the manakete. "Still doesn't really answer my question."

Nowi rolls her eyes. "Fine. If you really want a straight answer that badly. For what it's worth, the time and care you gave me allowed me to relive a part of family life that I've forgotten." Nowi leans in and gives me a side hug. "I'll never forget what you've done for me for as long as I live. And I'll make sure to pass that on to Nah, so she can have some of her own childhood back as well." Nowi sniffs up a tear. "The poor thing. She lost her family, just like I did."

I return the hug. "Then, as her mother, I guess it's a good thing that you try to help her at least relive and find some of what she's lost."

"Well, you carry part of that responsibility too, buster." Nowi points out.

"Huh?"

"Come on, don't think I haven't connected the dots. We started this whole sibling thing long before I met Donnel, so it's only natural that Nah sees you as part of her family. And from what I've seen when she's with you, you mean a lot to her."

I scratch my cheek. "Yeah, can't argue with that. Sometimes, Nah gets so affectionate that I'm afraid I'm stealing Donnel's role as her father."

"Don't worry, Nah would never allow that to happen. It's just that she values family very highly." Nowi winks. "Bet she's got all three of us to thank for that lesson."

I smile at my sister figure. "Heh. Shows that we did a great job raising her."

Nowi joins in on the smiling. "I know, right? Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"I'm listening."

"I want you to become Nah's godfather." Nowi tells me with a straight face.

…

"…Huh?..." is my intelligent reply.

Nowi pouts. "What, that's all you have to say? No shocked recoil? No rambling of how honored you are or that you doubt your own worth for such a duty? Man, what a letdown."

"No no, I'll get to that part." I explain. "It's just…how can you deliver that with a straight face? Being a godparent is serious stuff."

Nowi nods. "Good, at least you get that much. But who said I had to ask with all kinds of fanfare and all that nonsense? It's a question, so I ask it. Simple as that."

I blink twice. I mean, sure, she's right about that, but I somehow expected a bit more formality.

Oh, who am I kidding? I'm talking to a millennium old child who's not necessarily part of the more posh part of human society. Of course she'd ignore the boring parts of formality.

I rub my chin in thought. It _does_ sound like a great idea, but there's a few points to check off first.

"What about Donnel?" I ask. "What's his opinion of making me the godfather of his daughter."

Nowi snickers. "Do you even need to ask? You're the first one who taught Donnel how to fight. Of course he'd trust you with important stuff."

That's…a good point. Even now when Donnel's pretty much found his own style, I can tell that the guy looks up to me. Heck, if it wasn't for my rapport with Lon'qu, I would've considered making Donnel my lieutenant instead. That's one point checked off. Now for the second one.

"And how about Robin? We're married, so accepting your and Donnel's proposal would make Robin Nah's godmother by default."

Nowi shrugs. "I admit I don't consider Robin a sister or anything close to that. I guess you'll just have to talk with her about it. I mean, it's not like you have to decide right now."

I sigh in relief. "Oh, good. Here I thought you wanted my answer right away. I mean, I'm still getting used to being a parent. But having a niece that I could also become the godfather of? That's a lot to take in at once, and I've at least had time to process my own role as a father. Robin might need some time for this herself, between managing the army and loading all those ships with whatever we'll need."

Nowi nods in approval. "Good to see you put that head of yours to good use."

I give her a sour look. "You make it sound like I'm more muscle than brains."

"When you just _suspect_ someone you care about is in danger, you kind of are." Nowi points out.

She's…got a good point there… I'm all for problem solving for getting around my opponent, but if they point their weapon/magic at my wife or daughter? Screw strategy. That poor fool will die, preferably in a way that makes everyone in a one-mile radius think twice about attempting the same thing.

"*Sigh* Fine, so I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed." I admit.

"And you don't need to. So long as you think your actions through, that's good enough for me."

Nowi stretches her limbs and yawns. "Ugh. It's late. Better go to sleep now. Good night, Jack."

"Good night, Nowi."

Nowi walks over to hers and Donnel's tent and opens the flap. Right before it closes, I catch a glimpse of Nowi crash on her bedroll. She's asleep before she even lands. I suppose it's a good thing. As the old saying goes; children who sleep well, grow well. That would explain how Tiki got so… _well-grown_ by the time of Awakening. Man, did puberty hit that manakete hard, or what?

"Heya, Jack? You up for some night watch?" Vaike, my partner for this shift, hollers as he approaches me.

I nod and get up. "Sure. Might as well get this over with. I'll go for a lookout point in a tree somewhere close.

Vaike grins. "Sounds good to me. Though, could you help me with putting a few traps around camp first? You know, in case someone gets the jump on us?"

I rub my chin in thought before I agree. I'd normally ask Donnel for that kind of task (considering how easily he manages to outplay Panne), but I think Vaike and I can craft good enough traps if we put our heads together. Sure, I can survey a wide area with Mind's eye, but that's something only I can do. Better make things easier for the others in the coming shifts.

Turns out Vaike turned a bit of a new leaf during the trip. While traveling, he kept asking Donnel for pointers in trap making, since he wanted to learn how to hunt for his own food sometimes. With how efficiently the Barbarian guided me in crafting the simple, yet effective traps, I'd say Donnel's a good teacher. That, or old Teach is also a diligent student when he puts his mind to it. Vaike's intelligence may be questionable, but the man has his brilliant moments. They're just very infrequent.

We've just put the last trap in place and are looking for good vantage points when we hear footsteps from within the camp. Vaike and I share a look before we nod in sync and hurry back to camp.

By the time we return there, we see Nah walking around. Though her posture seems oddly slumped.

"Snrr…"

I do a double take. Was that a snore?

Nah turns around. That's when we finally see her face; eyes closed, mouth open, and a bit of drool leaking from the corner of her lip.

"Is she…sleepwalking?" Vaike asks dumbfounded.

I nod equally dumbfounded. "Seems so. Come on, let's guide her back to the tent and put her back. If we wake her now, she might react violently."

A shiver goes up Vaike's spine before he nods in agreement.

Just as we move to guide Nah, however, the half-manakete stands ramrod straight, to our further confusion.

"Unca Jaack…" Nah mumbles in her sleep.

She's dreaming about me? That's kinda adorable. The only reason I'm not hugging her right now is for fear that she could lash out. Waking a sleepwalker while they're walking can be jarring for everyone involved.

Those pleasant thoughts get thrown out the window as Nah's right hand clenches into a fist and is set ablaze with azure flames.

"Fight me!" Nah yells – still asleep – and charges me and Vaike.

We dive out of the way with a yelp. Nah's fist crashes into the ground a split-second later and leaves a sizable, smoking crater.

Dear Naga, her character profile wasn't kidding about the violent sleepwalker part! Nah could potentially tear the entire camp apart in her sleep!

Nah's nose twitches before she zeroes in on my position. While I desperately try to figure out how to stop her sleeping assault, my niece charges me for another clash. I desperately weave and dodge her blows, only using minimal contact to deflect her blows in order to prevent any crippling collateral damage. How in the world am I supposed to stop Nah without risking her getting a rude awakening?

"Jack! Catch!" Vaike shouts.

I glance in his direction and barely react fast enough to catch an object that the Barbarian threw at me. Upon closer inspection, it's one of the firewood logs from the campfire, still burning on one end. I risk a quick glance at Vaike himself while still remaining weary of Nah. Vaike grins and gives me a thumbs-up. I frown in confusion for a moment.

Then the proverbial candle lights up above my head. Of course! Fire!

Nah rushes me with her right fist primed for another blazing punch. I flip the burning log to hold my palm against the end that's not burning and crouch in a stance. As Nah throws her punch, I duck, step into her guard, and shove the burning end of the firewood in her fortunately open mouth.

Nah stops cold upon the impact and stands still as a statue. She opens her eyes bleary and blinks. "Mwa?"

Then her eyes land on the burning log shoved into her mouth. Nah eases out of her fighting stance and grabs hold of the log instead before she stumbles back to her tent while mumbling "Yummy…"

I activate Mind's eye as she disappears behind the tent flap. My mana powered "sight" lets me "see" Nah devour the last of the fire on the log before she lays back down and hugs the log like a plush toy.

Only then do I deactivate Mind's eye and sigh in relief. "Great thinking on tossing that piece of burning wood, Vaike. I think you just saved our hides."

Vaike rubs the back of her head. "Aw, shucks. It wasn't much. I just figured, if she really likes to eat fire that much, she should calm down if we give her a late-night snack. I mean, it works for me if I can't sleep."

That one reply pretty much sums up Vaike in a nutshell. Occasional moments of brilliance, buried under a massive pile of weird thinking and clumsiness. The thing is, we wouldn't want him any other way. That's what makes Vaike, Vaike.

…

…

"So… Night watch?" I ask in the awkward silence.

Vaike nods. "Night watch."

 **Your relationship with Vaike has improved!**

* * *

Mine and Vaike's shifts are thankfully uneventful, save for that incident with Nah, which suits us just fine. We've had enough terrifying action from the future generation for one night, thank you very much. Donnel and Gaius come out of their tents a few hours later to relieve us and take up their own shifts.

"Say, can anyone of ya explain why Nah's huggin' a burnt log in her sleep?" Donnel asks puzzled while scratching his head.

Vaike and I share a look before we both sigh. "It's a long story." we reply in unison.

Donnel raises an eyebrow at our reply, but ultimately drops it with a shrug and goes to find a good lookout point, while Vaike warns him of the traps he and I set up earlier.

"Hey, Buttercup?" Gaius asks me before we part ways.

"Hm? What is it, Gaius?"

"There's…something we need to talk about." Gaius explains while chewing the stick on his latest lollipop.

"I'm all ears."

The Assassin sighs. "Well, I've spoken a bit with Noire. Between what she told me how you were like in the future she came from and what I saw for myself with how you treated Nah, I think I'm starting to see how you care for children."

I nod. "Well, good on you. Think that's something you want to practice yourself in the future?"

"That's exactly it. I think I'm starting to understand why you were so protective of Noire, which led to…you know, that thing that happened back in our tent before Blossom joined up."

I nod. "Ah, that. Yeah, I could've definitely handled that better."

Gaius nods. "No doubt about that, but that's not why I brought it up. What I meant to say is; I think I'm starting to see things from your perspective. Sure, you overreacted, but so did I. And, honestly? After talking to Noire and finding out how she had it growing up, I feel you brought up a fair point." He rubs his head. "What I meant to say is; I'm sorry for the way I acted back there. It was rash, it was shortsighted, and we never tried to reconcile until Nowi butted in."

I nod sagely. "Yeah, we owe Nowi for that one. And as things stand, I owe you and Tharja an apology too for my own reckless behavior. Putting Noire so far ahead of you was a terrible decision on my part, both as your commanding officer as well as your ally."

Gaius chuckles mirthlessly. "We're both pretty narrowminded when someone important to us is in danger, huh?"

I join in with a smile. "That we are, Gaius. That we are."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"So… We cool?" I ask after some silence.

Gauis nods. "We cool. Though I can't say the same for Tharja. That's something between you and her."

Sigh. Figures I'd have to solve that particular issue one-on-one with our resident Sorcerer. Wouldn't that be lovely, trying to get back in her good graces – or at least no longer being blacklisted by her.

"I'll open that can of worms when the time comes. Well, the watch is all yours and Donnel's, Gaius. Good night."

Gaius replies with a silent nod before he hops into a tree.

 **Your relationship with Gaius has advanced! Your relationship with Gaius is now "Neutral"!**

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: The next morning**_

"We're going back through the snow?!" Nowi shouts as she notes the landscape ahead of us slowly turn white.

I nod. "Yes. We need to make at least one more stop before we head straight for Port Ferox." I pull out my map and point at one last circle. "We've already traveled a bit to the west, so if we turn northwest from here, we should be able to cut through the Feroxi countryside and reach our destination in the shortest time possible."

"Well, couldn't we have just gone straight from the beginnin'?" Donnel asks and traces a completely straight line from where we picked up Nah to the last circle.

I shake my head. "Not if you want to cross thick forests and the occasional river without any bridge in sight. The way we're going, we'll just cross one river, and there's a bridge right in our path, which lets us cut through the snowy landscape with ease afterwards. Overall, that's the most efficient travel route."

Anna gives me a lopsided smile. "Oh? You're not one to stop and smell the flowers?"

I turn to the merchant with eyes brimming with tears. "I miss my wife."

Everyone else give flat looks.

"Then why'd ya go on this crazy road trip in the first place, ya moron?" Sully fires back.

I turn around and cross my arms. "Fine, be that way! Don't come to me once you realize how important this trip turned out to be!" I huff irritably.

Nah sighs. "You're just like I remember you, Uncle Jack – down to the random mood swings. How Auntie Robin put up with you, I'll never understand."

I grin at my niece. "You might when you yourself fall in love with a man one day."

Nah rolls her eyes. "Grownups… I swear."

That's when I pick up on a small detail in Nah's comment.

""Auntie" Robin?"

Nah nods. "Yeah. I mean, she's your wife. That pretty much makes her my aunt by default, right?"

"Only to the extent that she's even considered family for you three." I explain. "Who knows? She might like the idea – after she's gotten used to being a parent."

Nah smiles. "I like the sound of that. And even if she doesn't, I'll have you know I can be very persuasive."

I raise an eyebrow. "Really? What's your reasoning?"

"Hug her and bombard her with puppy-dog eyes until she relents." Nah answers. "I heard that's how my mother convinced you to take her on the trip that ultimately let her meet my father."

I turn to Nowi with a sour expression. "You told her?"

Nowi shrugs. "Not my fault you're a sucker for whatever those you care about ask for, Jack. I mean, you'd become Robin's personal slave for a whole month if she so much as hinted at asking you."

"You can't prove a thing." I claim defiantly.

"Then what about the time you whipped up a whole picknick basket on your own so you and Robin could have a private dinner outside the capital?" Nowi counters. "Robin was concerned the mess hall could get _a little_ cramped for dinner when a few foreign dignitaries came to visit, and you ran off to the palace kitchens, just to make sure she'd have her dinner on time and in peace."

"Uh…"

"Wasn't there that one time when ya butted heads with Frederick over who would have a certain place to pitch a tent?" Donnel asks while rubbing his chin. "Think there was somethin' about the spot havin' the nicest view of the sunset, and ya couldn't decide whether Chrom or Robin would get that spot."

"Well…"

"And then there was time Jack ran to forest outside capital after Robin say door to room a bit cracked." Gregor adds. "Spent all day chopping trees to make new door."

"Face it, Jack." Tharja tells me. "Robin's got you all wrapped around her finger."

I throw myself at my daughter with tears streaming down my face. "Rooose! They're ganging up on meee!"

Rose rolls her eyes and keeps walking unperturbed, even as I hang off her shoulders. "It unnerves me how much of a drama queen you can be, Dad. Wouldn't surprise me if that's where Severa got her theatrics." she mutters.

* * *

We've been walking through the thick snow of Ferox for a few hours now. Nowi was all too happy to be reminded I can Transmute a path through the snow for easy travel both for us and for our carts. However, I was confronted with a conundrum when I started handing out the cloaks; since I never expected to meet Rose on the way, I realized that we're one winter cloak and one bedroll short each. What to do, what to do?

"You've been starin' into the cart for a while now, Jack." Sully remarks from behind me. "Somethin' on your mind?"

I lean back out from the canvas confines and face the Paladin. "A logistical problem. All our bedrolls and winter cloaks are already in use. If one more joins our group, that means we're one bedroll and winter cloak short."

Sully grimaces as she understands what I'm saying. "D-mn. That ain't good. Think we should stop in a town on the way here? Wouldn't want anyone to freeze out here in the snow."

"That sounds like a plan. That should at least cover the bedroll."

Sully raises an eyebrow. "And the cloak too, right?"

I shake my head with a smile. "Nah. I've got that one covered."

Sully gives me a skeptic look before she shrugs.

As we resume our march, I walk close to her. "All right, my turn. You've got something on your mind as well, don't you?"

"Muh? How can ya tell?"

"You hardly ever speak much while we march unless it's something you think is important. I guess it goes to show how much faith you put in the ones in charge." I explain.

"Only if I think they've earned their positions." Sully replies. "Ya wanna pull rank, ya d-mn well better earn it first."

I nod. "That's a good way of thinking. Which is also my point. You wouldn't approach me while I inspected the supply cart unless you had something else to talk about."

Sully sighs. "D-mn… That's some sharp observation ya did there, Jack."

The Paladin glances back at the rest of our group, most notably Nowi clinging to Nah with her near perpetual smile.

The ghost of a smile forms on Sully's own lips. "Seein' all these kids from the future seems to have put a lot of us in a better mood. Guess all that talk about raising kids being worth the trouble might be true after all."

I smile with her as I glance at Rose. "I'd say it's a matter of how much you care for the young ones, but I agree. So, that have anything to do with what's on your mind?"

Sully nods. "Pretty much. Starting with Lucina, all these future kids we've met all have parents among us Shepherds. So it got me thinkin'; will I have a kid too?"

I raise an eyebrow in amusement. "I fail to see why not. I mean, you're a married woman, so there's no stopping you and Vaike, is there?"

Sully's cheeks turn as red as her hair. "I didn't mean it like that! I mean, sure, Vaike and I _could_ \- No, wait. Grr! That's not the point!"

I'm having way too much fun with this, as indicated by my snicker.

"D-mn it, Jack! Get serious!" Sully yells indignant.

I wave it off. "Fine, fine. I'll hear you out. Promise."

Sully huffs and looks away, blush still going strong, and not because of the cold.

"I've been thinkin' lately…" she eventually tells me after she's cooled off. "If I had a kid in the future, what'd that kid be like? I mean, from what we've seen, there's all kinds of variants. Chrom's and Miriel's kids are just like 'em, except they swapped genders. But then there's kids like Tharja's and yours, and they're nothin' like their parents. Well, maybe your kid's about as crazy as you are."

I give Sully a guarded look. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"What I'm sayin' is; I'm not sure how my own kid would be like, provided I'll even have one." Sully finishes, completely ignoring my question.

I decide to play along and rub my chin. "Well… What _would_ you like your child to be like?"

"It better not be some spineless brat, that's for sure." Sully replies immediately. The Paladin scratches her head. "Other than that? I dunno… I mean, I chose the life of a knight on my own, so whatever path my kid's chosen in life, I just hope it's their own choice too." A small smile forms on her lips. "Though if it were up to me, I'd like to have a daughter."

"Okay? Why a daughter?"

"I'd love to train the little girl to be strong. Strong enough to take on anybody. Strong enough to surpass me when she grows up. I want her to be livin' proof that women can be just as strong as men." Sully explains. "Spendin' the days trainin' with my family. Now that's a life I could get used to."

My inner anatomist wants to point out that men naturally have more muscle mass than women, and therefore have greater natural aptitude in gaining physical strength. That being said, you can grow strong in a number of ways. Robin's a great example of that. She may lack my raw power, but her strategic mind can mop the floor with me before I even understand what's going on. That's not to say that Robin's weak, though. I'd hate to be on the receiving end of one of her lightning spells. Elemental advantage aside, lightning magic _hurts_ , d-mn it!

"Well, what'll you do if your child's nothing like that?" I ask.

Sully sighs. "I'd probably feel bummed out for getting my hopes up, but I'll get over it. So long as my kid made their choice and stuck by it, I ain't got no reason to complain. H-ll, I'll support 'em, no matter what they choose, 'cause that's what I would've wanted when I grew up."

I nod sagely. "That's a good attitude to have towards parenting, Sully. Well, assuming you even become a parent."

Sully smirks. "Heh. I'll blow you all outta the water. You'll see."

 **Your relationship with Sully has improved!**

I'm faintly reminded of Lissa's declaration that her unborn child would do something similar when he grows up. When did the women in our army get so competitive about parenting? I know mothers can get eccentric, but that happens _after_ childbirth, for crying out loud!

* * *

"Hey, I think there's a town ahead." Gaius tells us from his temporary lookout point from the top of our supply cart.

Noire sighs tiredly. "Finally. We've been walking through this snow for hours."

"Hey, it's not that bad." I tell my student. "I paved a way through the snow, remember? Imagine walking through the actual depth of it all the way to the town."

Noire shivers upon imagining it. "How did you manage to travel through this landscape before? Didn't you have a much larger caravan then?"

I shrug. "We traveled pretty light, all things considered. Some of us even had a special trick for traveling easily in this environment."

To demonstrate, I leave the trail I Transmuted in the snow and activate Mana soles. From my first step on the untouched snow, I walk on the white substance as if it were solid ground.

Noire looks at my feet and blinks twice.

Then she slumps against the supply cart with a purple depression cloud hanging over her head.

"Sensei. So mean…"

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!" I ask indignant.

Noire turns back to me with her eyes brimming with tears. "You're telling me I could've spent all those winters playing with the others in the snow without exhausting myself by walking through it? You never taught us that."

Wait… Is she guilt tripping me?

I give Noire a flat look. "Don't even start, Noire. No trying to manipulate your teacher, you hear me?"

Noire's crocodile tears stop. Then she turns to Rose with an upset frown. "Rose! You told me Jack-sensei's a sucker for puppy-dog eyes! Do you have any idea how embarrassing that was?"

Rose shrugs and places her hands behind her head with a carefree smile. "Huh. Guess it only works for me, Nah and Nowi. Who knew Dad had an innate resistance against puppy-dog eyes from certain females? The more you know I suppose…"

"You mean to tell me you didn't even know if it would work?! How dare you use me as a test subject?!"

"It's, as Laurent so often puts it, for science. Be proud. You've advanced the field of science that is my Dad's mental landscape."

Noire's indignant face morphs into a sinister snarl. "I will not stand for being ridiculed by this! Face me, you stick!"

Rose freezes in her tracks. The groaning sound of an unoiled metal valve opening echoes through the air as Rose slowly turns her head towards the Archer with her eyes glowing red.

"Care to repeat that, Noire? Did you just call me skinny?" Rose asks with a voice that could freeze nitrogen.

"You heard me, Rose."

My student and daughter butt heads. Sparks fly between their eyes.

"You'd better take back what you just said, you two-faced psycho, or else!" Rose growls at Noire.

"Who're you calling "psycho", washboard chest?! That's the pot calling the kettle black!" Noire snarls back.

"You wanna go, cow?!"

"Bring it, witch!"

What follows is the two girls wrestling around in the snow. I look at the ensuing catfight with a massive drop of sweat forming at the back of my head.

"They're a lot livelier than I expected." I muse. "What brought this up?"

Nah sighs. "Noire and Rose know exactly how to trigger each other. One wrong move, and it all snowballs from there."

"Shouldn't we put a stop to this?" Nowi asks concerned as Noire and Rose tumble away from the trail and into the thick snow.

I wave off her concerns. "Let's leave those two to cool off a bit in the cold. That should teach them to bicker in the middle of a winter landscape. So long as they keep the violence mild, it should be fine."

While the girls are busy having an epic catfight in the snow, I notice we've been approached by a squirrel. A squirrel in a robe made of black moss and red leaves, and a small flower on the head. The fact that there's hardly any trees or foliage in sight surprises me. These critters usually never operate without some kind of cover due to the nature of their work and their place in the food chain.

I bend down to the squirrel. "Konan? Why did you approach me from so far away from the nearest cover? Isn't that dangerous for a squirrel?"

Konan nods. " _That would normally be the case, Jack, but as you can see, I was left with little option. I am here to bear news that you are approaching one of the humans you tasked us to seek out._ "

I nod and dig out a hazel nut from my bag, which I hand to the squirrel. "As I figured. Looks like we went for the right town."

Konan finishes the hazel nut and nods. " _As far as our investigation could uncover, this and one more place have humans who match your description. The others, we could not find._ "

I nod. "Yeah, I remember Itachi told me that when he gave me your report. That probably means I will have to search for them outside this continent."

" _If that is the case, I am afraid we cannot help you anymore in that task. Our network only covers this landmass. We know next to nothing of what happens beyond the sea._ "

I give Konan a smile. "For what it's worth, you and your comrades have been a great help in finding the companions that have joined us. And for that, you have my heartfelt thanks, Konan."

Konan nods. " _I shall pass this message on to Nagato, then. He will most likely be pleased to hear that our performance was satisfactory._ "

I nod in agreement. "You do that."I fish out another hazel nut. "And while you're at it, pass this one to him as well, okay? As a token of my gratitude for a job well done."

Konan accepts the nut. " _I will. And remember, Jack; should you ever be in need of our services again, you need only call us. We are never far from you, so long as you do not travel at sea._ "

"I'll keep that in mind, Konan." I look around me. "So, how exactly will you get back unnoticed? For that matter, how did you even get here without being detected by any predators?"

" _That is simple. I need only use the same technique again._ " Konan answers and wraps her tail around the hazel nut.

Then she places her paws together. A moment later, she vanishes in a swirl of red leaves.

I do a double take at where the squirrel was just a moment ago. Did she just perform a leaf body-flicker? No, wait. This is somewhere close to average by this point. Freakin' Nagato and his bush-style nut jutsu…

I rise back up from my crouch and survey the area. Looks like Rose's and Noire's catfight has carved out a curiously curvy furrow in the snow from all the tumbling around. A closer look at its shape reminds me of a pretzel.

"The only reason you're calling me out on my chest is because yours is a forsaken wasteland!" Noire yells as she pulls Rose's hair.

"Ow! And the only reason you're going for my hair is because the developers didn't put more stock in yours!" Rose counters.

I facepalm with a sigh. "Okay, Nowi. You _might_ have a point. We'd better break up that fight, or they'll be out here in the snow until nightfall.

The two girls separate and get into their respective stances. Noire with her bow in one hand and sparks dancing along the other, and Rose with Kirby in a pitching stance.

"BLOOD AND THUNDER!"

"Magikazam!"

"Girls! I said _mild_ violence!" I yell at them.

* * *

We barely make it into the town before we stumble upon an argument between a Knight and a Sorcerer.

Wait a minute. That blonde Knight looks familiar.

* * *

 **Kjelle Lvl 31 Class: Knight**

 **Cassius Lvl 42 Class: Sorcerer**

* * *

Kjelle points her lance at the Sorcerer. "Dishonorable cur! You killed my master, and now you will face me!"

Cassius scoffs. "If that pile of pudding was your master, I'd advise you to just keep walking."

Considering my track record with these future kids, that dismissal has me slightly triggered.

Kjelle tightens the grip on her lance. "Craven dog… You claimed a hostage! He'd never have lost in a fair fight!"

A horrified town maiden places a hand on the Knight's shoulder. "Nor would he have wanted this, Kjelle. If I lose you as well, I…" Tears start to flow down her cheeks.

"You won't lose me. I swear it." Kjelle assures her gently. "And I swear your husband will be avenged!"

Cassius gives an uncaring shrug. "If you want to run headlong into the grave, girl, I won't stop you." The Sorcerer indicates a place outside town with his head. "We can duel in the ruins ahead."

As we see the two walk off towards their destination, Sully frowns.

"I dunno… Somethin' feels fishy about that guy. If what the girl in the armor said was true, there ain't no guarantee he'll fight fair."

That's when the town maiden approaches us. "Please! You have to do something!" she begs us.

I raise an eyebrow. "We can at least hear you out. All right, what's going on?"

"It's my friend, sir. I fear she's walking into a terrible trap!" the maiden explains. "That scoundrel Cassius would never fight an honest duel. My husband took a similar stand against his tyranny not long ago." She puts her hands over her eyes as her tears break out. "The brute took a girl hostage and then cut my husband down as he lowered his weapon!"

I scowl. "And now you fear Cassius will pull a similar trick against that armored girl."

The maiden nods. "*Sniff* I can't let her suffer the same fate… I'd die, I would!"

I nod. "I understand."

I then turn in the direction Kjelle and Cassius walked in. "All right, let's crash their duel!"

Vaike gives me a quizzical look. "Ya sure about that, Jack? Ain't it rude or something if you interrupt a duel?"

I give the Barbarian a smirk as I march towards the ruins. "Oh, we'd _never_ do something foul like that, Vaike. We're just witnesses to an honest duel, aren't we? Besides, if someone else tries to butt in, we could just call foul play and stop it before it affects the outcome. In the end, we'll still keep it fair and square."

Anna gives me a flat look. "You just want an excuse to kick his butt, don't you?"

I place a hand on my chest. "Moi? Please, Anna. I'd _never_ rob that young lady of her opponent! Of course, if he's got lackeys who don't know a fair fight from a dirty one, well…" I grin. "No one said beating up a bunch of cheaters made the world a worse place."

Gaius shakes his head with an exasperated smile. "You just love twisting words in your favor, don't you, Buttercup?"

"You need to have your way with words when moving around snobby nobles, Gaius. They may prefer to keep their hands clean, but they can pull some seriously dirty moves at times."

The Assassin raises an eyebrow. "Speaking from experience?"

"Comes with being married to Robin." I explain as I set out for those ruins. "With both our ranks come high social standings, and with high social standings come the expectations for us to attend the occasional fancy party thrown either by some noble with too much money in their coffers or even at the palace." I shrug. "But it's mostly me acting as Robin's silent bodyguard while Robin does most of the talking. She's the smoother negotiator between the two of us anyway."

"Robin under threat of assassin, yes?" Gregor asks.

A sinister scowl forms on my face. "No. It's to make sure those aristocrats keep it professional instead of trying to get fresh with my wife."

Rose smiles at Nah and points at me. "Told you he's got a seventh sense when it comes to my mom."

Nah raises an eyebrow. "Then what's the sixth?"

Rose shudders. "Ever wondered how he could spot us and know exactly what we were doing, even though we were clearly out of sight?"

A similar shudder runs down the half-manakete's back. "You mean that time when we-"

"Yes."

"And he flew in like a hawk, chewed us out, and-"

" _Yes_."

Nah tries to hide her head inside the hood of her coat. "Oh gods… I always knew he had more than five senses."

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Side quest: A duel disgraced  
** _You've just arrived at a town in the Feroxi snowfields when you stumble upon a young Knight challenging a man of questionable morals to a duel. According to a local town maiden, said man of questionable morals is likely to pull a dirty trick and turn the whole fight into an unfair one. Hurry to the site of the duel and make sure it stays fair!  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat all enemies.  
_ **Rewards:** _7 000 EXP, 7 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objectives:** _Don't let Kjelle die, Allow Kjelle to finish her duel.  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _1 000 EXP, 1 000 gold_

* * *

So, these are those ruins where Cassius proposed they hold their duel. "Ruins" seems like a bit of a strong word for this place. Sure, it looks pretty abandoned and run-down, but the core structure seems intact. Heck, the roof is still on top and in one piece, offering much-needed shelter from the constant snowfall.

And, as expected, there's a sizable group of less-than-friendly looking people spread throughout the place.

One of them, a Barbarian, steps out in the snow as we approach the short set of stairs to the entrance.

"Hey, now. What's this merry ragtag group doin' all the way out here?" the ruffian asks rudely.

"Well, we heard that there'd be a duel taking place here, so we came in hopes of seeing it." I explain. "I guess that's why you're here too?"

The Barbarian grins. "A duel, eh? Yeah, our boss _did_ mention there'd be one. In fact, he came here with some armored chick not too long ago."

One of his comrades, a Dark Mage, looks at us with an arrogant grin. "Though I guess it depends on how you define "duel". If you lot expected a good old-fashioned one-on-one, this ain't it." The other ruffians laugh at the explanation. "See, our boss likes to tip the odds in his favor a lot. No doubt he's locked that armor girl in the audience chamber with himself and a number of our buddies, just waiting to turn her into a giant pincushion before he delivers the finisher! This is our hideout, see? Our place, our rules."

I continue approaching the ruffian hideout, even as the ruffians keep up their mocking laughter. I respond with a grin on my own.

"That so?" I ask as I draw Harvest Moon. "See, we've heard rumors in a nearby town of how you guys keep oppressing the people living there, and that doesn't sit well with us."

"So what?" a Mercenary sneers. "Yer gonna crash the boss's fun just because it's the "duty" of a bunch'a goody two shoes?"

"Oh, we'd _never_ dream of butting in on that duel. That would just make us hypocrites. But, just like you said, our definition of a duel is a one-on-one match." My grin grows wider while the others draw their weapons behind me. "On the other hand, that means it's open season on the rest of you punks."

 **BGM: Fury sparks, Tales of Vesperia music**

The Barbarian in front readies his axe. "Ya think we're just gonna let yer lot into our turf like that?! None of ye are gettin' in!" He eyes the women in our group with a toothy grin. "'Cept for the women. They're more than welcome to have some fun with us."

I roll my eyes as I build up speed into a run. Seriously, could these guys be _any_ more stereotypical?

The Barbarian swings his axe with a battle cry, only to cry out in confusion as I jump over the swing.

"Too slow." I comment and use his back as a springboard to launch myself at his fellow ruffians inside. I idly note Sully run through the guy with her lance before she rides on and smacks the still impaled Barbarian into a Knight.

"He's exposed! Get him!" a Sorcerer calls out. A quick headcount reveals a total of six Dark Mages, Archers and said Sorcerer aiming at me. All six attacks launch in perfect sync.

*Boom!*

"Hah! How do ya like that?!" the Sorcerer shouts smugly.

I nod in approval from behind him. "Nice teamwork. I'm impressed a ragtag group of outlaws could coordinate an ambush like that on the fly."

The Sorcerer nods sagely. "Yeah, we had to practice a bit before- What the h-ll?! How did you get behind me?!"

I grin and point the end of Harvest Moon's pommel at him. "The same way I get behind anyone else; I used stealth."

*Wham!*

The Sorcerer goes down like a sack of bricks. Man, I love Gale step.

Gaius parries a Steel Sword from a Mercenary and backflips over the follow-up shot from one of the Archers earlier before he stops beside me.

"Show-off."

"You have much to learn, Gaius." I tell the Assassin smugly.

A tic mark forms on his temple. "Don't even start, Buttercup."

At this point, the Mercenary's getting tired of getting played by Gaius and runs up to him with his sword ready for a brutal overhead swing.

"Free for all!" *Wham!*

Only for the ruffian to get blindsided by Vaike's shoulder tackle. The Mercenary gets knocked down on the ground and gets an axe to the chest half a second later.

Noire's locked down in a shootout with a pair of Archers. The outlaw sharpshooters are at a homefield advantage and make good use of it through strategic choices of cover. Noire, for her part, gradually gets more and more annoyed at how hard it gets for her to find an opening to take aim.

Nah flips over Noire's latest choice of cover, a slightly broken crate, and huddles close to the Archer.

"Need help?" the half-manakete asks.

"Just get them out of that stupid cover." Noire mutters and Traces an Iron Lance.

Nah smiles. "Got it."

Right after two more arrows sail over the crate, Nah sprints out from cover and takes stock of the Archers' positions. She then jumps on top of a barrel, flips over a General's axe swing, and kicks off a pillar to land in a position where she can flank the Archers in cover. The half-manakete's fist lights up in azure flames as she grins.

"Over here~."

The stream of flames makes the Archers scramble away from their position – and right into Noire's sights.

"Aha!"

The arrows fired from Noire's bow revert back into Iron Lances midflight and pierces through their torsos. The Archers manage to stumble two more steps before they collapse on the ground.

Rose twirls around a lance thrust from a Knight that she engages in a narrow corridor. The Knight pulls back and places his shield in front before he charges at the cheery Dark Mage with the intent on bashing the shield into her.

Rose smirks and tenses her legs. As the Knight reaches the proper distance, Rose jumps, grabs hold of the top of the shield, and uses it as leverage to flip over the surprised Knight. As she lands, she pulls out Kirby and coats the pink plushie in a white shell of mana. Rose winds up before she lets Kirby fly right at the Knight's back. The impact staggers the ruffian and makes him stumble a few steps. At this point, Rose catches Kirby on volley and kicks the plush toy at an angle. Kirby bounces off the wall and hits the Knight in the head, dazing him slightly from the impact. At the same time, Kirby bounces away from the Knight and into the air. Rose jumps after Kirby and spikes the toy right on top of the Knight's head. As she lands, she points up into the air behind the Knight.

"Look, a shooting star!" Rose shouts cheerfully.

"You really think I'll fall for that old tri-" *Wham!*

The Knight keels over as Kirby, still cloaked in that white mana shell, smashes into the back of his head with the force of a heavy mace. Rose holds out her hand and catches Kirby as the plush toy comes back down.

"Aand done!" Rose declares and snaps her fingers. A lightning spell hits the downed Knight, finishing him off.

Rose frowns as she holds up Kirby and stares the doll in the eyes. "You know, with all the acrobatic moves I keep pulling off, you'd think my DEX stat would be higher at this point."

 **Rose's DEX increases by 2!**

The Dark Mage grins in triumph. "There we go!"

*Clang!*

The General in front of me grunts as he tries to push me back with his Steel Axe. I look back at him with a bored expression. Seriously, with all the passive buffs on my stats, my STR is so high that the ruffian might as well try to move a boulder with just one arm. On the other hand, Tracing a weapon heavy enough to tear through his armor would be a bit of a hassle, since he's got backup coming in from behind him. All right. Looks like I'll have to break through with something fast. And I've got just the thing for this.

I push back enough to send the General back with a kick to his chest. That small amount of distance gives me enough time to swipe my hand over Harvest Moon's blade and coat it in a golden glow of mana. Time to take a leaf out of Sora's book, who took a leaf out of Captain Hook's book.

"Ars Caelum!"

I dash right at the group with my now shining sword and unleash a flurry of slashes while alternating between targets. I flick some blood off Harvest Moon as the glow dies down. The ruffians collapse from the assault soon after.

"Next." I call out as I look around for another opponent to fight.

Donnel parries a sword swing form a Myrmidon and backs away slowly, trying to get a feel for his opponent's pace. Unseen by the Fighter, a Dark Mage grins as he charges up a Nosferatu spell in the hopes of blindsiding Donnel.

What the spellcaster doesn't realize is that Tharja's standing right behind him. That is, until the Sorcerer of the Shepherds grabs him by the back of his head.

"Are you even trying?" Tharja asks bored as she roasts the outlaw alive with an Elfire spell to the head.

"Alright, men! Form up!" a General shouts. A trio of Knights join up at his side, followed by a pair of Mercenaries behind them and an Archer providing covering fire.

Gregor smirks as he shoulders his new Iron Axe. "Seems like busy day for Gregor, no?"

Anna whips out Gilthunder and twirls the keyblade into a reverse grip. "Hey, could you shoulder some of my share while you're at it? I'd love to check out what they've got stashed in here, but I can't do that while I'm busy fighting for my life."

"Oy! Anna not try to run away on robbing spree again, no?" Gregor asks indignant. "Gregor not exactly springing chicken."

"Neither am I." Anna admits. "'Course, mooks on this level shouldn't be too much of a hassle except for the big guy. I just want more time to count my gold."

"Anna need better hobby." Gregor remarks. "Or maybe friend to spend time with, no?"

"What are you talking about?! Sacks of coin make for wonderful company!"

One of the Mercenaries pick up on the conversation. "You hear that, boys? Sounds like that chick's got some nice big bags of money. How about taking her prisoner so we can help ourselves with some of that sweet gol-"

*Brrzzt!*

The Mercenary falls to the ground as a zapped and charred husk. The ruffians look at his smoking form in horror before they redirect their sights at Anna, who points Gilthunder at them with a displeased expression.

"Leave my gold out of this." the merchant orders the outlaws coldly.

The ruffians huddle together in fear of Anna's sudden change in demeanor. That proves to be a mistake, as the merchant drops a Thundaga spell right on their heads. Even as they contemplate their blunder, Gregor charges in with his axe and sends them flying.

The Hero gives Anna a grateful smile. "Many thanks."

Anna shoulders Gilthunder with a huff. "That's what they get for picking on a girl's best friend."

"Anna _really_ need better hobby." the Hero mutters with a sweatdrop.

Sully blocks a Myrmidon's downward swing with her lance. A smirk is all the warning the ruffian gets before Sully lets go of one end of her lance, causing the sword to slide off to the side. At the same time, Sully steps to the opposite side and hits the back of the Myrmidon's knees. A roundhouse kick to the face sends him on the floor, and Sully's lance through his chest finishes him off.

Sully looks through the corridors.

"We've got this place pretty well mapped out now." the Paladin mutters. She eventually comes up to a set of sturdy looking double doors, guarded by half a dozen more ruffians standing around it.

Sully scowls. "Jack, I think this is it!"

I come out from a side corridor and look around. "So it would seem. Good call, Sully."

As the ruffians standing guard tense up and get ready to fight, Sully scratches her head. "But how the heck're we getting in? The mooks aside, that door looks sturdy."

I scratch my chin and look around for options. A battering ram might do the trick. Now, where can I find-

"All clear on this side, Jack!" Donnel reports as he runs out from the opposite side corridor with Nowi in tow.

I snap my fingers. Yeah, Nowi will do.

* * *

 **Union Strike: Dragon Rage**

"Nowi!"

Nowi grins and transforms into a dragon. " **V for victory!** "

The ruffians do a doubletake upon seeing Nowi transform.

I rush at the three standing on the left and shift Harvest Moon into scythe form. The first ruffian swings at my head. I duck low, spin, and bat him to the right with Harvest Moon. The second ruffian conjures a purple rune circle under my feet and one over my head. I run out from the spell a split-second before black spikes erupt from the circles.

"Still too slow." I mutter as I smack that ruffian in the same direction as the first one.

The third ruffian tries to run me through with his sword. Unlike the first two, his approach is careful and measured. I swing Harvest Moon a few turns before I aim at his feet. He jumps over the scythe, but is forced to block as I continue spinning. The impact blows his guard open, letting me send him in the same direction as his two comrades with a hook kick.

On the opposite side, Nowi barrels straight into a Knight. His efforts at stopping her charge are completely fruitless, and instead get worse as Nowi keeps pushing until a Barbarian gets caught in the fray. Nowi backs off and flips sideways to smack both ruffians to the left with her tail. Another mighty flap of her wings sends her on a crash course with an Archer. Said Archer takes a shaky aim at Nowi, only to miss as she twists around the arrow's path through the air and comes close enough to send that ruffian flying in the same direction as the previous two.

Our combined assault is so well synchronized that each ruffian collides with one from the opposite side, leading to three pairs of ruffians standing in front of the double doors. Nowi and I get in position in front of them. I toss Harvest moon into the air, move my arms clockwise, and cast a funnel of wind that pushes the ruffians against the doors.

"The rest is yours." I tell Nowi.

" **Err… RAGE!** "

Nowi takes a deep breath and launches an azure sphere of concentrated dragon fire at the ruffians. The wind funnel speeds up the fireball, making it hit the ruffians like a cannon shot.

*BOOM!*

I catch Harvest Moon in the way down and high-five Nowi after she reverts to human form, both of us having matching grins on our faces.

"Aw yeah!"

"What a team!"

 **BGM ends**

* * *

A side effect, and the main intent, of our Union Strike was that the double doors got blown clean off their hinges. We march into the audience hall and are met with the gaping stares of everyone inside, including Kjelle, Cassius and a few more of his minions. Figures the jerk would have backup for the fight.

"Wha- How dare you intrude here?!" the ruffian Sorcerer shouts at us.

I crack my neck with a mocking smile. "Oh, we just heard that there's a duel going down here, so we came to see it. Only problem was, your lackeys just wouldn't let us in through the front door, and in this weather too. The nerve of some people, I tell you."

Tharja rolls her eyes. "This coming from you, of all people."

"Hey, I'm only a jerk to those who deserve it."

"Master Jack?" Kjelle asks tentatively. "Is that you?"

I give the blonde Knight a smile. "Oh, looks like I found the one I was looking for. Don't mind me for now. How about we talk later?"

I note that her armor is scratched and even singed in some places. That, combined with the slight labor in her breath, means she probably took a beating before we got here. Considering she had to fight alone, I'm impressed she managed to stay in such good condition against such a numerical disadvantage. And against ruffians who won't hesitate to play dirty at that.

Kjelle blinks before she nods. The Knight is about to turn back to her opponent when Sully walks up to her and claps her shoulder.

"Hey. You got a second?" the Paladin asks Kjelle.

Kjelle's eyes widen upon seeing Sully. "Ahh!"

Sully blinks. "What? Something on my face?"

Kjelle shakes her head. "N-no, you just…remind me of someone. Forgive me. I have no time to talk."

"Don't worry. It won't take long." Sully assures her. "So listen. These lowlifes have no honor. You know that, right? If you meet 'em head-on, you'll just end up with a sword in your back."

Kjelle frowns. "Head-on is how I live."

Sully smiles in approval. "Ooh, I like you. And that's all the more reason I can't let you charge off on your own."

"Don't try to stop me!" Kjelle protests.

"I'm not stopping you. I'm coming with you." Sully explains. "You just focus on finishing your duel, and I'll kill any idiot who gets in the way. Though, that's pretty much what we've been doing this past half hour or so."

Kjelle nods in surprise. "R-right!"

"B-Boss!" one of the few remaining ruffians stutter out. "We're trapped! And they have us outnumbered!"

"Don't you think I can see that, you moron?!" the Sorcerer snaps at his lackey. "No matter. We'll push through their ranks and hightail it out of here. But first, I've a naïve fool of a girl to take care of."

* * *

 **Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy approaching!**

* * *

The leader of the ruffians finally steps up, Waste tome in hand.

Kjelle gets in a combat stance with her shield raised. "If you believe in any gods, you'd better pray to them now!"

Cassius grins. "My, my. Aren't we confident?"

Kjelle sends him a cold glare. "I don't fear you, coward!"

Cassius nods. "Aye, I suppose not. Most fools assume that liars and sneaks like me are weak. They want us to be weak, see? They NEED it. It lets them hold on to the fantasy that right prevails in the end." The Sorcerer smirks arrogantly. "Heh. They can think what they want. A cocky fool is an easy target. Truth is, in the end, it's the clever ones who always survive."

Kjelle scoffs. "A man who takes hostages in order to win a duel has no claim to cleverness. Even an animal would not stoop so low! But enough. I've no more words to waste on the likes of you. My master will have vengeance!"

Cassius flips his tome open and begins channeling mana through the pages, causing them to glow purple. "Wrong, girl. Your master will have COMPANY!"

"And company, he shall have." Kjelle declares. "That company will be YOU!"

Kjelle drops her shield, stabs her lance into the floor, and reaches into the gaps between her pauldrons and breastplate. The sounds of clasps coming undone echoes in the hall. Then the top half of her armor falls off and folds along her waist until it surrounds her like the petals of a flower. Kjelle's upper body is still covered in chainmail, but the real surprise is what's revealed on the inside of her armor; hidden blades that fold out over the edge of the armor, adding a circle of sharp edges around the blonde Knight.

Cassius does a doubletake. Nowi oohs in fascination. The lollipop falls out of Gaius's mouth.

"What the h-ll?!" Sully asks shocked. "She had that underneath her armor the whole time?!"

"Is that…a bladed combat skirt?" I ask baffled. "How do you even make something like that?"

"Makes one wonder why she didn't just pull it out from the start." Rose muses. "Oh, wait. This whole fic is mainly from Dad's perspective. Of course it looks cooler for the readers if she does it only after she appears on-screen."

 **BGM:** **The battle of concepts, Haikyuu! OST**

Kjelle rips her lance out of the ground and charges at Cassius with a battle cry. She brings the lance down with a twohanded swing, but Cassius jumps aside. Kjelle reacts quickly and chases after the Sorcerer while pivoting. This is where the blades in her skirt make themselves useful, as her pivoting turns said skirt into something resembling a circle saw that prevents anyone from getting too close. Cassius casts a quick Flux spell on the ground to get some space between himself and the Knight. His expression mirrors his displeasure of his situation, as indicated by the tears in his robes from Kjelle's bladed skirt.

Cassius conjures a pair of rune circles over his shoulders and launches spheres of dark magic at Kjelle. The Knight weaves between the spells with relative ease, but her progress is impeded enough for Cassius to cast a more elaborate spell. A purple rune circle as wide as he is tall forms in front of him and spews out a black mist. Kjelle notices this and, not taking any chances, uses her lance to pole vault over the mist and towards Cassius for another overhead strike. Cassius rolls to the side and points his open hand at where Kjelle lands.

"Gotcha!"

The mist that originally lingered around where the Sorcerer stood gets blown away from Kjelle's landing. The Knight's eyes widen when she discovers that a rune circle was hidden under the mist all along. Said rune circle glows brightly before an explosion of mana erupts from it.

*Whoom!*

The only thing louder than Kjelle's pain filled shout is the noise of the dark spell. As it dies down, Kjelle pants, with burn marks from the spell on her body in a few places.

"What's the matter, girl? Weren't you going to avenge your dear master?" Cassius taunts.

Kjelle readies her lance with a growl. "I'll make you eat those words."

As she charges anew, a pair of Myrmidons jump in to intercept her.

"Move it!" the Knight roars and twirls her lance while spinning. "Crescent moon!"

Kjelle puts her spinning motion into a big horizontal swing, made bigger by the length of her lance. Both Myrmidons get batted aside like ragdolls from the violent swing, but the attack had Kjelle so committed that it leaves her open for Cassius, who has another spell ready.

Kjelle tumbles backwards from the blast, but gets back up quickly and renews her efforts. This time, her attack proves successful, as the Steel Lance bites into Cassius's side before he can dodge completely.

"I know I ain't the smartest one around…" Vaike muses as the duel rages on. "…but is strength and smarts really opposites of one another?"

I shake my head. "Not exactly. While it's true that those who spend their time studying normally end up physically weaker, that's because they often end up with sharper minds instead. And it's fully possible to be both strong and smart at the same time."

Vaike scratches his head. "So, uh… Is this even a battle between those two?"

"No. Those two aspects aren't in conflict with one another. If you were to choose between one of them, what would you choose? The strength to combat any enemy, or the wits to plan unparalleled strategies? Any decent tactician wants both. The wits to form a good strategy, and the power to see it through."

I frown at the intense battle going on. "However, this isn't such a clash. It's another sort of battle between concepts; a clash between chivalry and deceit. That's what separates a worthy tactician from an unworthy one. Those who involve the innocent in their schemes will never find true strength."

Cassius points at the ground under Kjelle's feet. A black rune circle forms on the floor, and Kjelle finds herself unable to move. While she struggles, six more rune circles form around her.

"See you in Hell! Waste!" Cassius shouts triumphantly.

Dark purple spikes launch from the rune circles. In response, Kjelle slams her lance into the ground.

"Spirit barrier!"

A transparent blue bubble forms around the Knight, causing the spikes to break upon impact. At the same time, the rune circle under Kjelle's feet fades, allowing the Knight to approach the Sorcerer.

"No! I will not fall here!" Cassius shouts defiantly and launches a stream of dark magic at Kjelle.

Kjelle responds by twirling her lance again before she thrusts it right at the incoming dark magic.

"Soul strike!"

The tip of Kjelle's lance glows pink. As the polearm makes contact, the stream bulges before it bursts along its length, starting from the point of impact and continues all the way to Cassius. The final burst knocks the Sorcerer off-balance.

Kjelle rears her lance back and throws it at the ruffian Sorcerer with a war cry. The Steel Lance pierces Cassius right in the solar plexus, causing him to lose his breath and cough out blood. Kjelle rushes into the opening and grabs hold of her lance.

"Victory is mine!"

The Knight jumps into the air with Cassius still impaled on her lance. Then Kjelle points the impaled Sorcerer to the ground and kicks off his body to jump further up, while dislodging her weapon at the same time. As Cassius falls to the ground, Kjelle reaches the beams holding up the roof. There she flips around to hit them feetfirst, and uses her leverage to launch herself back down at Cassius lance first.

*Boom!*

Kjelle drives Cassius into the ground with enough force to form a small crater, her Steel Lance piercing clean through his heart. Cassius gives one last shudder before he goes completely still. Kjelle rips out her lance and flicks some blood off it while standing back up, tall and triumphant.

 **BGM ends.**

* * *

 **Cassius has been killed!**

 **Kjelle has leveled up!**

* * *

Vaike whistles in appreciation. "Dang. That girl's got some great skills."

I nod. "You're telling me. Good thing she's our latest recruit."

Gaius gives me a sidelong glance. "You planned this all along, didn't you, Buttercup?"

I smirk. "What gave it away? My contract with the squirrels? The route we've been traveling these past few days? The accuracy of finding new allies? My dazzling looks?"

"The looks are debatable." Rose comments bluntly.

"Rose! How could you?!"

"Kjelle!"

We turn to the direction of the voice and find the woman from the town we visited earlier. Despite the fact that this place was a battle zone mere minutes ago, she seems unusually undeterred by the death and chaos left behind from all the fighting as she approaches Kjelle with a relieved smile – and a long wrapped bundle in her arms?

"Thank the gods you're safe!"

Kjelle returns the smile with a nod. "I kept my promise. Your husband can rest in peace now."

"I may have a way to thank you." the wife of the Kjelle's late master tells her and unravels the cloth around the bundle. It reveals an impressive lance underneath. Let's see.

* * *

 **Dragoon Lance, Polearm, Base damage: 75, Rare  
** _This heavy lance is presented as a gift for any soldier who qualifies to become a Dragoon, an elite soldier famous for their skill with polearms and incredible physical prowess. Because the training required to qualify for such a prestigious role is so grueling, this weapon has come to symbolize its wielder's work ethic and dedication. This notion is well-grounded, as any dragoon worth their title can use this lance with ease, despite its weight. The tip is designed specifically to pierce the scales of a dragon, though it can also be used to pierce just about any other target.  
Deals 300 % more damage against draconic creatures._

* * *

"This was his." the town maiden explains. "And I'm sure he would have wanted you to have it."

Wait… Kjelle's late master was a dragoon?! Drat! He would've probably been a great help against Valm if we got here sooner! Oh well. From what I've Observed of Kjelle, she can perform enough for both of them, especially if she uses that lance.

The look in Kjelle's eyes tells me she's tempted to accept, but she eventually shakes her head. "This is a precious keepsake. Its rightful place is with you."

"I'll not forget my husband for lack of a memento, dear." her late master's wife replies and practically shoves the lance into Kjelle's hands. "Now please, take it."

"You're certain?"

"Absolutely."

Kjelle gives it some more thought before she nods. "Then…thank you."

"Just swear to take care of yourself, Kjelle. Swear you'll stay safe."

"I swear it." Kjelle promises with a smile and takes hold of the lance.

 **Kjelle got a Dragoon Lance!**

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Side quest: A duel disgraced  
** _The tyranny of Cassius has been brought to an end, thanks to your efforts. The townspeople can finally rest easy. Here's to hope the last victim of such underhanded dueling tactics was the late warrior who stood up to him before staying his hand at the sight of a hostage.  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat all enemies.  
_ **Objective cleared!  
Rewards:** _You gain_ _7 000 EXP! You gain 7 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Don't let Kjelle die, Allow Kjelle to finish her duel  
_ **Bonus objectives cleared!  
** **Bonus rewards:** _You gain 1 000 EXP! You gain 1 000 gold!_

* * *

 **BGM:** **Frog's theme, Chrono Trigger music**

As we get ready to leave the ruffians' hideout, Sully approaches Kjelle with a proud smile. "Looks like the good guys won after all. Ain't that a kick in the teeth?"

Kjelle nods in gratitude. "Thank you for your help, but I fear other tasks yet lie ahead of me. I still have to find my parents."

Sully sighs. "Aw, h-ll. Your parents are missing? That's rough, kid. Any idea where they might have gone?"

"I have a ring my father gave my mother, but precious little else to go on." Kjelle explains with a hint of frustration.

Sully rubs her chin. "Mind if I take a look?"

Kjelle smiles. "No, of course not."

She reaches into a pouch around her hip and retrieves the ring in question. Sully accepts the ring and gives it a good, long look.

The Paladin blinks bemused. "Well, I'll be d-mned… Kid? This is MY ring."

Kjelle's eyes widen. " _Your_ ring? But then…"

Sully grins. "Hah! I get it. You're one of the kids who came back with Lucina, yeah? Which means…I've got a new lead for you on the parent front, kiddo." Sully flicks the ring back to Kjelle. "I'm your mom."

Kjelle catches the ring with her mouth agape. "Y-you?!"

"You expecting someone prettier?"

Kjelle shakes her head vehemently. "N-no! Of course not! I mean…" The Knight smiles at her newly revealed mother. "You look as beautiful now as I when I knew you."

Sully breathes a sigh. "Har! So I'm not all wrinkled or missing a hand or anything? That's a relief."

"You were a beautiful and vibrant woman, despite the ill times we lived in." Kjelle recalls with a fond smile. "You taught me how to be strong. You taught me to survive."

Sully claps Kjelle on the pauldron. "All right, kid, sit down. I want to know every last detail about the future."

Kjelle nods excited. "You bet!"

Sully smirks. "Is that how you address your mother?"

"I mean, y-yes! Yes, ma'am!" Kjelle corrects quickly.

"Much better."

Kjelle giggles. "Hee hee. You always were tough on me."

Sully nods sagely. "That's right. Any child of mine is gonna have to learn to respect their elders!"

Kjelle's entire posture relaxes as she sits down with Sully. "It's good to see you, Mother."

Sully's mouth twitches before she breaks out in a megawatt grin and pulls her daughter into a sidelong hug. "Aw, c'mere, Kjelle! We're gonna be great together, you'll see! Hey, Vaike! Get your lazy bum over here and say hello to our kid!"

As the Barbarian stumbles over, a small tear forms on the corner of Kjelle's eye.

"My family… How I've missed these moments…"

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **To be continued**

 **Kjelle's character sheet**

 **Kjelle Lvl 32 Class: Knight  
** _Sully's daughter from the future. She has inherited her mother's strong will and unrelenting work ethic, and thus made a name for herself as "the second woman to end all men". But behind her stern exterior is a warmhearted maiden, caring and loving towards those who gain a special place in her heart. Under Jack's tutelage, she has developed a skillset similar to Einheria Venus, holder of the Valkyrie asterisk. Recordholder for highest standing jump.  
Born on September 29_ _th_ _._

 **Titles:  
Flying armor (+ 10% movement speed)  
Second woman to end all men (+ 10 % CHAR)**

 **HP: 6 200 / 6 200  
MP: 2 100 / 2 100**

 **STR: 45  
VIT: 60  
DEX: 51  
INT: 20  
WIS: 20  
CHAR: 26.4 (24 * 1.1)  
LUCK: 17**

 **ITEMS:  
Dragoon Lance (equipped)  
Steel Lance  
Concoction**

 **Skills:**

 **Polearm mastery, Lvl 58 [24.0 %], Passive  
** _The spear is believed to be the first weapon man ever wielded, mainly for the purpose of hunting. Long and slim, polearms are easy to use but difficult to master due to their length and rigidity. Those who master these weapons not only gain an advantage in range – they can also attack in more ways than many other weapons offer. It has the added benefit of looking awesome AF too.  
Increases attack speed and attack power by 290 % when attacking with a polearm of any kind._

 **Armor lore, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _Any warrior worth their profession knows the value of bodily protection, but you go beyond mere understanding. You hold a passion for all things related to armor; from the way a polished breastplate gleams in the sunlight, to the smooth hinges in a well-oiled gauntlet's finger portions. No detail is too small for your scrutiny when inspecting armor. Thus, your fascination with this defensive equipment allows you to utilize it to its fullest potential, be it simple leather padding for the forearms, or a full suit of plate mail, fresh from the forge.  
Passively increases the defensive properties of all armor worn. All armor gains 50 % more durability._

 **Acrobatics, Lvl 47 [21 %], Passive  
** _A fighting style developed by soldiers who excel at movement and hit-and-run tactics. The skills learned from mastering this style are very powerful to use in combat, but also run the risk of leaving the user open for counter attacks due to the heavy commitment in every single technique. Careful planning and calculated moves are required to use this style to its full potential, lest the user simply jump headlong into their demise, only to find themselves a sitting duck. Time well, and you can fell even the strongest of foes in a single move.  
_ _Passively increases movement speed by 13 %.  
_ _Skills mastered:  
Crescent moon  
Jump  
Judgement  
Spirit barrier  
Soul strike_

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

 **Jack:** We're back!

 **Nah:** Yarne! Fight me!

 **Yarne:** You're on, Nah!

*Nah and Yarne tear up the landscape as they clash*

 **Noire:** Oh no, not again…

 **Frederick:** Tell those two to finish up quickly. We set sail for Valm soon.

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Imperial naval clash! Beware the scourge of the sea!**

 **Morgan:** Hey! It's finally my time in the spotlight, yet I hardly get any mention?!

 **Jack:** Oh, we'll get there, son. Wouldn't miss bonding with you for the world.

* * *

 **Omake: Armored youth (or: Alternate build for Kjelle)**

Sully flicks the ring back to Kjelle. "I'm your mom."

An elated smile grows on Kjelle's face. Her eyes light up like stars. "Truly? You are my mother?"

Sully flashes her a grin. "D-mn straight, kid! Welcome to the family!"

"This is a most joyful occasion!" Kjelle celebrates with a thumbs-up and teeth gleaming in the faint lantern light. "At long last, I have been reunited with my dear mother! In celebration, I shall do 200 squats while wearing my armor!"

Sully whistles in appreciation. "Hey, that sounds like a great idea. Tell you what; if you can't do that, I'll do 400 pushups with Vaike sitting on my back."

Kjelle beams. "How marvelous, Mother! And if you cannot do that, I shall perform lance drills all night long with rocks strapped to my wrists!"

Sully gets drawn into her daughter's enthusiasm. "And if ya can't do that, I'll run around all of Ferox – on my pinkies!"

"Mother!"

"Kjelle!"

"MOTHER!"

"KJELLE!"

As their mutual enthusiasm reaches the boiling point, mother and daughter sprint out into the snow, snow plumes billowing high in their wake. The others look after the sprinting duo with blank faces.

Vaike throws his arms in the air. "What the h-ll is up with my family?!"

* * *

The first light of day shines over the horizon. The world slowly wakes from its nightly slumber – save for one individual who is already up and in full gear.

"YOOOUTH!"

Rose chucks a tome from within hers and Jack's tent and nails the Knight in the head.

"D-mnit, Kjelle! It's at the crack of dawn!"

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Ars Caelum Lvl 16 [72 %], Active, Cost: 143 MP  
** _Roughly translates to "sky technique" in Latin. Let your fury as a swordsman loose, with a mana coated sword in hand. The frenzied series of slashes you unleash might seem a bit uncoordinated, but a bit of finesse can whittle down even the toughest of opponents when this move is used properly. Just don't tell the resident keyblade wielders. They might complain about copyright infringement.  
Base damage: 85 % of the user's STR per hit (15 hit combo). Element: None_

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **Iron maiden, Armor, Very rare  
** _While it looks like any other suit of armor at first glance, this intricate piece of protective gear hides a secret on the inside. Undo a few clasps, and the top half folds out to form a combat skirt. To compliment this feature, blades have been added on the inside, which fold out and point around you when this armor transforms. Just make sure to wear something protective underneath this armor while you wear it, lest you run the risk of cutting yourself with the blades._

 **Waste, Tome, Rare  
** _A dark tome that only a master of the dark arts is qualified to craft. The rune circles drawn within its pages are connected with each other. This intricate drawing technique allows the holder to channel mana for casting multiple spells at the same time, significantly increasing their efficiency in battle. Of course, accomplishing this feat requires enough skill in dark magic to focus on casting multiple spells at the same time, even if each one is identical. As such, the dark magic users who wield these tomes are often also the only ones qualified to craft them in the first place. In fact, many have come to believe it a prerequisite, even though it is technically untrue.  
Damage dealt from dark-element spells increases by 8 %. Casting time is reduced by 50 %.  
Skill available when wielded: Waste.  
Requirement to wield: Dark mastery Lvl:60_

* * *

 **With this chapter, the mini recruitment arc around Ferox is finally over, and the Ylissean league is ready to set sail for Valm.**

 **As indicated, I had a few ideas regarding Kjelle's build. I first planned on basing her on Rock Lee from the Naruto series, mainly for laughs. But then I played Bravely Default, and met Einheria. My thought process went somewhere along the lines of:**

" **Well, this lady sure looks interesting."**

 **From there, a seed was planted and would eventually grow into Kjelle's current build. So, yeah. Kjelle is basically a Bravely Default reference. Her armor itself can count as a reference to Einheria as well. In an optional endgame cutscene, Einheria explains that her combat skirt has blades sticking out in every direction to maximize the damage she causes whenever she comes down with one of her Jump attacks. Considering how hard the Valkyrie job can hit with its signature moves, that says something about her commitment to eliminate her foes. Also, she's blonde, which is part of the reason why I had Sully marry Vaike.**

 **That will be all for now. Until next time.**

 **VipeR out.**


	24. Chapter 22

**Man, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I first thought it would be a relatively short chapter. And then I got inspiration for another scene. And another. And then it just snowballed to the point that I thought: "Ah, what the heck!" But I had fun doing it, and that's what counts.**

 **I've also gone through every chapter I have previously written in this fic and edited them, mostly for the sake of correct grammar and use of capitals. That's one of the big reasons why this update took so long, since I prefer to update previous chapters and upload a new one at the same time. This is mainly for the sake of new readers, though anyone who's read earlier versions are welcome to enjoy the edited versions too.**

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _They dared point their weapons against my mother._ – Morgan

* * *

 **Chapter 22:**

 **Imperial naval clash!  
Beware the scourge of the sea!**

 **(Or: No manaketes – pureblooded or of mixed heritage – were hurt in making this chapter)**

Kjelle squares her shoulders and bends her legs slightly. Her shield is held in front and her training lance is poised to thrust at a moment's notice. I twirl my own training lance in response and crouch into my own fighting stance. I make a come-hither motion with my free hand with a small smirk on my face.

The response is instantaneous. One moment, Kjelle glares at me. The next, she charges me with far more speed than you'd expect from a heavily armored soldier. With only a full pace between us, I jab with my training lance at her face. Kjelle swings her shield to the side and forces my opening thrust way off course. In the same movement, she retaliates with her own thrust. I go with the momentum of my deflected thrust and bend down under the Knight's strike and swing at her legs. Kjelle reacts quickly and jumps over my swing before she flips her lance into a reverse grip and aims at me on the way down.

I manage to jump away, but I hold back a wince when I hear the sound of when Kjelle hits the ground. Reinforcement or not, training weapon or not, getting hit by a thrust from an opponent as heavy as a Knight falling down is bound to hurt. It's not like retaliation is easy either, since Kjelle constantly has her shield pointed at me. That's a good thing. Despite her clear emphasis on offence during that last battle, she knows full well the Knight's foremost duty; defense.

We both rise back up and resume our fighting stances.

I channel a bit of wind magic behind my feet and launch myself at Kjelle swinging. Kjelle raises her shield quickly and blocks my initial swing. From that block, I change directions and swing on from the other side. My strikes rain down on Kjelle, but she refuses to let up on the defense as she adjusts her shield position slightly after each block. It may not be my highest attack speed, but it's undoubtably impressive that she can keep up with my attack.

That's why I put a little extra commitment in one swing. Right before impact, I notice Kjelle's eye twinkle. Instead of a normal block, Kjelle deflects it instead, which briefly makes me lose my balance. That's also the moment when Kjelle finally returns fire as well.

So I end it by grabbing the end of Kjelle's training lance. I grit my teeth and dig into the ground as I try to stop the thrust through both Reinforced strength and a bit of Telekinesis. I succeed – after sliding back a step.

I sigh and smile at Kjelle. "That's some good form if I ever saw it, Kjelle. Your defense is rock solid."

Kjelle eases out of her fighting stance and wipes some sweat from her brow. "Thank you, Master Jack. I still remember all those hours you spent drilling the importance of defense into my head while you were training me – sometimes quite literally. "A knight's foremost duty is always to protect." you kept saying, and you backed that up by refusing to teach me how to wield a lance until I had learned how to use a shield properly."

I raise an eyebrow. "Did I now? Then how do you explain the part when you turn your armor into a bladed skirt and leave your shield behind? For that matter, how did you even get your hands on that kind of armor in the first place?"

Kjelle pats her breastplate. "This? I had this one specially commissioned some time before I returned in time with Lucina and the others. It was a pet project of mine that was a result of the other part of my training with you – the part when I learned how to wield a lance. I thought the worst was over after you deemed my skill with a shield acceptable." Kjelle sighs. "How wrong I was. What followed was months upon months of grueling physical training before you even let me touch a training lance. I've lost count on how many times I thought my legs would give out. If it wasn't for Mother's own training regimen, I might've given up."

I rub my chin. "See if I got this right; future-me first trained you in defense, then dragged your body through Hell before he finally taught you offence?"

Kjelle nods. "Yes. When I first asked you why you made me go through such harsh training, you explained to me that it was required in order to utilize the lance to its fullest potential. By the time you showed me those acrobatic movements, I understood what you meant. All I could think in that moment was "I want to do that too". So I threw myself into your training with renewed vigor."

"I'm surprised Sully never seemed to complain."

The Knight smiles. "Are you serious? When she saw how hard you trained me, she ran off, shouting that she had to up her own training so I wouldn't leave her in the dust."

I chuckle as I imagine that scene in my head. Yep. That's Sully, alright.

"In other words, future-me effectively trained you in two different fighting styles. One for defense, and one for offense."

Kjelle nods. "That's right. When my mother told me I'm not suited for riding on horseback, I eventually settled for fighting on foot instead. That's when you made the decision to train me the way you did. Of course, the style for defense was the one you spent the most time training me in."

I raise an eyebrow. "And yet you went for the offensive one during your duel with Cassius. Why?"

"Oh, you spent a lot of time training me in that style too. But you always reminded me that there's a condition before I could use this fighting style in battle." Kjelle explains. "See, I can only really use it if I abandon my shield, or else I can't move properly."

I nod. "So? What's the condition?"

""The only time a knight can abandon their shield is when the only thing left to fight for is their honor." That's what you taught me." Kjelle's face gets a bit sad. "In fact… That's the _last_ lesson you taught me. Not long afterwards…you passed away. That's why I always remember it so clearly. It's the last important memory I have of you."

I nod. "And so, you kept training in both styles, even in my absence."

The Knight nods. "Yes. I never abandoned my shield after the Fell dragon returned, because there were always people to protect. That time I abandoned my shield was the first time I ever used my offensive style, because I didn't have to protect anyone. Honestly, I wasn't even sure if it would work, since I had never used it in a real battle before." Kjelle smiles. "Seems like it worked out in the end."

I return the smile and clap her on a pauldron. "That shows that your training has payed off, Kjelle. All those months spent training has allowed you to not only defend people everywhere, but also fight in a completely different way when the circumstances allow it. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, Master. When you died, I… I thought I'd never hear you say those words again." Kjelle pumps her fist. "All right. Now that I've reached that milestone, I believe I'm ready for more training."

I give Kjelle a blank look.

"Um… Master? Did I say something wrong?"

I sigh. "Wow. You're about as fanatic with your training as Yarne. I applaud your enthusiasm to grow stronger, Kjelle, but… Just don't overdo it. There's no point in getting stronger if you tear yourself down like that."

"But I won't get stronger if I don't push myself." Kjelle protests. "No pain, no gain. That's the first lesson you drilled into my head – literally."

I nod. "In your case, I believe you. But before you draw any conclusions from that fact, consider this. Why did I teach you how to fight? Why do you hold on to your shield so much? Why do you wear that armor?" I turn and walk away. "Ponder those questions while you train. Hopefully, they'll remind you of why you're fighting at all."

Kjelle gives me a quizzical look before she sends me a short bow. "Yes, Master Jack!"

I nod before I continue on my way.

 **Your relationship with Kjelle has improved!**

* * *

Anna walks into the inn we're staying in and approaches the table where I sit. "All right. We're all packed and ready to go, Jack."

I nod and get up. "Good. That should be everything, then. We're finally ready to head for Port Ferox."

I make a few clones. "Go get the others. It's high time we reunited with the others."

"On it, Boss." the clones reply before they all vanish in blurs.

Anna looks with a bemused expression at the spot where my clones just stood. "You know, even with all the other freaky things you keep pulling out of your hat, I just can't wrap my head around you copying yourself."

I smile smugly. "It's a gift."

"More like real-life cheating. Do you have any idea how many businesses I could manage if I had that ability?"

"You wouldn't want to do it like that, Anna. Despite them effectively being copies of me, they're nowhere near as durable. One good hit on the right place, and they pop like bubbles. A single accident would be everything that's needed to leave your businesses completely unattended."

Anna blinks before she pouts. "Drat! So much for that idea…"

I raise an eyebrow. "Speaking of which, we'll be on the move a lot, and most probably in the middle of enemy territory to boot. How will you even manage any businesses while you're part of the army?"

The merchant smirks at me. "Hah! All part of the family trade secret. Any Anna worth her name knows how to make bargains, no matter where she is, no matter the situation. My profits are as safe as a cub in a lion's den."

I raise an eyebrow. "Okay…? I guess I'll just have to take your word for it. Man, life as a traveling merchant can't be easy."

"You know what they say; nothing ventured, nothing gained. I'd never build a small fortune unless I left my old stomping grounds in search for better trade spots. Danger lurks in every corner when you travel where I go."

"Like bandits?"

Anna huffs. "Please. Bandits are just the warmup. I've cut down my fair share of freaky creatures who wouldn't leave me or my wares alone. I'll be fine."

Donnel walks in and wipes some snow off his brass pot. "We're all here, Jack. Ready to set out when you are."

I nod. "Good. We leave immediately."

* * *

Seeing as we've covered every spot Itachi pointed me at except for the one I left to Robin, I set a course for the shortest way possible to Port Ferox; a line that cuts straight through the snowfields and other places until we reach the port town. It's a good thing it's mostly plains anyway. I bet travelers would be confused if they saw a tunnel that had mysteriously popped up in the middle of a mountain range one day.

It's not like making a path would be hard either. Just Transmute the snow in a way that it forms an easily traversable road. Tightly packed snow should make for a good enough building material for the road we're traveling on. And if there's too little snow on our path to make that road…

Duh…

We're walking through an area where there's snow as far as the eye can see. I have all the snow I need to make that road.

So it is then, that our group walks on a very fine road made of snow, complete with fancy railings on the side.

Fine, I admit it. I just want to flex a bit.

"I _still_ think it would be better if we crossed the snowfields as they were." Kjelle mutters as she looks on the road. "The effort needed to wade through all that snow makes for great training."

Vaike eyes his daughter skeptically. "Ya sure about that, Kjelle? Last time I checked, it's pretty cold in the snow. Wouldn't your legs freeze? I mean, with armor as heavy as yours, you'd just sink into the snow."

Kjelle nods. "That was my intention, Father. That way, I could train both my strength and my resilience to cold. You never know when that could come in handy."

"Speaking of cold…" Gregor interjects. "Jack not cold? Only wearing normal clothes, no?"

I look back at the Hero. "Nah, I'm fine."

Sully frowns. "Come to think of it… Hey, Jack. Last time we talked, ya mentioned somethin' about not worrying about the winter cloaks. As far as I can see, you're the only one without one. Ya sure you're not freezing?"

"Oh, definitely. In fact, I feel perfectly toasty where I stand."

The others look at me like I'm crazy.

" _ **To be fair, you kind of are.**_ " Sparrow quips from within my mind.

" _Shut it, or I'll drop an anvil on you._ " I reply.

" _ **Why is it always anvils?**_ "

" _Would you prefer a piano instead? I could make one out of quality wood, you know._ "

"…"

I clear my throat. "*Ahem* Like I said, I'm fine. Honest."

Noire walks up to me with a suspicious frown. "I'm not convinced, Sensei. How do you do that?"

I smile at my student smugly. "I'm the hottest man alive."

I could swear I heard Virion call bull dung in the distance… Judging by the flat stares I'm receiving, the others are in unknowing agreement.

I cross my arms with a huff. "Fine, be that way."

Gaius sighs. "Alright, spill it, Buttercup. You're doing something crazy again, aren't you?"

I point at my feet. "Remember the trick with the air bubble that I used back when we traveled through the desert and eventually found Laurent? I'm using a similar trick here. I've wrapped myself in another kind of air bubble that traps all my body heat inside. The air around me is about as warm as if I were indoors. No need for any winter cloaks here."

Rose immediately jumps on my back and plants herself there. "Family space!"

"Hey, no fair! I'm part of the family too!" Nah shouts and runs up to join in.

As the girls scramble for a good grip on me, a tic mark pulses on my head. "Hey! Who named me your personal mount?! Get off!"

"But Daaad!" Rose whines. "It's cold out here!"

I roll my eyes. "Girls, just walk close to me."

Nah and my daughter obey. When they're close enough, I expand my bubble to include them both. "Better?"

Rose smiles and hugs my arm. "Best dad ever!"

Nah smiles and hugs my other arm. "Best uncle ever!"

My face is most certainly not showing a smug smile right now!

Okay, maybe a little bit…

 **AN: Shoutout to warrior of six blades for pointing out the other application of the air bubble trick and therefore inspire the last scene. Much appreciated.**

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

Night fell a few hours after we made it out of the snowfields, much to the joy of several in our group. The milder climate indicates that we're getting closer to the sea. Port Ferox shouldn't be much further. By my estimates, we should arrive in the port town sometime tomorrow. At long last, I can reunite with Robin. Moreover, I can introduce Rose to her. Ah, tomorrow can't come fast enough…

Rose is out practicing some spells (of the less destructive kind, on my orders), so I have the tent for myself. Since I don't have any watch duty tonight, I can take this moment to simply sit down and Meditate. Been a while since I could relax like this, between recruiting allies and fighting all kinds of lowlifes. And yet, I'm well aware that this is just the calm before the storm. Better make the best of the situation, and first order of business is clearing my head of any distracting thoughts and simply enjoy the tranquil, if temporary, peace.

That is, until I notice someone walked into my tent. Specifically, it's Tharja. I'd tell her it's rude to enter without knocking first, but then I'm reminded that tents aren't designed for knocking. Oh well. She's here. Might as well hear what she has to say.

"Did you want something, Tharja?" I ask the Sorcerer.

Tharja averts her eyes. "You're not busy, are you, Jack? I…suppose I could come back another time."

I blink at the uncharacteristic reply. Tharja's not one for politeness – ever. The closest thing would be how she acts around Robin, if that falls under the definition of polite by any stretch of the imagination.

I shake my head. "I'm free until bedtime. Something on your mind?"

Tharja plops down on Rose's bedroll and idly shifts her gaze back and forth.

"How to put this…" the Sorcerer begins. "I've…spoken a bit with Noire. …About the time she spent training under you in the future. And…how life was growing up with me."

"Okay…?" I reply confused. I mean, bonding with your future child is fine and all, but Noire's relationship with her mother's never been straightforward. "So why let me know?"

"I'm getting to that part!" Tharja snaps. Then she averts her eyes. "Sorry about that… It's just… This is a bit of a first to me. I'm typically not one to try and patch things up with someone once we've had an argument. Except for with Gaius. How I can still look that man in the eyes after a fallout, I'll never understand. Love seems to work in strange ways."

Tharja? Making amends? I am _so_ lost right now. Who is this imposter, and what did she do to our resident dark magic expert?

"Noire told me about the experiments future-me put her through when she grew up." Tharja continues. "And she told me about how you would often comfort her between training sessions because she kept crying over it." The Sorcerer sighs. "She said…that you were like a second father to her, even if you yourself didn't seem to realize that."

Really? I mean, I seem to share a bond with just about everyone of Lucina's allies, but I thought the one I share with Nah was the closest one outside my family, not Noire.

Tharja frowns at me. "Tell me, Jack. What was it that made Noire get so attached to you?"

I blink. "Huh? Uh, Tharja, you can't expect me to explain in my future-"

"Tell me!" Tharja growls. "I might stay my hand, depending on your answer."

I notice her right hand glowing softly with dark magic. Judging by how thin the glow is, it's quite harmless compared to the destruction Tharja can dish out if she really tries. Still, the fact that she has a spell at the ready at all makes the air as tense as a pulled bowstring. One false move, and things could snowball between the two of us for the worse. Sigh. Why do you have to make this so difficult for me, Tharja? Does having a strained relationship with you really make you this hostile?

On the plus side, I suppose it's better than being her enemy. She'd probably try to kill me at this point if that were the case.

Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Try to figure out what made Noire think of future-me as a father figure.

"*Sigh* I'll be honest, Tharja. I have no idea. I'm not my future self, so speaking up in his stead is impossible for me."

Tharja scowls at me as the glow around her hand grows more prominent. I raise my hand to show I'm not done yet.

"However! I think I can make a few fairly educated guesses, assuming I don't change that much over the next decade or so."

Tharja lowers her hand, but keeps her scowl. "Well, what are you waiting for? Out with it!"

I rub my chin and get self-reflective. "My reasoning may be a bit backwards, but I think the main reason why Noire's so attached to me is because of how I treat her."

Tharja nods tersely. "Go on."

I look Tharja in the eye. "Tell me, when was the last time you genuinely cared for someone other than Gaius or yourself? And I'm not talking about you just reaching out an olive branch. I'm talking about being caring to the point that you worry about that person's wellbeing more than your own, even if just for a moment."

Tharja looks away and clicks her tongue. "You're asking a lot of me with that question, Jack. As you know, I didn't grow up in the…kindest environment. Plegia's never been a nation for the merciful, what with much of the land mass being a desert. The saving grace was the country's trade fleet. It helped us get what we needed to survive, and some extra riches to boot. That kind of environment grows harsh quickly. You either toughen up, or get trampled under the rest."

A thought hits me. "And then the previous war with Ylisse happened…"

Tharja nods. "Yes. If life in Plegia was harsh before, it became unbearable during the war. Almost everything went into fighting on the frontlines. What little the rest of the people had to get by every day was quickly whittled down to near nothing. And when the previous exalt crossed the border with his army, there was hardly anyone who even had the strength to flee. I was among the lucky few who were spared the march of the Ylissean army. But I saw what it did to the people. They suffered. They grieved. And in all that misery, hatred began to fester. That's when the Grimleal came along. They spoke of how rotten this world had become. How it was better off destroyed. And people flocked to them, if only to get an outlet for their hatred."

I hum in thought. "So where does that put you?"

"Remember when we last talked? In Plegia, I was either the easy girl, or the witch. I told you that much. You don't exactly grow trusting in such an environment. If you want to care about someone other than yourself, it's either because you're not strong enough on your own, or you have a death wish."

The tent falls silent.

"So excuse me if I'm not the most affectionate person around here – even if it's my daughter from the future." Tharja concludes.

I had hoped to hear things from Tharja's side, but this is just tragic. No wonder she looked so dark when I first met her. Still, there's something bothering me with her explanation.

"It doesn't add up." I remark after some thought.

The Sorcerer raises an eyebrow. "What doesn't?"

"Your story and the way you act now." I explain. "You claim you're not an affectionate person, but I've seen how you act around Gaius and Nowi. It's buried under layers of cynicism, but underneath all that, I can tell that you genuinely care about them."

Tharja shrugs. "So I'm picky with who I care for. It's normal, isn't it? Not that I ever considered myself normal."

I shake my head. "That's not my point, Tharja. My point is, even after you grew up in such a harsh place like Plegia, you're still capable of showing compassion." I smile. "Heck, I saw a glimpse of that last time we talked. You said it yourself; you wanted someone who would accept you for who you are. Nowi and Gaius did just that. Both Nowi and Gaius have lived harsh lives as well, and you can relate to them. That's why you bonded with those two – in your own way."

"You have a way to pick apart others' words, you know that?"

I nod. "So I've been told. But what I'm getting to is this; you can bond with others when you recognize that they come from a harsh past, because you come from one yourself. And that's how you can bond with your daughter."

Tharja narrows her eyes at me. "Remind me again why I even want to."

"Because Noire has had her fair share of suffering in her life. It may be different from what you grew up in, but you both hurt on the inside. If nothing else, I think you can find common ground there." I sigh. "Look, I'm not telling you to become the next mother of the year or anything. I just want you to reach out and get to know your daughter. Noire needs this. And I think you do too, even if you don't know it. If not as mother and daughter, then at least as kindred spirits."

Tharja bites her fingernails as she mulls the thought in her head.

"Like you said; you're picky with who you care for. But that makes every single person count. And I know beyond any doubt that Noire counts."

Tharja sighs. "Fine. I'll humor you. I'll…talk to Noire when I have time."

I nod. "That's all I ask, Tharja."

 **Your relationship with Tharja has advanced! Your relationship with Tharja is now "Neutral"!**

I raise an eyebrow. "It may not have anything to do with what we just talked about, but why did you come to talk with me about this in the first place?"

Tharja rolls her eyes. "Because Nowi wouldn't stop nagging at me about it. And now her brat's joined up." The Sorcerer hugs herself and shivers. "Gods, it's bad enough that one of them gets teary-eyed when they beg. But now there's two of them."

I wince in sympathy. Double puppy-dog eyes from my sister figure and niece at the same time? That _has_ to be weaponized cuteness. Now, if only they could blast the valmese with that technique during every battle. We'd probably end the war in record time. Ah, a man can dream…

* * *

That night, I sit up with a start.

Rose looks at me from her position on the ground and rubs her eyes. "Dad? What's the matter?"

I direct my gaze to the northeast and frown. "I sensed a disturbance. Your mother was threatened for just the briefest of moments. And then that sensation just…vanished."

Rose gives me a blank stare before she turns around and goes back to sleep.

"I swear, your Mom sense is dialed up way too high…" my daughter mutters before her soft snores return.

I shrug before I lay back down myself. To think my daughter would even inherit my wife's soft snoring. The only reasons why I'm not hugging her like a teddy bear are, for one, she's already asleep, and for the other, Rose can react _very_ poorly if she gets a rude awakening. I've seen some of the spells she can pull off, and she's not beyond casting one if she's in a grouchy mood.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: Day of arrival**_

At long last: Port Ferox. Seeing the port town again after that road trip feels like we've just passed a major milestone. Now to reunite with the others.

And the first ones we run into are none other than Lon'qu and…Cherche? With a picknick basket in one hand and Lon'qu's in the other? And where's Minerva?

"Lon'qu? What's going on?"

My lieutenant glances at me with an uncomfortable expression. "I was wondering when you'd arrive, Jack. Nothing to report regarding the team. As for what me and Cherche are doing… That's none of your business."

"We're going on a picknick." Cherche fills in with a cheerful smile.

I look between the Swordmaster and Wyvern Rider in surprise. Most of the surprise is the fact that Lon'qu's letting a woman hold him by the hand.

Hold on. I recognize this from their A-rank support conversation. Oh ho ho ho. Lon'qu, you smooth operator, you. Decided to get together with our resident wyvern expert, did ya?

In response to my grin, Lon'qu glares at me, though he can't hide his blush. "Not. A. Word."

Deciding to play a bit with death, I give my second-in-command a thumbs-up and a wink. "You're doing great, Lon'qu! Keep at it!"

"I suggest you prepare yourself before our next spar." Lon'qu warns me coldly. "I will _not_ hold back."

I roll my eyes and keep walking towards the port town. "You never do."

We barely make it to the edge of town proper before Nah erupts in flames the moment Yarne comes into view.

"Yarne! Fight me!" Nah shouts and launches herself at the half-taguel.

Yarne blocks the initial dive kick with a surprised expression. "Nah?! Where have you been?"

Nah jumps away from Yarne and takes a fighting stance with an excited grin. "Uncle Jack came and picked me up a few days ago. But that doesn't matter. Today's the day when I get one up on you! Prepare to taste dirt, little bunny!"

Yarne takes his own fighting stance and grins back. "Hah! Looks who's talking! Last time I checked, it's 103 wins, 100 losses and 3 draws for me."

Nah glares at Yarne. "Wrong! Those 103 wins belong to me!"

"Dream on, squirt!"

"You're asking for it, fluffy bum!"

My two half breed students clash fists with enough force that I felt the shockwave all the way to where I stand.

Noire hides behind me and whimpers. "Oh gods… They're at it again."

I turn to my timid student and raise an eyebrow. "Is this normal?"

Rose nods. "Oh yeah, definitely. Nah and Yarne have been rivals for years. It all started with who could throw the hardest punch, and it only snowballed from there."

The battle between the two half breeds escalates (thankfully away from the town) to the point that craters form in their clashes and the environment slowly gets destroyed.

"Ah, I see you have finally arrived, Jack." I hear Panne greet me.

I turn around to address the taguel. "Good to see you again, Panne. How have things been in my absence?"

"Things have progressed well, I suppose. While I have spoken little with the others, I took the opportunity to bond with my son."

"Rah!"

"Hee-yah!"

*BOOM!*

Nowi looks at the clashing youths in concern. "Shouldn't we stop them? It looks like they could get really hurt if this keeps up."

Kjelle shakes her head. "There's no need to worry. This is how hard they usually go at each other."

A stray stream of flames flies in the direction of the town. A wall of wind erupts and manages to snuff out the flame before it can set any buildings on fire.

"For the love of- Nah! How many times do I have to tell you to watch your surroundings when in battle?!" Laurent shouts exasperated as he storms towards us with a displeased frown.

"Sorry, Laurent!" Nah shouts back before she gets swept off her feet from a low kick, only to retaliate by grabbing Yarne's leg and pulls him in for a haymaker to his face.

The Mage pinches the bridge of his nose. "Gods. Not one minute after we reunite, and those two brutes are already back to their ridiculous contest."

"Hey, Laurent." I greet my intellectual student cheerfully. "Looking good. Anything I missed?"

Laurent gives me a tired smile. "Greetings, Master Jack. I am pleased that there are good news to be shared. Though I believe it more appropriate if someone else were to deliver them. You should find out soon enough if you enter the town."

Any further conversation is stopped when Rose latches onto the Mage. "Hey, Laurent! Long time no see."

Laurent gives my daughter a sour look. "Hello, Rose. As chipper as ever, I see."

Rose nods with a happy smile. "Yup. Hey, one of my tomes have been acting up lately. Think you could take a look?"

Laurent sighs. "Figures… Which one is it?"

Rose unclasps one on her left side. "This."

A closer look shows that the tome is titled "Tot B-Gon". Weird name for a book…

Laurent's eyebrow twitches before he palms his face. " _Of course_ it's that one. Fine, I will look into it."

Rose gives the Mage a beaming smile as she accompanies him back into town. "Aw, that's so sweet of you, Laurent. Hey, is it just me, or do you look older than when we last saw each other? Don't tell me the stress of playing the team mom is finally getting to you? Too much stress is bad for your health, you know."

"No thanks to any of you." Laurent mutters before they both vanish out of earshot.

"Uh, Panne? Ya sure those two won't tear the whole area apart in their fightin'?" Donnel asks concerned as we watch Yarne's and Nah's fight get even more intense. Small craters pop up every now and then when they swing really hard at each other.

Kjelle sweatdrops. "This…could end badly. They're a lot more eager in this fight than they usually are. At this rate, they might forget we're close to a town."

I walk towards the brawling duo and crack my knuckles. "Then it's high time I run some damage control."

Nah and Yarne slide back from their latest clash. Both have scuff marks around their bodies, but otherwise look fine. With matching grins, they charge each other once more, arms wound up for an epic clash.

And that's when I zip in between them with both my fists raised up and bring them down on their heads.

"Enough!" *WHAM!*

Both my students have their heads driven into the ground from my punches, faces lodged in the dirt, and a freshly smoking bump adorning each head. Both are out cold.

I bend down and sling both half breeds over my shoulders before I walk back to the others.

"Guess we should let them off by a healer." I muse without a care in the world.

The others look at me with expressions ranging from disbelief to fear.

I blink at my companions. "What?"

Gaius sighs. "Overkill much, Buttercup?"

I shrug. "Hey, it was the fastest way I could think of to break up the fight. Besides, they'll be fine."

"My head…" Nah groans from my right shoulder.

I smile. "See?"

"I'm having second thoughts about naming you Nah's godfather." Nowi mutters.

"Hey! There's nothing wrong with a little tough love, am I right, Sully?"

"Don't you dare drag me into this, Jack!" the Paladin protests. "And there's a big difference between tough love and driving your students' faces into the ground – barehanded!"

I raise an eyebrow. "I've seen you lodge a recruit's head into the ground via suplex."

Sully blushes. "T-that's because he was actin' all high and mighty! And I only did it once!"

"The poor guy resigned after Lissa put him through two weeks of rehabilitation."

"S-so? If they can't handle that much, they ain't worth my time when I get serious."

I shake my head. "I swear, you're worse than Frederick when it comes to training recruits."

* * *

After I dropped my two knocked-out students by a medical tent, we pass another curious sight by a tree as we continue walking.

"Ho ho~. Little friends getting comfy, no?" Gregor muses.

Under said tree, Lissa and Henry are asleep, leaning against both the trunk and each other, snoring softly and peacefully.

D'aw, they look so adorable together under that tree! What I wouldn't give for a camera right now.

Hang on a sec… This scene is from _their_ A-rank conversation! Dang, Henry works fast!

"Jack! There you are!"

I turn my gaze back to the front and see Chrom approach me with a distraught expression.

"Good to see you again, Chrom. What's the matter?"

Chrom runs a hand through his hair. "It's Robin. She's practically been on pins and needles since yesterday."

My eyes widen. "Where is she?"

Chrom's about to answer when he freezes up. "She's here…"

Did his voice shake a bit? Now I'm definitely getting worried about my wife.

I lean a bit to the side to see my wife approach us from behind Chrom. But rather than the lightness that I usually see in her step, Robin's practically stomping the ground as she walks up to us.

"Robin?" I greet my wife anxiously. "What happe- Whoa!"

Robin grabs me by the collar and pulls my face mere inches from hers. There's no smile on her face. Only a slight glare and…flushed cheeks?

"Inn. Bed. _Now_."

I gulp and nod. That tone of voice left _no_ room for argument.

As Robin drags me towards one of the town's inns, I turn my head towards my traveling group. "Hey, why don't you guys meet up with the others and get comfortable? I'll catch up with you later – whenever that is."

That's about everything I have enough time to say before Robin pulls me through the inn door and slams it close. Barely a minute later, we're in a room with a lone bed, and Robin's pinned me to said door. And when did she strip me off my robe, my chainmail _and_ my shirt?

My thoughts grind to a halt the moment her lips meet mine.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: One very XXX-rated hour later**_

Mind…blown…

By the sacred dual blades of Altena, that was _crazy_!

" _ **D-mn… I think she took it to a whole new level.**_ " Sparrow muses within my mind.

" _Can this wait?_ " I reply mentally. " _I'm busy enjoying the afterglow from the best sex I've had since our honeymoon._ "

Robin places her head on my chest and sighs contently. "Gods, I needed that."

After I finally manage to gather my thoughts, I raise an eyebrow in reply. "I thought I left a clone to be with you during my absence."

"You did. And don't get me wrong, Jack; he always treated me with the same care and affection that you do." Robin assures me. "But he absolutely refused to do anything more intimate than hold hands and give me the occasional hug. Do you know why?"

"Why?"

Robin huffs irritably. "Because, he said, and I quote; "I'm not sleeping with Boss's wife. You're his, and his alone.""

I blink in shock. My own Shadow clone went bro code in my absence. That's… I don't even… How do you respond to that? How do you even approach a bro of that level?

"How have you been holding up these past few days, then?" I ask.

Robin buries her face in my chest and groans. "It's been torture. Even with a war looming on the horizon, our friends among the Shepherds keep acting like newlyweds. Seeing them be all lovey-dovey with each other when all I had was a copy of my husband, who constantly left me all needy, was the worst. And that's before taking into account that I have to manage the convoy for _the whole army_."

I gently pat Robin on the head. "Then I've got some good news for you. I found ourselves a new quartermaster."

Robin's head shoots up. "You did?!"

I smile. "Yep. And she's an expert at keeping stock of anything under her care. Bet that should lift a heavy burden off your shoulde- Mmph!"

Any further conversation will have to wait until my wife's done kissing me senseless.

" _ **Yeah! Work that tongue, baby!**_ " my Hollow spirit exclaims.

* _Whang!*_

" _Shut up and let me make out with my wife in peace._ "

After another few minutes, I'm back to trying to reboot my brain after Robin short-circuited it – again.

"*Ahem* As I was saying…" I begin after a successful startup. "Our army has a designated quartermaster now, so you can focus more on tactics, as you're meant to."

"Thank the gods for that." Robin sighs. She smiles. "So, that's the reason why you went on that trip?"

I grin. "That and more. Here's the kicker, though. We're parents."

Robin looks at me stunned. "Wait… You know about our son already? But you just got back."

Oh, I know about the boy, but I'll play along a bit and raise an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? I was referring to our daughter."

Robin blinks bemused. "Wait… We have a daughter too?"

"Did you notice the girl walking with Laurent? The one in the jester's outfit? That was our daughter, Rose." I gently caress a lock of Robin's hair. "She inherited your beautiful silver hair."

A blush forms on Robin's cheeks. "Oh, stop. But wait… Gods, we have _two_ children?! How did that happen?"

I shrug. "Well, we technically haven't had them yet. Right now, we'll just get an idea about what family life will be like."

Robin sighs. "Now I know how Chrom and Cordelia are feeling. This might take some time to get used to."

"And while we're on that topic; we found Nowi's future daughter, who also considers me her uncle."

Robin nods. "Considering how close you and Nowi are, I'm not surprised."

I scratch my head sheepishly. "About that… Because said future daughter is so attached to me, Nowi and Donnel are considering making us their daughter's godparents."

Robin gives me a blank look. "Say what…?"

I lift my hands placatingly. "I wanted to let you know first before I give any answer (please don't get stressed out)."

Robin sighs and rubs her temples. "And here I thought the most dramatic change was finding our son. I'm going to need some more stress relief before I sort all of this out."

I caress her cheek. "You know I'll be there for you."

A spark glints in Robin's eye as her smile turns wicked. "Good, because you're not leaving this bed anytime soon."

I blink. "You can't be se- Mmph!"

" _ **What're you complaining about? Your wife's horny, you obviously enjoy this, and I get more of the free show. Everybody wins!**_ "

* _Whang!_ *

" _Sparrow, I said; Shut up._ "

* * *

It's somewhere close to noon when Robin and I _finally_ exit the inn. My mind is still reeling from our steamy stay inside. And Robin? She's practically glowing.

"I, uh… I'll go check up on my team." I tell her. "Where do you want us to meet up later?"

Robin puts a finger on her cheek. "I'll be busy getting familiar with this new quartermaster and get them started on their task. By the way, how do I know I've found the right person?"

"Oh, you'll know when you see her. She's an Anna."

Robin blinks. "One of those merchants we tend to see everywhere?"

I nod. "Remember the merchant we saved back during our first battle with those twin bandits in Ferox? Turns out that's her cousin. She considers us helping her family a debt, and accepting my proposal as our quartermaster is her way of repaying that debt."

Robin nods. "Good. At least I know who to look for."

"Father!"

A young teenage boy dressed in a black Tactician's coat glomps me from the side.

* * *

 **Morgan Lvl 34 Class: Tactician**

* * *

Hey! If it isn't my favorite Tactician-in-training.

Robin smiles at the sight. "Jack, allow me to introduce our son, Morgan."

I take a closer look once Morgan directs his gaze at me. He's significantly shorter than the other future children we've run into so far – about chest height where I'm standing. Though I suppose I can attribute that to him being our younger child and probably the youngest of the future children. That, and the fact that his face – his smiling, innocent-looking face – looks about as young as Nah's, and that girl is half manakete.

The only hint that we're related would be the hair color. Same shade of charcoal black as mine. Other than that, it's obvious he takes after Robin. I have no complaints.

I smile. "So, you're the son my wife mentioned earlier."

The boy nods happily. "I'm so happy to finally see you again, Father! When Mother found me in those ruins, I looked forward to seeing Rose and you too. So imagine my surprise when I learned you weren't even there. But you're here now, and that's all that matters!"

D'aw… I can't say no to that.

I grin and rub Morgan on the head. "Glad to have you, son. I'd love to hear all about our years together while you grew up."

Both Robin and Morgan avert their eyes.

"About that, Jack…" Robin replies awkwardly. "Morgan seems to suffer from amnesia. He's forgotten a lot of what happened in his past."

I raise an eyebrow and look back at my son. "Huh. And here I thought you couldn't take after your mother any more than you already do. Now you suffer from the same ailment as she does?"

Morgan's eyes widen in shock. "Mother is ill?!"

I blink. "We never told you she suffers from amnesia?"

Morgan rubs his head. "Maybe you did. But I can't remember if it happened. Just trying to think back hurts."

I place a hand on his shoulder. "Look, just take it slowly, Morgan. Your mother was quite lost when I first met her, and she handled herself just fine. We'll make sure you make it through, you'll see."

Morgan beams. "Thanks, Father."

"Speaking of taking after his parents…" Robin interjects. "There's one thing that Morgan inherited from you besides the hair color, Jack."

That piques my interest. "Oh? What's that?"

Robin sighs. "He's just as protective of me as you are."

I raise an eyebrow. "And how do you know that?"

My wife rubs her temples. "Remember the place you sent me to? Turns out there were some ancient ruins there. That's where we found Morgan – and a lot of Risen crawling through the place. Right after Morgan joined up, the Risen stirred and started attacking. We were just about to prepare for battle when Morgan charged against the horde singlehandedly and went on a one-man crusade through the whole temple. An hour later, he had slain the Risen down to the last one."

I look at my son impressed.

Morgan, for his part, glares angrily. "They dared point their weapons against my mother."

"It's only natural that the enemy would aim at me, Morgan. They aimed at everyone." Robin explains patiently.

"They aimed at _you_." Morgan stresses.

Robin sighs again. "He's always like this if it's ever implied that I'm threatened in some way or another."

" _ **Dang. She's right. Kid's as much of a papa bear around her as you are, Jack.**_ " Sparrow comments.

Learning this, I do what any responsible father would do.

I ruffle my son's hair and grin proudly. "That's the way, son! No one touches your mother on our watch!"

Morgan matches my grin. "Yeah!"

"Jack! You're not supposed to encourage him!" Robin yells exasperated.

"You might as well give up, Mom. Those two have a one-track mind whenever either of us are involved." Rose interjects as she approaches us.

Robin blinks and looks at our daughter. "Wait. You look familiar. And did you just call me "Mom"?"

I walk up to Rose and place a hand on her shoulder. "This is the girl I mentioned earlier, Robin. Meet Rose, our daughter."

"Rose!"

The joy in Morgan's voice is palpable as he tackle-hugs his sister. Rose, for her part, smiles and rubs the top of his head. "Hey there, Li'l Bro. Looking good."

Morgan faces his sister with a displeased frown. "Do you have any idea how worried I was when I woke up and couldn't find you?! I thought you'd been left behind!"

Rose shrugs. "Eh, I was _fine_. I just spent some time with a slave ring before Dad stopped by and picked me up."

A murderous aura surrounds Morgan. "You were kidnapped by slavers?"

"It's okay, son." I assure Morgan. My own voice goes arctic. "I annihilated the one responsible for you sister's capture."

The aura vanishes from Morgan as his expression returns to that innocent-looking smile. "Oh. Well, that's good to hear."

"Um, you mean you _killed_ the one responsible, right, Jack?" Robin asks tentatively.

I shake my head. "No. _Annihilated_." That last word could freeze oxygen.

Rose pats both me and Morgan on the shoulder. "These two are absolute papa bears around us, Mom. You might as well get used to it. You get fewer headaches that way."

Morgan and I nod with resolute scowls in perfect sync. We even grunt in sync.

Robin gives us a deadpan look. "We're not made of glass, you two. We can handle ourselves on the battlefield. Er, I _assume_ you can do that, can't you, Rose?"

I nod. "She most certainly can. Rose has managed to weaponize a plush toy. Imagine that."

Rose grins proudly. "I'm awesome!"

Robin blinks at the three of us before she sighs. "Is this family filled with nutcases or something?"

Rose's grin turns evil. "Prepare to be assimilated, Mom. Resistance is futile."

Robin shakes her head. "No, that's not happening. If you'll excuse me, I have work to do. I'll catch up with you later."

As Robin leaves, Morgan waves after her. "See you later, Mother."

With my wife out of earshot, I grin at my children. "So, who wants to see Daddy at work?"

Rose shrugs. "Meh. Might as well kill some time while Laurent checks up on my tome."

Morgan matches my grin. "Count me in! I'll need all the experience I can get if I'm to follow in Mother's footsteps."

I chuckle and ruffle his hair. "Trying to be as great of a tactician as your mother, son?"

Morgan nods. "You bet, Father! And then, I'll surpass her. You'll see."

"I look forward to that day, Morgan."

As we head for the meeting spot, something occurs to me; I have no idea what Morgan is capable of, aside from soloing an entire temple full of Risen.

I glance at my son. "By the way, Morgan… Did I ever train you in the future?"

Morgan nods. "You did, Father. And it all started on the day I found my weapon of choice."

I raise an eyebrow. "Isn't it usually the other way around?"

Rose shakes her head. "Dad, you should know by now that no one in our family does things the conventional way. You should've seen the look on your face the day Morgan got his weapon – from one of Miriel's failed experiments."

My other eyebrow joins its brother. "Oh? This I've gotta hear."

Rose clears her throat. "It all began when Miriel tried to make a source of light powered only by mana. That way, anyone capable of channeling that energy could have a source of light available without the need of going through all the motions to light a lantern. She succeeded, in a way. But then Henry found her invention and tinkered with it. The original purpose of Miriel's invention was to spread light from an exit point. But after Henry was done, the whole thing had been reversed and focused the light around a limited space instead. And just for laughs, Henry added some amplification features on the rune circuitry inside." Rose makes a grand gesture at Morgan. "It was this repurposed invention that Morgan stumbled upon one day. From the moment he activated it, his life was changed forever!"

On cue, Morgan opens up his coat, showing a metallic cylinder roughly the size of a two-handed sword hilt, hanging off a loop of cloth inside. The cylinder floats up from its resting place and into Morgan's waiting hand. My son grabs hold of the cylinder and flicks a switch with his thumb.

*Bzzm*

I do a very good impression of a fish.

Rose snickers. "That's exactly the look you had when Morgan showed you that weapon for the first time."

"You have a _lightsaber_?!" I shout shocked when I finally recover.

Morgan rubs his chin. "Oh, so that's what it's called. I never knew, so I just opted for calling it a "mana stick"."

I shake my head. "Never mind terminology. You're a Jedi?!"

Rose shrugs. "Well, Grandpa's practically a Sith lord already, and all that Force power had to go _somewhere_. Guess it decided to skip a generation in Mom and went straight for Morgan instead. Though he's more of a Padawan, since he never finished his training under you, Dad. It's a good thing Morgan's so pure-hearted, or else we'd have the next Anakin Skywalker on our hands."

A shiver runs up my spine at Rose's explanation. Raising the next Anakin? That's a thought I'd prefer to leave alone and never return to – ever.

* * *

I finally arrive at an empty marketplace to see my team going through exercises under the watchful eye of the clone I left with Robin.

I take a deep breath. "Team! Assemble!"

My teammates need little more than 20 seconds to drop the exercises and line up. Excellent response time.

"Hey, Boss." my clone greets. "Got all the allies you needed?"

I grin at my clone and hike a thumb behind me. "Even better, my man. Look who I found."

A few of my male teammates perk up upon seeing Rose.

"Hey, you think she's a new recruit in the army?" Ringabel whispers.

I clear my throat. "*Ahem* Team, you're all aware of the situation with Princess Lucina, correct?"

At the nods of my team, I place an arm around Rose's shoulders. "Like Lucina, this young lady traveled through time to accomplish the same mission as Captain Chrom's eldest daughter. Team, meet my daughter from the future, Rose."

My team does a double take.

"Dang. Cap's got a hot chick of a daughter." Elliot mutters.

Overprotective Daddy Mode: activate!

"She's off-limits." I declare with a frosty voice.

I assure you, the giant red-eyed demonic bear standing behind me is just a product of your imagination.

 **A new skill has been created due to a special action! You gained "Overprotective Daddy Mode!"**

My right eyebrow twitches. I swear, the Game's mocking me.

Rose pouts. "Dad! How am I supposed to get a boyfriend if you keep scaring away every single guy who shows even the slightest interest in me?!"

"Hush, Rose. I'm just picky with who's good for you."

My clone nods sagely. "Yeah, I get where you're coming from, Boss. Gotta have high standards for anyone dating our baby girl."

I clear my throat. "All right. Dating standards for my daughter aside, I'm expecting a full report on what you've been up to. In particular, I look forward on your report on Morgan's battle prowess."

My clone tries to look sideways. "Yeah, about that… I don't know."

I blink confused. "…Say what?"

Morgan nods. "He's right, Father. When Mother found me in those ruins, your clone was nowhere in sight. I later learned that he was here in Port Ferox the whole time." Morgan sighs. "And I was so looking forward to meet the real you here. Oh well. You're here now, and that's what matters."

I slowly turn towards my clone. The wind in the whole town goes still, save for a silent breeze blowing between me and my clone.

My clone takes a step back. "Um… Boss?"

"Let me get this straight." I tell him calmly. "Not only did you fail to witness Morgan on the battlefield, you didn't even accompany Robin to the ruins where she found him."

My clone gulps. "Uh, yes, that sounds about right."

"Which means she went into enemy territory without you." I continue.

My clones nods nervously. "That's…pretty much the gist of it."

"Hey, Sis. Did it suddenly get colder here?" Morgan asks Rose.

I zip in front of my clone in a burst of speed, seize him by the collar and shake him like a ragdoll. "I explicitly told you to remain at Robin's side at all times! What were you thinking, letting her go to those ruins alone?!"

"But she didn't go there alone!" my clone explains frantically. "The others went with her. She even assured me that she wouldn't need a whole army just to explore some ruins, so she told me it'd be better if I stayed here!"

"I don't care what assurances made you leave Robin's side! Her safety was your number one priority! YOU HAD YOUR ORDERS!"

"Is it just me, or does it look really weird when our captain argues with himself?" Pit asks the others.

"Hear, hear." the rest of the team responds.

After I'm done shaking my clone, I grab him by the head. "You'll regret going against my orders." I growl.

My clone pales. "W-whoa! Boss, you're not gonna do _that_ , are you? You're practically giving yourself a headache if you do."

"Then I'll make that pain serve as a reminder for every future clone I will make."

I activate a modified version of Soul drain. This particular version absorbs my clone into myself, with a twist. That clone is sent to the inside of my soul, where Sparrow is waiting.

" _Sparrow, make this imbecile understand the error of disobeying me._ " I command my Hollow spirit.

" _ **Is this necessary, Jack?**_ " Sparrow asks. " _ **You'll just cause pain to yourself this way.**_ "

" _Do it._ " I command. " _I'll make this pain a reminder for all my future clones. This is the only way I can really punish them, since they just cease to exist if I try to punish them the conventional way._ "

" _ **Something tells me you're secretly a masochist.**_ " Sparrow mutters.

Pain filled screams in my own voice echo through my head. A moment later, a jolt of pain pierces my head, causing me to wince and hold it steady.

"What just happened?" Sasha asks confused. "One moment, Captain Jack basically yells at himself, and the next, he experiences head pain out of nowhere?"

I wave off her concerns. "Don't mind that, Sasha. Anyway, that's all I wanted to tell you. You're all dismissed for the rest of the day."

The occasional whoop of joy sounds among the ranks of my team before they all head their own way.

With that out of the way, I turn back to my children. "Say, Morgan? Do you happen to have some free time right now?"

My son nods. "Sure. What do you need, Father?"

I smile. "How about a private training session, just me and you? And we can add some bonding time together while we're at it."

Morgan's face lights up in a delighted smile. "That sounds great! Let's do it!"

Rose shrugs and walks back the way we came from. "Well, I can tell when I'm not wanted. I'll leave you two alone to terrorize someone else."

Morgan waves his sister a cheerful farewell, and Rose returns the gesture with a lazy wave of her own.

* * *

Morgan and I find a patch of grass where we sit down. Judging from what I saw in Morgan's character sheet, he's got quite the interesting build. Though there's one skill that would complement his skillset, but is suspiciously lacking. It's a good thing it happens to be a specialty of mine, and Morgan has everything he needs to learn this skill himself.

"So what will you teach me today, Father?" Morgan asks eagerly.

I smile and ruffle his hair. "Easy there, tiger. First of all, can you tell me how much you remember about me?"

Morgan frowns. Judging by the slight amount of steam blowing from his ears, I can tell he's straining his memory capacity hard.

He eventually sighs and slumps. "Not much, I'm afraid. It's mostly your face. Heck, the reason I recognize you so easily is because almost every memory I have of you is one where you're with Mother. And…for some reason, I remember everything you taught me, even though I have no memory of what happened _when_ you taught me. It's like I remember how to swing a sword, but I can't remember all the time I spent practicing with it."

I rub my chin and nod. "Well, I suppose it's a start. I guess we'll just work from there. In fact, this should make your lesson a bit easier."

"You're finally going to teach me something new?"

"Yes." I clap my hands. "All right. What I'm about to teach you is a skill of the mind. So long as your mind is clear, using this skill should be easy. To make this easier, we'll start by meditating to gather our minds."

Morgan nods, closes his eyes and gets in a meditative pose. His breathing soon slows down to deep, calm breaths.

I nod. "Good. From what I can Observe, you already know how to manipulate objects with your mind."

Morgan nods. "Yes. It was a skill that I had to train really hard before I got it down. But when I did, you had this really proud smile." Morgan gasps and opens his eyes wide. "Hey, I remember now! It's just a single memory, but I remember your proud smile!"

I blink bemused before I smile. "Well, what do you know. We've just started and we're already making progress. But enough reminiscing. Back to the meditation."

Morgan nods and closes his eyes again. As his breathing returns to its calm pace, I continue.

"The skill I'm about to teach you basically uses the skill I mentioned as a foundation. Instead of trying to perceive the world with your senses, reach out with your Telekinesis – that's the name of that skill."

Morgan's eyes furrow in concentration. Through my own senses, I note how his power slowly expands from him. Oh, so _that's_ how it looks like when I first made Mind's eye. This looks interesting.

"You're getting there, son." I encourage Morgan. "Now, imagine that your Telekinesis is an extension of your body, like a hand. Use that imagined limb and try to feel your surroundings. When you sense something, latch on to it like if it were in your palm."

Morgan's breaths get deeper as he concentrates harder. Good. Almost there…

"Eep!"

Morgan and I jolt with a start upon hearing Lucina's startled yelp.

"Something the matter, Lucina?" Chrom asks his eldest daughter.

Lucina looks around glaring. "I'm not sure what happened, Father, but it felt like someone just grabbed my-" Lucina's face goes cherry red. "My…butt…."

Chrom looks around with a matching scowl. Though that expression quickly turns into confusion. "That's strange. From where we're standing, I don't see how anyone could even reach you. Are you sure you didn't just imagine it?"

Lucina shakes her head. "I'm certain I felt something akin to a hand. But…you have a point. No one could really reach me from here. And yet, that feeling was unmistakable."

Chrom rubs his chin before he shrugs. "Maybe you're just stressed out from all the fighting and sparring. How about we go find your mother and we can have a nice, calm chat together."

Lucina nods smiling. "I would like that very much."

As father and daughter leave, I raise an eyebrow. This incident feels awfully familiar.

"Hey, Morgan. What do you think-" I stop cold upon seeing my son's face as red as Cordelia's hair. I raise an eyebrow. "Son? What's wrong?"

"F-Father…" Morgan stutters out. "I think I- I think I just touched Lucina's butt – with my mind…"

 **Morgan gained "Mind's eye"!**

Awkward silence…

Then I double over laughing.

"Hey! That's not funny!" Morgan shouts indignant.

I slap my knee and take a few breaths to calm my laughing down, though I'm still grinning from ear to ear. "Whoo… Sorry about that, son. It's just- Man, if only you knew how much you resembled me in that moment."

Morgan blinks. "I did? How?"

"Did I ever tell you how I first came up with the skill you just learned?"

Morgan shakes his head.

"All right. Time for a little story then." I remark. "It happened during the end of the night after I first met your mother. We had just survived our first encounter with Risen, and had our first meeting with Lucina after she arrived in this timeline just a few hours prior. Lissa absolutely refused to walk any further in the night because of how exhausted she was – a sentiment shared by most of us. So, after she twisted Frederick's arm a little, we finally made camp with what we had at hand to get all the sleep we could. However, I didn't feel sleepy at all. Since I had nothing to do, I decided to experiment a little with my powers. That's when I had the idea to try to feel the world around me with Telekinesis."

"Hey, that's exactly how you just instructed me." Morgan remarks.

I nod. "That's right. That's how I knew it would work. But there's more… The reason why I developed the skill to perceive the world through my mind…was thanks to your mother."

Morgan's eyes sparkle. "Mother helped you train, even so late at night? She's amazing!"

I nod sagely. "She sure is." I lean in close while looking around as inconspicuously as possible. "Though she didn't help me in the way you might expect." I whisper nervously.

"What did she do?"

"It's… Well, it's not what she did, but what _I_ did. You see… My new skill was created…when I accidentally grabbed her chest with my mind."

Morgan's eyes widen. "You did WHAT?!"

I place a finger in front of my mouth. "Shh! Not so loud, son!"

Morgan glares at me. "How could you, Father?! You had just met her. Don't tell me you married her just because you like her body?"

I wave my hands in front of me. "No, of course not! I don't even know where to begin in listing all the things I love about your mother, and that's even if we just stick to her personality! I said it was an _accident_!"

Morgan keeps his glare at me. "Well, you at least told her, didn't you?"

"You can't be serious!" I hiss back frightful. "Do you have any idea how frightening your mother becomes when she gets angry?"

Morgan's glare subsides in favor of him gulping in fear. "Oh yeah… I remember perfectly. And that anger wasn't even directed at me."

"I know, right? I just knew, that if I told her, she'd bring down a storm of lighting magic on my head."

Morgan shakes his head and returns to glaring at me. "Wait, that's beside the point. You're married to her now! Isn't it time you came clean with her?"

My son has a point. He really does. On the other hand, Robin's wrath easily tops the list of my fears. I _know_ I shouldn't have to fear it, considering how intimate we are nowadays, but this happened when we barely knew each other. I just don't know how she'll react, and that terrifies me.

" _ **Wuss.**_ "

* _Whang!_ *

" _ **Son of a-**_ "

" _Hush! I'm trying to figure out how to weasel my way out of this mess!_ "

Okay, deep breaths. There has to be a way for me to walk away from this without my son guilt tripping me. Now, What angle of approach should I use?

Wait, there is that… Here goes nothing.

"Tell you what." I suggest. "I come clean with your mother if you tell Lucina that you're the one who touched her with your mind."

Morgan somehow manages to pale and blush at the same time. As a result, his face takes an interesting shade of pink. I can relate.

"B-but- But it was an accident!" Morgan protests.

I nod. "Just like in my case. So it's only fair that we both confess, am I right?"

Morgan shakes his head with a haunted look. "Father, you don't understand. Lucina can get upset, but when she gets angry, and I mean _really_ angry…" he shivers. "Oh gods…"

I nod sagely. "Then you understand how I fell regarding telling your mother the truth. In that case, I have a proposal."

"What's that?"

I offer my hand to Morgan with a straight face. "Guy pact: Nothing happened. Deal?"

Morgan looks at my hand in intense contemplation before he takes it with an equally straight face. "Deal."

 **Your relationship with Morgan has improved!**

* * *

Lucina takes a defensive stance with her training sword.

"Ready, Lucina?" I ask as I get in an offensive stance myself.

Lucina nods. "Yes. Whenever you're ready, Master."

I tense my legs and scan her for openings. None… None…

Left shoulder!

Without warning, I thrust my training sword at that spot. Lucina raises her own training weapon in response.

*Ching!*

My training sword continues off course by Lucina's timely parry. I roll with the momentum and spin for a backhand.

*Ching!*

A deft flick of her training sword allows Lucina to parry that strike too. Good. Time to up the pace.

I switch over to a looser stance. Deep breaths, and…

*Ching! Ching, ching, ching!*

I try striking from awkward angles. I try switching up my pace. I try feinting and attacking barehanded. Sure, it's not my top speed, but Lucina's keeping up with me blow for blow. Her defense is rock solid.

Right after Lucina manages to parry a particularly committed overhead swing, she lashes out with a counterattack. I manage to lean away from the worst, but the tip of my nose burns as the training sword grazes it.

I get up from my hasty roll and exhale. Then I get out of my stance and smile.

"Excellent work, Lucina. As far as I'm concerned, you've mastered parrying."

Lucina relaxes out of her stance and releases her own breath. "Phew. I wasn't sure at first whether my skill was up to your standards."

I grin. "It's more than up to my standards. I expected you to take a hit or three during that exchange, especially since I tried to mix thing up a bit. Yet you adapted to the changes without any discernable problems. You pass with flying colors, Lucina. From this point on, learning how to improve your parry will be up to you. Learn to read your opponent's angle of approach, their timing, and their pace, and you could parry just about anything."

Lucina smiles. "Thank you, Master Jack. I will do just that."

Lucina gazes over the other Shepherds, particularly those from her own generation.

"I'm amazed that we managed to find so many of my friends in such a short time, even when I myself had no idea where they ended up. Between finding them and seeing everyone's improvements, my own included, I feel like there is finally hope for the future." The princess clenches a fist and holds it close to her chest. "I… I've almost forgotten how it feels. To see a possibility, no matter how small, that things can change for the better."

I clap her shoulder. "And do you know what the best part is? That's a hope that you all forged together through your own power. Granted, you had some help from a certain divine dragon, but none of this would've been possible unless you kept growing stronger and stood against Grima in the future in the first place."

Lucina turns to me. "Yet none of us would have probably grown as strong as we did if it was not for you, Master Jack. Truly, I owe you a debt that I don't know if I could even repay."

I shake my head. "Think nothing of it, Lucina. We agreed to help you find you friends, and so we did. Frankly, I'm honored to see how powerful they all are. It shows how much they grew under the tutelage of my future self. I can't take any credit for that, but I feel proud that I took such splendid students under my wing. And it all started with me meeting you, Lucina. If anything, I should be the one to thank you for this opportunity, grim as though the circumstances of our meeting were."

Lucina nods with a resolute expression. "That's putting it mildly. But that's why I am here with the others; to change the future for the better." The princess gives me a pleading look. "Will you…help me make that a reality?"

I give Lucina a thumbs-up. "You bet I will. And it's not just because it's the right thing to do. You're one of us, Lucina. That means we help each other, no matter what problems we may have. If you want to change the future for the better, I'll be right by your side and help you as far as I can."

Lucina smiles. "Thank you, Master Jack. Of course, I will also do the same for you. No matter the battlefield, I will be there to watch your back. I just hope I can keep up with you."

"I have all reason to believe you already can, Lucina. You've grown into an ally that I can always count on when the going gets tough."

 **Your relationship with Lucina has advanced! Your relationship with Lucina is now "Friends"!**

 **The bond you've nurtured has given birth to a new ability! You can now perform the Union Strike "Wombo Combo" with Lucina!**

* * *

"Steady. Hey, careful with that box! It contains navigation equipment!"

The docks in Port Ferox look like a human-scaled anthill with all the activity going on there. With a thousand ships comes a lot of cargo, which is loaded by a lot of people. With so much going on at once, chaos could easily disrupt the flow down here. And yet, the crewmen carrying all the cargo work with efficiency befitting a military company. And the reason for that is seated by a desk near the entrance to the docks.

Anna browses through document after document and writes down notes by the dozens while directing crewmen carrying crates to various ships. Considering the stacks of paper littering her desk, I'm surprised she hasn't collapsed from managing such a stressful task. And, to be safe, Robin's there with her to give input when needed.

"Hey. How's it going?" I ask my wife as I approach the two women.

Robin looks up from a stack of documents and smiles. "About as smoothly as I could hope, Jack. Anna's a tremendous help in organizing the ship loads. With her help, I can finally focus on the tactical aspects of this campaign."

I nod and turn to the redheaded merchant. "And you, Anna? How are you holding up?"

"Never a moment's rest, I'm afraid. When I'm done pointing one guy towards the right ship, there's three more asking for directions." Anna replies.

I wince. "That sounds scary."

Anna smiles. "Are you kidding? I'm relishing this job. It's like managing an entire merchant company, except I'm not the owner. How cool is that?"

I sweatdrop. "Uh, okay… Whatever floats your boat."

I catch some movement further down the line. Looks like there's an argument.

…Great… Seems like one of my teammates are involved.

"Hey! Hey! Stop pushing me around, will ya?! I've got better things to do than lug around these stupid crates!"

Figures it would be our resident Trickster, Linebeck. The guy's got a tongue made of pure silver, but his laziness and tendency to push his workload on others is almost legendary in our team. The fact that he usually tries to push his workload on the younger members only makes it worse. On the other hand, there's no denying that his quick thinking and surprising loyalty proved to be a boon for us since the team formed.

And as so happens, Linebeck's an old hand at navigation. With local voluntary navigators in short supply in Port Ferox, Robin's had to scramble and ask around for anyone within both the Ylissean and Feroxi ranks who can navigate at sea. And, because Linebeck is, well, Linebeck, the Trickster rose to the occasion with dramatic flair befitting Johnny Depp himself and signed himself up as one of the navigators. Thankfully, navigation is an area where Linebeck is better at walking the walk than talking the talk. He even went out of his way and made a small demonstration by commanding a small sailboat. The efficiency with which it practically glided through the water was more than enough proof of the man's ability as a navigator.

Of course, since this is Linebeck we're talking about, that also meant that the appointment fed his ego something fierce, to the point that he's reluctant to do any physical labor for the duration of the sailing or anything related to that. This naturally doesn't sit well with the rest of the team, and with sparks flying between Linebeck's and Artemia's eyes, we might reach the breaking point soon unless proper damage control us run.

Which is why I, as the team leader, have to step in.

"And what exactly makes you think that makes you exempt from helping your teammates load the ship we're sailing, Linebeck?" I inquire as I approach the pair.

"Captain!" the Trickster exclaims surprised. Then he grins. "Great timing. Everyone in this team listens to you, so why don't you explain to this gorilla girl why having me carry these crates would hamper my navigation?"

Artemia, for her part, growls with a tic mark pulsing on her head. She may act like a beast sometimes, but she _hates_ being called a gorilla. She's got feelings too, people.

I clear my throat. "Actually, I'm here to explain to you why carrying those crates is _vital_ for your navigation, Linebeck."

The Trickster nods sagely. "Ah, yes I suppose it makes sen-" Linebeck freezes up. "Say what?!"

I narrow my gaze. "You didn't think you'll be the only one working hard during the trip, did you? Everyone on the team will be busy manning the ship. Swabbing the deck, checking the sails, keeping lookout, cooking for the crew, the list goes on. Even with experienced sailors joining us on the ship, we'll need all hands on deck that we can find. So don't think you're the only one with a task onboard. Of course, that means it's only fair that you pull your weight in preparing for the sailing as well."

"B-but those crates are heavy." Linebeck protests weakly.

I roll my eyes. "Linebeck, you've gone through the same training regimen as Artemia here. Look how easily she carries her share of the cargo. You can do the same."

As if to drive the point home, Artemia lifts a crate roughly twice her size with a grunt and holds it over her head while emitting that animalistic growl she seems so fond of. Now that's a flex if I ever saw one.

Linebeck gulps. "Do I have to?"

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. "For crying out loud, Linebeck, stop whining and pitch in. Or are you telling me you're leaving the team hanging?"

Linebeck instantly goes rigid. "No! Never, sir!"

The Trickster runs off in search for cargo to carry to the ship specifically designated for my team. I sigh again. Off all the sea savvy teammates I could have on my team, it had to be an almost-narcissist who claims to be the tenth in a successful bloodline? I don't care if he's got a witty sailor or a peddler of odd treasures in the family tree. He pulls his weight, end of story.

"Captain show strength in leadership. Artemia impressed." Artemia comments in approval.

I nod. "Well, that's to be expected, considering my position. Of course, I'll be counting on you while we cross the Long Sea, Artemia."

The Assassin nods. "Artemia expert in climbing. Artemia handle masts and sails."

I smile in approval. "All right. Then I'll be counting on you to furl the sails if the sea gets rough."

Artemia nods and proceeds to carry her crate to her ship. She's strong for her size, that's for sure. And that will come in handy for climbing masts and whatnot.

As for me…

*Poof*

"All right, men! The ships won't load themselves. Grab some cargo, check in with Anna, and carry that stuff to where it's wanted." I command my clones and lift a crate of my own.

My clones nod in unison. "Yes, Boss!"

* * *

The day finally arrives when it's time for us to set sail. And wouldn't you know it; Emmeryn just arrived. And, to the surprise of her family (future members included), she intends to join us to Valm.

"Emm, you can't be serious!" Chrom exclaims. "Your life already hanged in the balance during the Mad King's war two years ago, and now you intend to join us in our campaign against the empire of Valm?!"

Phila sighs. "My sincerest apologies, milord. I tried everything in my power to dissuade Her Grace from joining, but she insisted to arrive at Port Ferox before you depart."

Emmeryn nods resolutely. "Chrom, you cannot expect me to remain safely within the capital while soldiers cross the Long Sea and risk their lives in fighting for me. As ruler of our fair halidom, it is my duty to join these soldiers and fight right alongside them. Besides, do you not yourself advocate for a leader to stand by their subordinates, no matter how fierce the battle?"

"Emm, you can't compare me to yourself like that! I adopted that philosophy as captain of the Shepherds! My role is to fight for you and protect you when others refuse to have peace. You're not meant for the battlefield. Surely you realize that."

Emmeryn's gaze grows steely. "And you should remember who you address, _Prince_ Chrom. I will not stand by idly when an entire empire threatens to bring war across the sea and within our borders, and you have no say in this matter. Do I make myself clear?!"

Chrom gulps and practically wilts under Emmeryn's scowl. Not that I blame him. Even without eye contact, it feels like Emmeryn could force me into submission without moving a muscle. We're not dealing with Chrom's benevolent sister anymore – we're standing before the exalt of Ylisse, and she's determined to have her way.

"Aunt Emmeryn, please!" Lucina implores her elder aunt. "Father means no disrespect. Please consider his point of view."

Emmeryn directs her gaze at the blue-haired princess (with a thankfully milder expression). "Do elaborate, Lucina. And that is "Your Grace" for you, young lady."

Lucina takes a deep breath and steels herself. "As I have explained to you before, your life is of the greatest importance in the course of history. Your death was one of the events that led up to the return of the Fell dragon. Twice already your life has hung in the balance, and that was in a war that pales in comparison to what awaits us. If you join us in this conflict, what is to say you will return alive? Please understand, Aunt Emme- I mean, Your Grace. We simply cannot afford to lose you, ever. Not only would Father and Aunt Lissa be devastated, it would mean that history will repeat itself. It would not matter who won this war – the world will be doomed anyway."

Emmeryn closes her eyes in contemplation. The air around the docks feels so tense that everything falls silent and completely still, almost as if Emmeryn's answer will carry some sort of divine authority.

The exalt eventually opens her eyes. "Very well, I have considered your words, Lucina."

Said princess gulps. "W-well? What is your decision?"

"While I still wish to join you in this war and stand by the soldiers like any true ruler should…" Emmeryn sighs in resignation. "…I cannot deny the wisdom in your counsel. I shall remain in Ylisstol and pray for your safe return."

Everyone gathered lets out a sigh of relief as subtly as they can. Though, judging by the slight upwards twitch on Emmeryn's lips, she not only seems to have noticed, but even seems to relish in making us quiver under her gaze. Huh. Guess even the exalt has a mischievous bone in her body, which means that Lissa's not the only prankster among the siblings.

"But I wish, at the very least, to see you off on your journey to Valm." Emmeryn continues. "And I also wish to speak with one Shepherd in particular before you board the ships."

"That… I suppose that is acceptable…" Phila relents once she gathers herself. "In fact, I think the soldiers would appreciate it."

Chrom nods in agreement. "Yeah. There's no sendoff like having the exalt herself give us some encouraging words before we set sail. By the way, who do you wish to speak with?"

Emmeryn's gaze sweeps across the soldiers milling about. She eventually fixes her eyes in one direction and walks there. We follow her line of sight – and find Libra.

 **BGM:** **A wish for peace, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness music**

"Libra." Emmeryn greets.

The War Monk looks in Emmeryn's direction and goes rigid the moment they make eye contact. "Y-Your Grace! To what do I owe this honor? And…what business do you have here in Port Ferox today?"

Emmeryn smiles at the effeminate blond gently. "Please, there is no need for formalities, Libra. I simply wish to speak with you."

"With me? Pray tell, about what?"

"My original intention was to join the Ylissean league to Valm, but your allies have convinced me to stay instead."

"As you should." Libra agrees with visible relief. "The thought of your life being in constant danger on the battlefield would cling to our minds without mercy."

"Is that a sentiment shared among all soldiers who know about my intentions, or are you among the few who feel this way, Libra?"

The War Monk blushes. "Err… That is… Is it not natural to assume so?"

Emery shakes her head fondly. "Oh, Libra. I have always found your devotion and loyalty endearing, but I am flattered over the concern you show towards me. If anything, no one outside my family, besides Phila, has ever displayed such genuine concern for my wellbeing as you have ever since we had the opportunity to get to know each other better."

Libra clears his throat. "Well, that is to be expected. In getting to know you personally, I have found all the more reason to aid you in any way possible, for all the good you do for the halidom. I am sure anyone who gets to know you personally would find this likewise."

"But that is where you are wrong, Libra."

"M-milady?"

"Libra, the loyalty you show me goes deeper than that of a servant. In fact, even if I were to call it the loyalty of a friend, I doubt it would accurately describe how far you are willing to go for me." Emmeryn continues. "If there is something you wish to explain to me, now would be the time."

The War Monk shuts his eyes and takes a deep breath. "Your Grace- No. Lady Emmeryn. There is something that…I have been meaning to tell you for a long time now. Do you remember the first time we met?"

Emmeryn hums. "I believe it was when I visited the church a few years after I had taken over the throne of Ylisse. It was mainly to attend a ceremony to ordain new priests in the church. A formality, really, yet I found the event most enlightening."

Libra nods. "The ceremony you speak of was when I was ordained. I will always remember that day, for that is the day I met you. You came and gave your best wishes for all ordained priests."

Emmeryn smiles. "Ah, now I remember. You were the youngest among the ordained during that ceremony. When I came to wish you the best, your back was so rigid, I feared you had fallen ill. I remember how the head priest struggled to contain his amusement at the scene."

Libra blushes. "Yes, well, you had come in person to attend, Your Grace. There was no greater honor for anyone. And no greater joy…for me. For in that moment, I felt as though I had laid eyes on a goddess. Your beauty and radiance during that ceremony was nigh blinding, and yet, I found myself unable to tear my eyes away."

"Oh, please. Now you just flatter me."

The War Monk shakes his head. "Milady, I do not flatter. I did not know what made me feel like that back then. Not until several years later, when I had finally reached Castle Plegia and saw you on top of that cliff, mere moments from being executed." Libra tightens the hold on his staff. "As I saw you up there, with your life hanging in the balance, only one thought filled my head; I had to protect you at all costs. But my goal was not to rescue the exalt of Ylisse. You could have been a maiden of the lowest birth, and I would have fought as fiercely as I did that day. I wanted to protect _you_ , Lady Emmeryn, more than anything. And I still do to this very day."

Emmeryn raises an eyebrow. "Libra, I do not understand. What is it you are trying to tell me?"

"Gods have mercy on me, must I spell it out loud!?" Libra exclaims in a rare show of exasperation. He takes a deep breath to compose himself. "My apologies. I did not mean to startle you, milady. …Truth be told, I love you. I have, from the moment we first met during that ceremony."

The entire harbor goes silent at Libra's confession.

Emmeryn blinks stunned. "You…love _me_ …?"

Libra's face turns red and uncomfortable. "Gods, yes! More than anyone in the entire world." The War Monk shakes his head. "But alas, I had hoped to keep these feelings a secret. How could I, a mere man of the cloth, ever walk beside you in more than servitude?"

Emmeryn sighs, and gives Libra the gentlest smile I have ever seen on her face. "How long I have waited to hear you say those words."

Now it's Libra's turn to look stunned. "I- I beg your pardon?"

"Libra, it does not matter to me in which station you were born in. You have proven your kindness and loyalty time and again ever since you joined forces with Chrom in the Mad King's war. During the two years of peace we had, you have shown me a man who cares deeply for the people around him, who would aid anyone in need and provide a word of wisdom for anyone who would seek counsel. No matter where you go, people in your wake leave with a smile on their faces. And yet, it all pales in comparison to the devotion you have shown me and me alone. I have suspected for a long time that you feel this way for me, but I wanted to hear it from your own lips before I drew any conclusions."

"So…you knew?"

"It was quite obvious." Emmeryn replies in slight amusement. "And, to tell you the truth…" Emmeryn's cheek turn red. "…I eventually grew to return those feelings. How could I not, after all we have experienced together?"

"B-but Your Grace!" Libra sputters. "Our stations! Does it not bother you that you would have such affections for a mere commoner?"

"And why should that matter?" Emmeryn returns coolly. "As the ruler of Ylisse, am I not free to marry whoever I wish?

"I- I…"

"Libra, there is no other man in the world whom I wish to live so close to. So what if you are a man of the cloth? All I see is a man who loves me for who I am, and whom I love in return. I need no other reason, and I do not believe you do either."

Libra averts his gaze. "But…how could you love a man with a soul as black as mine? A soul infested with darkness?" the War Monk asks bitterly.

"Libra, please. That darkness you speak of is nothing more than your own doubts in yourself. If your soul were as black as you claim it is, I never would have accepted you in the first place." Emmeryn takes a step forward and grasps Libra's cheeks with both hands. "Let me dispel those doubts, once and for all."

Emmeryn pulls Libra in, and joins her lips to his.

If the people on the docks stood still when Emmeryn scolded Chrom, it's almost as if the sea itself froze in time the moment the two kissed.

"Whoo! Go, Sis!" Lissa cheers from the sidelines.

As Emmeryn steps back, Libra does an impressive fish impression.

"Y-your Grace!" Phila exclaims in shock. "What in the world possessed you to do that?"

"It is customary to kiss the one you love, is it not?" Emmeryn replies unflappable. "I believe that should make my feelings clear."

Libra finally reboots enough brain power to hold a conversation. "But… You would return my feelings?"

Emmeryn smiles with a slight blush dusting her cheeks. "There is no other man in the world whom I would share my life with more than you, Libra. Would you do me the honor of becoming my husband?"

Libra gets down on a knee and takes Emmeryn's hand. "The honor would be all mine, and there would be no greater, Lady Emmeryn. If there was a time that the gods smile upon me, surely it is this day." The War Monk shakes his head. "And yet, learning that you return my affections has me conflicted now. I dearly wish to remain by your side, but can I do so and leave my comrades to fight for their lives in a foreign country in the process?"

"Stand, Libra." Emmeryn commands the War Monk gently. When he's back on his feet, Emmeryn caresses his cheek. "I understand your dilemma. I am no stranger to situations like these myself. So let me give you this advice; I will wait for you for as long as you need – this war will not. Your comrades-in-arms will need you with them, Libra. You will do more good with them than with me. But I will not force your hand. Should you wish to stay here with me, I shall welcome you with open arms. But should you leave, I shall pray for your safety every day until you return to me."

Libra gulps. "But if I leave, what guarantee can I give that I _will_ return? If I fall in battle, it would mean that I abandon you. I cannot bear the thought."

"And neither can you bear abandoning your comrades." Emmeryn reminds him.

Libra falls silent as he contemplates his options. When he finally opens them again, there's remorse in them.

"Forgive me my selfishness, my love, but I must leave. This war threatens all we hold dear. I will not stand by idly when I could instead head out to protect you, even at the cost of my own life."

Emmeryn nods. "If that is your decision, then I will not stop you, Libra. Go, and do all in your power to aid your comrades. I shall wait for you in Ylisstol. And when you return, I shall stand ready as your bride." Emmeryn takes a step forward and hugs Libra. "I shall pray for your safe return every day. May you always walk under the protection of the gods."

Libra returns the hug. "I too shall pray, that the Great Ones would grant you peace and safety always."

And time moves once aga- Wait, that doesn't sound right.

 **BGM ends**

Lissa runs up to the hugging pair and claps Libra on the shoulder. "All right, Libra! Welcome to the family!"

Libra's face turns red. "P-Princess Lissa! Please, I have not exchanged vows with Her Grace yet!"

The blonde princess rolls her eyes. "Meh, details. You're already engaged. Might as well celebrate a little, don't you think?"

"Now, Lissa. Be gentle with Libra." Emmeryn admonishes her sister mildly. "Surely you can see that he feels uncomfortable."

Lissa giggles. "But that's what makes this so fun, Emm. Don't hide it, you're all jittery on the inside as well."

Emmeryn averts her eyes with a light blush. "Well… I will not deny that the prospect of marrying him has me more excited than I have been for years. But that will wait for another day. I believe you had a journey to make?"

Chrom nods. "Yes, and it's high time we cast off. Stay safe, Emm."

Emmeryn nods back. "Safe travels, Chrom. Safe travels, Lissa." Then she turns to her two nieces and hugs them. "Safe travels, girls. May your friends never be far from you."

Lucina returns the hug with a peaceful smile. "Thank you, Aunt Emmeryn – for your encouragement and for letting me get to know you."

Severa returns the hug as well, with averted eyes and blushing cheeks. "Um, yeah. What she said. Love you, Auntie Emm."

* * *

While most of the army has made an occasional visit to the docks these past few days, some preferred to stay among the buildings or train instead.

Which leads to our current conversation.

Nah looks at the seafaring vessels with growing apprehension.

"Wait. You're telling me…that we're going to Valm…by _SHIP_?!"

Nowi looks at her daughter bemused. "Of course we are. How else are we supposed to get there?"

Nah clenches her fist as flames envelop her. "There's no way I'm setting foot on that deathtrap! I'll _swim_!"

Everyone gives the half-manakete blank stares.

"Oh, for- Nah! When will you get over that silly weakness to motion sickness?!" Severa shouts exasperated.

"I can't help it!" Nah shouts back. "I can't handle vehicles! The moment the surface under my feet starts rocking, my whole world starts to spin!"

"You were never like this whenever Sensei let you sit on his lap – while he was riding a cart over a bumpy dirt road!"

"That's because Uncle Jack's not a vehicle! He's _family_!"

"That doesn't even make any sense!"

While Severa and Nah have their little argument, everyone else gets ready to board their respective ships.

Hawke gives me a blank stare (then again, his expressions are about as varied as the thickness of a sheet of paper). "Captain, care to explain why you are not boarding the same ship as the rest of us? Are you not the one among us who promotes teamwork the most?"

"Normally, that would be the case, Hawke." I admit. "But I have a few reasons why I'm boarding the flagship instead. For one, as your commanding officer, this makes it easier for me to relay any commands issued by our head tactician or Prince Chrom. And second…" I glance sideways with a sour expression. "I have witnessed what happens to my wife if I'm absent for too long. Neither of us want to stay separated for an extended period of time."

Hawke's gaze remains unyielding. "You mean to tell me you simply want to stay with your wife for the sailing, because you are too attached to her?" If I strain my ears, I _think_ I can detect disapproval in the Dark Knight's voice.

"Hey, I won't leave you completely leaderless." I reply defensively.

*Poof!*

"I'll have my clones around the ship to give directions in case something comes up. Besides, you know I can fly, remember? Getting over to your ship will be easy."

"You might as well give up, Hawke." Lon'qu interjects. "Jack won't let anything get between him and his wife. His suggestion will probably be as good as we can get out of him."

Hawke remains silent for a bit before he nods and walks off to board the ship designated for my team.

I smile at my lieutenant. "Thanks, Lon'qu. I owe you one."

Lon'qu frowns at me. "Don't you think you're abusing your power, Jack? You insisting to sail on the same ship as Robin is unprofessional, even by the standards of pulling rank."

I wave off the Swordmaster's concerns. "Relax. The only time you'll really need me in person is if a battle breaks out. Otherwise, my clones will be plenty enough to keep everything with our teammates in order." I poke Lon'qu on the chest. "Besides, now you're just a pot calling the kettle black."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

I smirk. "Did you honestly think I wouldn't suspect anything when you sought approval to board the same vessel as the Shepherds as well? Don't think I haven't noticed the way you're acting around a certain Wyvern Rider."

A blush spreads along Lon'qu's face. "My interactions with Cherche is none of your concern."

My smirk turns into a grin. "Oh? Who said I was referring to Cherche specifically?"

Lon'qu stiffens up before he growls. "I'll remember this…"

I laugh and proceed to board the Shepherds' ship. "Sure you will! See you on board, partner!"

"No! Father! You can't do this to me!" Nah shouts as she desperately clings to a post normally reserved for mooring a ship to the docks.

Donnel grunts as he tries to pry his daughter from the fastened metal pole. "Come on, Nah! We gotta head for Valm, and there ain't any better way ta get there than by sailin'!"

"I said; I refuse to set foot on that deathtrap! Nothing you say will convince me otherwise. Let me _go_ , Father!"

"Allow me." Kjelle suggests as she approaches the struggling pair with a bottle in hand.

Nah sniffs the air and eyes the bottle. "Hold on… Is that oil, Kjelle?"

The Knight nods. "Yes, it is. You're coming with us, Nah, like it or not."

Kjelle slowly tips the bottle over the pole Nah's clinging to. The half-manakete's face blanches. "No! You wouldn't dare!"

"You left us no other choice, Nah." Kjelle counters.

The oil slowly clears the rim and flows down the pole. Eventually, it reaches Nah's arms, and slips underneath. As Donnel renews his efforts to extract his daughter from her anchoring point, Nah's grip slowly loses traction and her fingers slide off, to Nah's horror.

Father and daughter tumble backwards when Nah finally loses her grip. Donnel's quick on the recovery and proceeds to drag his distraught daughter towards the ship.

"Father, please!" Nah begs. "You can't do this to me! I call child abuse!"

"You're about the same age as me, Nah." Kjelle counters as she follows Donnel to the ship. "I've been considered an adult for quite a few years now, and so do you."

"'Sides, ain't no way we're leavin' ya behind or lettin' ya swim all the way, no matter what ya say, Nah." Donnel adds. "Let's get on that ship already."

In a last, desperate effort, Nah digs her fingers into the cobblestone. Unfortunately for her, Donnel simply drags her so hard that her fingers dig furrows into the docks instead.

"NNNOOOOOO!"

* * *

Robin takes looks around the flagship in wonder. "Ah, take it all in! Breathtaking… Somehow our troubles feel a lifetime away out here."

Chrom shakes his head. "Yet in truth, we're headed straight toward them… I should be grateful the plegians delivered us this fleet as promised." The prince stumbles a step on the rocking deck before he corrects his posture. "But it's my first time on a vessel, and my legs… I never fancied myself a sea captain."

Lucina smiles as she eyes the deck. "This is my first voyage as well. In my time, all ships were destroyed. Smashed to pieces, along with their ports."

Chrom rubs his chin and faces his eldest daughter. "Lucina… Something I've been meaning to ask… After you stopped Emm's assassination… Why didn't you stay with us?"

Lucina rubs her arm. "I felt I had no other choice. I could not risk altering history any more than necessary. I sought only to divert events that directly led to Grima's return."

Lissa scratches her head. "Hey, so wait – what about the guys who tried to kill Chrom in the gardens? What would've happened if you didn't save him?"

"He would have been gravely wounded." Lucina explains grimly. "And those wounds would have played a part in the tragedies to come."

Lissa blinks. "Whoa. Good thing you changed things, huh?"

Lucina nods smiling. "And change they have. It is all thanks to you, Master Jack."

I blink and point at myself. "Me? How?"

"I was there during your escape from Plegia, remember? I do not know exactly how, but I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you had a hand in saving the exalt's life. You proved to me that the course of history can change, that the future can become different. Better. What's more, I had the chance to get to know a part of my family that I had otherwise only dreamt or heard stories about."

I scratch the back of my head. "Well, when you put it that way… But to be fair, you had a hand in rescuing Exalt Emmeryn's life as well. Without your help, she may not have survived the night when those assassins attacked."

Lucina nods nervously. "Be that as it may, I pray that Aunt Emmeryn remains safe in the palace. We have averted her death twice, true, but what is to say there will not be more attempts on her life?"

Chrom narrows his eyes. "You suspect someone else is targeting her?"

The blue-haired princess shakes her head. "I cannot say for sure, Father. The fact that the exalt's life was in danger a second time after we prevented her death at the hands of those assassins had me worried. For some time, I feared that nothing could change fate. It was only when I saw her with everyone else, alive, that those fears were finally put to rest. But even so, we must remain vigilant. I worry that leaving on this journey to Valm will leave her without proper protection, but at the same time, I cannot bear the thought of leaving your side."

"Oh, would you quit being such a worrywart already, Lucina?" Severa complains exasperated as she approaches.

Lucina turns to her sister. "Severa?"

The redhead sighs. "Honestly, ever since I reunited with you, you haven't stopped babbling about how Aunt Emmeryn could have an assassin on her tail every single moment. Would it kill you to let up on the paranoia?"

Lucina bites her lip. "I'm sorry. It's just… You know how important her life is according to history as we know it. You know how quickly all our efforts would be for naught if-"

Severa rolls her eyes. "Yes, yes, I know. Like you haven't told me that a million times already. Look, Auntie Emmeryn will be _fine_. She's got Phila, remember? That woman is to her like sir Frederick is for Daddy. And if that wasn't enough, I've seen Sully drag the new recruits into the ground during their daily training while we were at the palace. If I didn't know any better, I'd think they're turning the castle guard into a standing army for the halidom, and a darn good one at that.

"She's got a point Lucina." Lissa piques in. "Phila won't ever let anything happen to Emm. After what happened both times her life was in danger, Phila's tightened up security so hard, I'd be surprised if a fly could get into the palace without permission."

Chrom nods. "You can leave palace security in her hands, Lucina. Besides, you're already here with us, so there's no point in worrying about Emm or the palace. It would be much better for you to focus on what's ahead."

"I…" Lucina shakes her head. "No, you're right. Rather than worry about Aunt Emmeryn, I should focus on protecting your life instead."

Chrom rubs his head. "Speaking of which… Do you know how I die?"

"Only rumors…" Lucina reveals. "I was told you fell in a great battle, fought to sway your destiny." The princess releases a shuddering breath. "And that you were murdered – betrayed by someone dear to you."

At that moment, Robin grasps her head in pain. "Nngh! Ah…"

I'm at her side in a moment. "Robin!"

Chrom turns to the Grandmaster concerned. "Robin? What is it?"

"M-my head… I don't…" my wife groans. She shakes her head. "F-forgive me. I'm fine."

I shake my head in turn. "You've run yourself ragged these past few days while organizing the loading of all the ships. Even with Anna's help, that's a task normally reserved to a greater group of people specifically appointed for it. Come on, let's get you seated somewhere so you can rest."

"Jack, I'm fine." Robin insists. "Just give me a moment, and I'll be right as rain again."

I give my wife a flat stare. "Yeeaah, no. I'm not letting up until you're resting somewhere comfortable so you can nurse whatever headache that's ailing you."

"And where exactly would I find a comfortable place like that onboard?" Robin counters. "This is a ship deck, Jack. It's not designed for comfortable seats."

I rub my chin a bit. "Fine then."

*Poof*

The smoke around me disperses to reveal that I've Mimicked a beanbag. "Will this do?"

Everyone blinks at me bemused.

"Sensei… What in the world is that?" Severa asks.

"A very comfortable seating arrangement from my home world." I explain. "Just about everyone who tries it out practically sinks in and finds themselves tempted to fall asleep. Just don't get too comfortable, Robin, or you might have trouble standing back up when you want to."

Robin sweat drops. "Jack, this is getting ridiculous. If I want to rest, I just need to go to our cabin and lay down on the bed. Besides, wouldn't you be uncomfortable if I sat on you?"

"I survived an enraged Maribelle and walked away with merely light injuries." I remind her. "I believe I can handle my wife sitting on me for a few hours. In fact, I would relish in using my body to support your backside and provide the comfort you need."

Blushes spread among everyone who heard what I just said.

"Jack… Did you _have to_ word it like that?" Chrom asks exasperated. "Caring for your wife is one thing, but displaying affection publicly the way you're doing is just indecent."

"Look who's talking." I fire back. "Don't think I never noticed you sneak in the occasional kiss on Cordelia's cheeks before we boarded this ship. You're nowhere near as stealthy as you think you are, Chrom."

"Jack, there's a big difference between a kiss on the cheek and…whatever this is." Lissa explains exasperated.

"So?" I counter. "I'm a man of principles. As far as I'm concerned, it's basically the same thing."

"You've never heard about shades of gray before, have you Jack-sensei?" Severa asks me dryly.

Actually, I do. 50, to be exact. Though I never read the book.

"After your murder and Grima's return, I took the name of Marth and fought back." Lucina continues after she gets over the shock of my transformation. "I prayed to the Hero-King for a small part of the strength he used to save the world."

Lissa nods. "Well, you sure had us fooled with your disguise."

"But I do not need the name of the Hero-King any longer. I choose to fight as Lucina now." Lucina declares with a smile. "The name that reminds me of the strength in the man and the woman who chose it."

Chrom smiles back. "A strength shared by the woman who bears it."

* * *

 **POV: General**

 **BGM:** **Believe, Folder 5**

"Alright, Prince Chrom. All set fer castoff." the ship's captain reports from the helm.

Chrom nods. "Good." The Ylissean prince turns to the horizon and makes a sweeping motion that makes his cape billow majestically. "All ships! To Valm!"

The ship decks come abuzz with activity as anchors are raised and crew members scramble to their stations.

"Unfurl the sails! Move it, ya scurvy lugs, or we'll get left behind!"

The sails on all one thousand ships unfurl and catch the wind. The Ylissean league sets sail to the west towards the horizon.

Nah holds on to the railing for dear life as her face turns green. Azure flames erupt from the flagship's stern. Turns out Nah doesn't vomit her stomach contents – she vomits dragon fire.

Nowi runs around on the deck of the flagship and hides behind whatever she can find as cover on her self-imposed game of hide-and-seek. Gaius sighs and looks around to find her, only to come up empty. That's when Nowi lands on his shoulders, scaring the candies off the Assassin.

The ship is peaceful on the first night of the voyage. Cherche looks into Minerva's cabin to check up on her. The Wyvern Rider smiles affectionally upon finding Nah curled up and sleeping peacefully on top of the wyvern.

Linebeck points around the Wonderful 101's ship and yells orders, complete with white eyes and shark teeth. He flinches in fear as the sailors glare back at him with glowing red eyes. The ship itself rocks around as the seamen make their displeasure at the Trickster's attitude known.

Severa places a foot on the railing as she pulls her fishing rod while her family cheers her on from behind. The surface breaks and Severa admires her catch – a flailing small fry.

Even as her family struggles to contain their amusement, Severa glares at them with a tic mark pulsing on her forehead.

Laurent carefully tilts the contents in a test tube into another and mixes the two liquids together. The pink concoction fizzles briefly before it blows up in the Mage's face. Laurent struggles to remain impassive, mainly because Henry won't stop laughing at him.

Stahl goes through some lance drills while Miriel observes his movements intently. Just as he finishes, Miriel shoves another training lance into the Great Knight's hands. Stahl blanches as he finds the training weapon almost too heavy for him to lift, let alone swing.

Lucina smiles as she enjoys the sea breeze. Morgan in turn looks at the blue-haired princess intently. Lucina takes notice of this and looks back at the Tactician. Their stares only meet briefly before they look away blushing.

Lissa and Rose share gleeful grins.

Jack and Yarne exchange blows at high speed before the Reaper shoves the half-taguel away and jumps over a swing from Kjelle. Right as he lands, he ducks under Severa's sword, grabs hold of both her and Yarne, and throws both of them at Kjelle so that they all tumble in a tangled heap.

Jack Traces a practice sword to deflect an arrow from Noire and dashes away from a spell from Laurent. Before the Mage can get away, Jack smacks him in the face and dismisses the training sword in favor of using Laurent as a human flail. Noire panics and stands hapless as Jack smacks her around – wielding Laurent. At the end the beatdown, they both lie on the ground unconscious while Jack goes into a dab, because reasons.

Sumia and Cordelia fly around above the ship in their spar. They only make brief contact with their training staffs due to the nature of their fighting styles. During one particularly daring maneuver, Sumia accidently miscalculates the distance and ends up crashing into Cordelia. Both women crash down on deck, but are thankfully fine. Then their faces turn cherry red as they realize the compromising position they landed in. Vaike lets out catcalls until he notices Sully stand behind him with a murderous aura and cracking knuckles.

Virion demonstrates his archery prowess for Noire as he snipes various targets set up around the ship. One arrow goes awry and slices through a few strands of Maribelle's hair. The Valkyrie flies into a rage and chases the Bow Knight across the deck in a surprising display of acrobatics with her parasol in full swing.

Ricken regards the scene with a sweat drop, but ultimately shrugs and goes back to enjoying his tea. Who is he to deny his wife meting out her (debatably) righteous fury?

Jack stands behind Robin at the flagship's prow and grabs hold of her waist. As the ship rocks through the waves and the wind blows in their faces, Jack grins and lifts up his wife. After she overcomes the initial surprise, the Grandmaster spreads her arms and laughs in exhilaration over the experience. Jack eventually lets Robin down and hugs her from behind while rubbing his cheek against hers. Robin smiles and relaxes back against her husband as the couple enjoy the sunset together.

 **Battle of Valm**

 **START**

 **BGM ends**

* * *

These past few days out at sea have been peaceful. Aside from Nah's constant seasickness, there hasn't been anything to complain about. And yet, there's been a layer of tension constantly hovering over everyone's heads – both at the flagship and over at my team's ship, according to reports from my clones. And when you think about it, the reason should be quite obvious. We defeated the Valmese vanguard a few weeks ago. They were meant to establish a base of operations on our home continent in preparation for the main invasion force. Since we routed said vanguard not long after they arrived in Port Ferox, it stands to reason that the main force never received word and is still following Walhart's original plan to conquer the continent. Which, in turn, means that the main force is most likely headed towards us.

Simply put, Robin's idea that we'll clash with the main Valmese invasion force out here at sea is the most likely scenario.

It's a few hours after sunrise when Frederick approaches Chrom.

"Milord, the pegasus knights report the Valmese fleet matches ours, ship for ship." the Great Knight relays to Chrom.

"Your tone tells me this is not good news." the prince notes.

Frederick frowns. "Their troops vastly outnumber ours. Our vessels are half-full, at best. But every Valmese ship is packed from stem to stern with soldiers."

"If we attempt to board them in a straight fight, we'll be slaughtered." Chrom concludes grimly.

"We've little choice but to try anyway." Flavia interjects. "Plegia had no men to spare, but they were generous with other supplies – including oil." Flavia sends my wife a sidelong glance. "Perhaps a clever tactician could find a use for that."

Robin rubs her chin. "Hmm… Perhaps she could."

"If we can put their ships to flame, they'd have nowhere to escape to." Flavia proposes. "We could-"

"You could roast us all like hams!" Basilio interrupts exasperated. "Are you truly so eager to die, woman?!"

"Do you have a better idea, oaf?!" Flavia yells back. "The problem is we have no catapults. Hmm… How to get the lit oil on their decks without our own ships getting caught in the blaze?"

Robin rubs her chin while staring out at the sea. "Hmm…" Then she turns back to us with a glimmer in her eye. "Unless we _want_ our ships caught in the blaze…"

Basilio's gives Robin a blank stare. "Why in the gods' names would…" The bald khan shakes his head. "Well, I know better than to question Robin. Especially not when she has that look in her eyes." Basilio grins. "Gods save us from what she's cooked up this time – let's just hope it's not us!"

Robin turns to Chrom. "Chrom, I have an idea."

A smirk grows on the prince's lips. "Those words from your mouth are music to my ears, Robin."

Robin frowns. "But for my plan to work, we'll need to disrupt their chain of command… Our strongest team would need to board their lead ship and kill their general. As our best captain I'd have you head the squad, but you _are_ the prince, so…"

"Yes, I _am_ the prince, so no one can order me _not_ to go. I will lead the assault!" Chrom asserts.

"Wait…" I interject. "You guys aren't planning on just going straight for the enemy flagship right off the bat, are you?"

Robin looks at me quizzically. "Well, yes. That's the plan."

I give my wife an unimpressed look. "I'll admit that your strategy has some merit, Robin, but how do you suppose you'll find the space to even fight their general on their flagship without all 999 other ships packed full with soldiers getting in the way? As far as I can see, your strategy lacks a crucial detail."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "I take it this has to do with those 999 other ships. So, what's this "crucial detail"?"

"Simple. You need someone to distract the other ships long enough for you to get a clear shot at their general. When that part's done, you just toss in that oil, and victory should be ours."

Basilio gives me a flat look. "I can't decide whichever of you two is the crazier one. Jack, unless you've already thought about this part, distracting that many ships filled with soldiers is practically suicide. You would need a force that can match theirs to ever pull it off."

I smile at the bald khan. "Which is why _I'm_ qualified for that task."

The other look at me with mouths agape.

Basilio shakes off the shock. "Look, I don't care if you can fly or cut a ship in half. Against numbers like those, even you would get overwhelmed eventually."

I smirk. "Trust me. I've got a plan of my own to hold off the majority of the imperial fleet."

Robin bites her lower lip. "Can you really do it, Jack? Can you honestly tell me that you will hold off the rest of their fleet on your own for us?"

I smile at my wife reassuringly. "I've got this, Robin. You just focus on that enemy flagship, and me and my team can handle the rest. Just fire off a signal when you're ready to use the oil, and we'll get out of the way before we're caught in whatever you have planned."

Robin closes her eyes and furrows her brow as she processes the new information. She eventually opens them again with a soft expression, matched only by the caress at my cheek.

"Then this plan truly stands a chance. Just make sure to have an escape plan in case you get overwhelmed. I can't bear to lose you."

I place a hand over hers. "I've already thought of that. I'll be fine. I'm more concerned for your own safety, even though I'm sure you can take the enemy general."

Chrom smiles. "Heh… So much has changed ever since the day I invited you two to join the Shepherds. One of you was a humble traveler who's turned into the instructor of our future children. And the other now determines the fate of our entire army…our entire people. Destiny has a strange way."

Robin shakes her head. "No, Chrom. Not destiny."

"What?"

"We're not pawns of some scripted fate." Robin declares. "I believe we're more. Much more."

"How do you mean?"

"There's something between us all. Something that keeps us together. Like…invisible ties, connecting us. Giving us strength… WE forged these ties. WE strengthen them. If we preserve them, or break them, it will be by our choices, not some "destiny"."

"…Robin…" Chrom chuckles. "I think this salty air might have gone to your head, hah!"

I join in on the chuckling. "Believe what you want, Chrom. Had my life really been dictated by something called "destiny", Robin and I would've never met, let alone married. Yet here I am, as Robin's husband, proud father of two splendid children, and commander of my own military unit, all because I woke up in a world that I, by all rights, should never have been able to even set foot in."

Robin sighs with a fond smile. "All right, that's enough philosophy for one day. There are still details to discuss."

Chrom nods, now all business again. "Indeed there are! And preparations to be made! Oh, and, Robin… If we are all bound by these invisible ties, I thank the gods it's with you."

Robin's face turns grim, yet determined.

Chrom faces the others on deck with a smile. "Now then, everyone! Look lively! We have work to do!"

The Shepherds scramble all across the deck, ready to make whatever preparations Robin has in mind. Just as I get ready to head over to my team's ship, Robin grabs me by the arm.

"Jack, your role in this battle will be crucial. If your team falls, the rest of the fleet could catch on to my plan, and then we're all doomed. If you intend to distract almost the entire Valmese fleet on your own, I want to at least have an idea of what you're planning."

I nod. "Fair enough. But first…"

*Poof*

"You know what to do." I tell my Shadow clone. "Oh, and make sure to take Lon'qu with you."

My clone salutes. "You got it, Boss."

Lon'qu overhears our conversation and scowls at us. "Jack, you'd better explain what you're going to- Huh?"

The Swordmaster gets interrupted as my Shadow clone picks him up.

"Off to our team's ship, Lon'qu." my clone replies with a wide grin before he zips in that direction. I think I can hear Lon'qu yell in protest on the way there.

Cherche looks at the scene bemused, then turns to me. "Was that really necessary?"

I shrug. "Lon'qu's my second-in-command. I'll need my full team for this battle."

The Wyvern Rider raises an eyebrow. "I may not be qualified to say this, but you have a strange way of commanding your unit, Jack."

I wave it off with a smile. "Oh, my methods have been questioned before, as has my sanity. But it's all good. I mean, we've all made it out alive in the end every time."

Robin shakes her head with an exasperated smile. "All right, if you two want to discuss this matter further, it will have to wait until after the battle. Now, if you'll excuse me, Cherche, I have strategy to discuss with my probably insane husband."

"Of course." Cherche replies before she goes off, probably to tend to Minerva.

I grin at my wife. "Aw, don't be like that, Robin. You know you love me, insanity and all."

Robin rolls her eyes. "Yes, I do – for better or worse. But enough about our unconventional love life. I'll need an idea of how to communicate with your ship during the battle, Jack. But before that, how _are_ you going to hold off all those ships?"

I smirk. "I'm not going to just hold them off, my love. I intend to turn the sea itself against the Valmese fleet."

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Main quest: Flames on the blue  
** _With the arrival of the Plegian ships, you are finally ready to set sail for Valm and bring the fight to the Conqueror himself. But before you can set foot on Valmese soil, there is one major obstacle still standing, or floating, in your way; the imperial navy. Unless you sink this colossal fleet, you have no chance of facing Walhart, let alone win this war. Fortunately, Robin has a plan. Robin_ _always_ _has a plan. Just make sure she can pull it off.  
_ **Objective:** _The Shepherds defeat the enemy general. No other ship is allowed to engage them.  
_ **Rewards:** _14 000 EXP, 14 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _?  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _100 000 EXP, 100 000 gold  
_ **Failure:** _The war ends before it even has a chance to truly begin, with you on the losing side._

* * *

 _ **Time skip: One hour later**_

"And that's what we will do in the upcoming battle." I conclude to my teammates. "Make sure to stick together, like always, team. I'll make sure we can pull this off."

My teammates give me stares of various degrees of disbelief.

"It's official…" Pit laments. "Captain Jack has finally gone off the deep end and is trying to kill us all… And I never got to try Viridi's homemade apple pie. Goodbye, cruel world."

"We're going straight for the entire enemy fleet swinging? I like it, Captain!" Barras, one of our Barbarians exclaims.

So why is this guy so prominent? Well, for one, he's got a physique that even Vaike has a hard time competing against. Second, he's a surprisingly competent helmsman. The moment he saw the ship assigned to our team, Barras sprinted aboard and all but claimed the steering wheel for himself. Turns out the hot-blooded melee fighter is an expert at steering ships.

Lash rubs her temples. "For crying out loud, Barras. How many times do I have to tell you your lack of strategy will get you killed?!"

Barras laughs it off. "Aw, quit fussing over it, Lash! A man only needs two tactics; frontal assault, and _death_ by frontal assault! Ga ha ha ha!"

I shake my head in disapproval. "Barras, you better pray my wife never hears you say that. She will challenge you to any strategy game of your choice, and she will beat you so soundly, she'll shatter your confidence, your self-esteem, and your pride as a man within three minutes. And that's before she's done warming up."

"Speakin' from experience, Cap?" Grit asks.

I shrug. "When you're married to the head tactician of Ylisse, playing strategy games is practically a part of everyday life. Robin can still trounce me in every way possible, but I dare say I've picked up on a few tricks over the course of our marriage."

"*Ahem* Captain, as entertaining as this discussion may be, I suggest we prepare for battle." Hawke interjects. "The Valmese fleet is fast approaching."

"Good." I reply smirking. I turn to Barras. "Barras, break off from our fleet and steer our ship in a flanking maneuver. Aim to intercept the fleet behind the lead ship."

"Aye aye, Captain!" the Barbarian rumbles and mans the helm within seconds.

"One more thing." I add. "We won't engage them just yet. Just bring us close enough that we're ready to engage them at a moment's notice."

Barras looks at me confused. "Huh? What're ya talking about Captain? Didn't you say we're gonna fight those guys?"

I nod. "Yes, I did. But before that, we'll have to grab their attention. I need you to bring in the ship close first. I'll take it from there. Trust me, I know what I'm doing."

Lon'qu rolls his eyes. "That's what you say every time you set one of your crazy plans into motion."

I grin at my lieutenant. "I know, right? And they work!"

"Somehow…" Lon'qu mutters.

"Hey, Captain! This good enough for you?!" Barras shouts from the helm.

I look ahead. Hmm…yeah. This should be a good spot.

I turn around and give Barras a thumbs-up. "Great sailing, Barras! Hold the position there!" Then I turn to my team. "Team, when I give the signal, Barras will sail us straight into the fleet. Standby until then."

"Jack, isn't it about time that you tell us what exactly you're going to do?" Lon'qu asks annoyed as he draws his dual Killing Edges.

I nod. "Fair enough. I'll capture the attention of the imperial fleet. That will also serve as the signal for Robin to begin her own assault. From there, things will get hectic. Wait for me here."

I concentrate mana into the soles of my feel and fly above the enemy fleet. When I'm confident I'm too high for any arrow to reach me, I raise my hands into the air as if holding something massive. Using my hands as a reference point, I use Telekinesis to form an enormous bubble of air.

This is where it gets tricky. By combining Telekinesis with my wind powers, I start to gradually compress the air bubble. A few pulses in, the bubble starts to become visible. It starts at the size of roughly a city, and gets smaller and brighter the more I compress the bubble. Sweat begins to pour down my face. Maybe I should've trained a bit more in this skill after all, despite its ridiculously long startup time.

What started out as an air bubble the size of Ylisstol has now been compressed to a glowing bubble of air that fits within the palms of my hands. Preparations done, I take a deep breath and manipulate the air to amplify my voice.

 **BGM:** **Shichibukai, One Piece OST**

"Soldiers of Valm! I shall only give this warning once! Call off your invasion, or this sea shall become your grave! The winds will strike you like a falling star, the waves will smash your ships to pieces, and what remains will burn to ashes as you go down with those ships or simply hop off and drown in the ocean!"

Thanks to the modified atmosphere I made over the ships, I can hear what the Valmese soldiers are saying loud and clear. It's basically the imperials trying to figure out who I am, why I would say that and how the heck I am floating above their fleet. And what the weird glowing bubble between my hands is. Can't forget about that detail.

Though the discussions only last for a while.

"What are you lot doing just standing there and staring at him?!" one of the commanding officers on a ship shouts. "He came from one of the enemy ships, so that makes him an enemy. I don't care how, just strike him out of the sky!"

"But sir, he's out of range for our archers!" a random soldiers reports.

"Then send up some pegasus knights to take him down!" the officer yells. "For crying out loud, are you new recruits all this incompetent?!"

Looks like they're ignoring my warning. Not that I expected anything else. Violence it is, then.

"So you choose to fight?" I ask. Then I shake my head. "A pity. This could have been avoided if you just turned back. Prepare to meet your ends."

I launch my air bubble at the middle of the Valmese fleet. Right afterwards, I zip back to my team's ship.

"Captain, what was that?" Hawke asks after he notes my return.

"The signal to attack." I reply. The bubble is nearly at the ocean surface when I release my hold of it. "Ursus shock."

With nothing compressing the air within the bubble anymore, nature runs free once more.

*BOOOOM!*

In other words; all the air in the bubble decompresses with the force of a bomb blast. The pressure wave can be felt all the way to our ship. The two ships that the bubble ended up between are torn apart from the immense pressure. Three more capsize from the force. The other ships tilt, but manage to stay upright. One thing's for sure, though. Now the Valmese fleet _can't_ ignore us. We have their full attention, and I notice that the ship where the Shepherds are is already headed for the enemy lead ship.

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **You have leveled up! You have leveled up! You have leveled up! You have leveled up! You have leveled up! You have leveled up! You have leveled up! You have leveled up!**

* * *

 **AN: That's the EXP gained from sinking five ships packed full with enemy soldiers in one go. I admit, when I ran through the calculations, I was surprised at how much EXP that equals.**

* * *

Several of my teammates gape at either me or the destroyed ships.

"Captain?…" Collin asks trembling. "What in the world was _that_?!"

"That, Collin, is what happens when you put a massive amount of air under pressure. It's like when the lid of a pressure cooker flies off, except this is scaled up hundreds of times over." I explain.

"So…that's yer strategy, Cap?" Grit asks. "Push some pressured air around an' blowing 'em all up?"

"No. This was just to grab their attention. That was the first part of my strategy. Now for part two." I turn to the helm of our ship. "Barras, it's time. Take us to the Valmese fleet, full speed ahead."

The Barbarian only needs a moment to recover from his shocked awe. "Aye aye, Captain! Let's give 'em hell!"

Our ship picks up speed under Barras's skilled sailing, and we're soon headed straight towards the imperial fleet.

"All right, Captain. We got their attention. Now what?" Edea asks as she draws her sword.

I walk to the prow of our ship. "Team, prepare for all-out combat. You may board enemy ships and bring the fight to them, but never let an enemy ship come between you and this one, or else I may not be able to aid you."

"So, uh… What're you gonna do, Captain Jack?" Max asks as he shoulders his Hammer.

"I will remain here on this ship. So long as you stay close, I can pretty much dictate the flow of this battle and help you at any given time." I explain and raise my hand palm up into the air. Water from the ocean flows to my palm and coalesces into a bubble.

"Trace on!"

I clench my hand around the water bubble and burst it. A flash of light in the spray reveals the form of Demyx's signature weapon; Arpeggio.

"A sitar? _Really_?" Elliot asks in disbelief. "What're you gonna do, serenade 'em to death?"

I smile. "Tell me, Elliot. What's the first rule when fighting near a body of water?"

 **BGM:** **Battle! Team Aqua/Magma leaders, Pokémon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire music**

"Why don't you enlighten me, since you seem to have it all figured out?"

My smile turns into a predatory grin. " _Never_ challenge an aquamancer."

I turn back to the incoming fleet, strum a tune and chant the words that will haunt Valm for years to come.

"Dance, water! Dance!"

The sea itself comes alive as I play Arpeggio. Soon, cascades of sea water rise from the surface and strike the imperial ships.

"Team! Attack!" I shout over the noise of my aquatic attack.

My teammates shake themselves out of their collective stupor and charge forward. I play a few riffs and conjure water streams that connects our ship to the Valmese ones closest to us.

"Ride the streams!" I shout.

There's a bit of hesitance, but when some of my braver teammates try, the find themselves riding the currents straight towards the startled Valmese soldiers. The rest soon follows and spreads between the different currents to various ships. Fighting breaks out on the half dozen decks of the ships now surrounding ours.

And in the middle of this chaos, I play Arpeggio like a jacked-up rock star in order to keep up with the frantic pace of the battle. Any attempt the valmese make at ramming our ship is foiled because I manipulate the ocean currents to have their ships sail parallel to ours at best. Or I simply direct the currents to have their ships sail into each other. Any time a teammate is in trouble, I just send a jet of water to strike the enemy trying to attack them. And if things get too hectic, I just conjure a new current that my teammate can ride to a more favorable position. This battle is my concert, and I command centerstage.

Lon'qu's taken command of about half the team and leads them on a crusade across ship decks at record speed. With some aid of my conjured water currents, Lon'qu bounces back and forth until the valmese soldiers get dizzy. And in that opening, the Swordmaster's blades are ready to slice through their targets. Our teamwork in turn opens the enemy ranks enough for the others under Lon'qu's lead to hew a path through the decks.

Hawke takes a different approach to using my currents. After learning that he can move on them as if they were solid, Hawke commanded his horse onto a current and now uses the floating streams to ride through the air. The teammates in his wake follow his example and skate along the currents while attacking any valmese they pass. The constant hit-and-run tactics and jumping from ship to ship is too fast for the valmese to keep up with, and they suffer the consequences through high casualties with nothing to show for them.

It's going well for our team, all things considered. Though seeing all the other Valmese ships and their crews just waiting to join the fray has me concerned. One misplay, and the valmese could break through.

That is, if I keep this battle at the current state. And who said I want to?

"Let's take it up a notch." I suggest grinning. The waters churn and swirl until a shape rises from the surface. The fighting momentarily stops as everyone takes a look at what I conjured.

"Mind. Blown." Elliot mutters.

Among the Valmese ships, an enormous kraken made completely of sea water rises from the ocean, ten massive tentacles swaying menacingly.

"Like it?!" I shout as I let loose a high-pitched solo. The water kraken responds ith a barrage of strikes on the ships with its watery arms.

*Ka-BRAM!*

Wood splinters fly everywhere as my conjured sea creature tears into the imperial fleet. Even if the ships hold up for a while, any soldier caught in the strikes are sent flying overboard. And with the merciless pounding my kraken rains down, it's only a matter of time before a few ships buckle and snap under the pressure.

"I want that thing on a platter yesterday! Shoot it down _now_!" one brave imperial officer shouts over the cacophony of noise.

Arrows, spells and Javelins rain down on my water kraken. While this could probably lay an ordinary giant sea creature low, this one's just a giant mass of water under my command. Which means that any physical projectile that hits simply sinks into its body to no effect, and any spell just dissipates. And even if something does manage to pierce the kraken's body, it just reforms in seconds.

Now that I take a closer look, I notice that my kraken's got quite a lot of stuff floating inside. I grin as I command my sea creature to point its tentacles at the imperial ships.

"I don't really want this stuff, so you can have it back! Catch!"

The projectiles piled up inside the kraken race through the tentacles and are fired from the tips like bullets from gatling guns, only bigger. The return fire turns the ships affected into partial dart boards, with a few unfortunate soldiers skewered by their own weapons in the process.

Seeing as I can have the kraken kind of on auto-pilot, I can assist my teammates by strumming a few tunes to conjure walls of water geysers. The vertical water jets stop any attempt to intercept my teammates as they continue their assault and instead blow openings in the enemy formation for my teammates to capitalize on.

All right, seems like they've got things handled on their end. Time for kraken, round two.

"Argh! Why is that blasted thing still here?!" the Valmese officer shouts as my kraken turns towards his ship.

"Come on, stick to the beat!" I shout as my fingers dance across Apreggio's strings.

The kraken swipes over the ship decks left and right, sending Valmese soldiers overboard by the dozen each time. I take a few dancing steps myself. The kraken responds by beating the ship decks like drums.

 **BGM ends**

A giant fireball launched from our fleet catches my attention. That's Robin's signal that their general is down and everything's set up on her end. All right. Time for me to bow out.

A few riffs later, and my kraken swipes up all of my teammates and dumps them onboard our ship. Most of my teammates protest to the rough handling. Quite a few try to wring as much seawater out of their clothes as they can.

"Not cool, Cap!" Jake complains as he pulls off his boots and empties them of water. "I thought for a moment I'd drown in the sea!"

"Sorry about that, team." I apologize. "Remember; our task was just to distract the valmese long enough for Robin to set up our real attack. Things are all done on her part. Now's the time to get out before we're caught in her attack."

I take a deep breath and get ready for one last solo performance. I angle Arpeggio upwards and let my fingers loose on the strings. The kraken sinks back under the surface, and instead, the ocean goes wild. Currents and waves throw the Valmese fleet around, bunching them up on one end while the enemy ships part on the other.

I turn to the helm while keeping my concentration as best I can. "The valmese are about to get toasty! Barras! Get us out of here!"

"Consider it done!"

Barras manages to catch an ocean current that I conjured just for our ship. Its flow pulls our ship away from the Valmese fleet's midst and out in the open again. Less than a minute later, 500 burning ships are on a collision course with the Valmese fleet.

"Hey! Mind if we board your vessel?!" Vaike shouts from below. As we take a peek over the railing, we see everyone who led the charge against the enemy general riding lifeboats.

I turn to my teammates. "Team! Get the ladders ready! We'll be picking up some extra crew members!"

"Roger!" my teammates respond and scramble to get the rope ladders ready.

* * *

It takes some time, but the Shepherds, Flavia and a few dozen generic soldiers are all soon onboard.

The burning ships ram into the Valmese fleet with a deafening crash. The flames spread quickly and soon engulf any ship that survived mine and my team's onslaught.

Elliot looks at the burning fleet with a loose jaw. "Mind. Blown… Again."

"The sea itself is on fire!" Lissa exclaims in awe.

"It worked! It worked!" Frederick cheers (Frederick?! Really?!).

Flavia grins. "Only you could hatch such a brilliant scheme, Robin. Who else would desert half our vessels and turn them into flaming cannonballs? And there was still enough room on the remaining ships for all our troops. It was so simple, and yet the valmese never saw it coming. They never considered anyone might be willing to sacrifice half a fleet…"

"We may have won the day, but the war still looms." Chrom reminds us. "We must continue and seize control of their main harbor."

"Aye, boy!" Basilio agrees. "I've had enough of the smoke and smell here for one lifetime besides."

Chrom turns his eyes westwards. "Full speed for Valm!"

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Main quest: Flames on the blue  
** _In a daring move that predates the kamikaze pilots of WW2, Robin sets a plan in motion that reduces a fleet of nearly a thousand ships to ashes. The valmese have officially been driven out of the sea. Now only their land forces remain. But you better travel fast. News about your naval exploit are bound to reach the ears of the Conqueror soon.  
_ **Objective:** _The Shepherds defeat the enemy general. No other ship is allowed to engage them.  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
** **Rewards:** _You gain_ _14 000 EXP! You gain 14 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Destroy the entire Valmese fleet before Robin sets her plan in motion.  
_ **Bonus objective failed!**

 **Due to fierce fighting on the ocean, the title "Ship Cleaver" has been changed to "Scourge of the Sea"!**

 **Robin's devastating strategy has gained her the title "Blaze of Prometheus"!**

* * *

It is only now, that everything is over, that I dismiss Arpeggio and fall down on my butt.

"Jack!" Robin exclaims concerned and kneels down beside me.

"I'll be fine." I assure her as I take a few deep breaths. "Man, controlling the ocean took a lot more out of me than I expected."

"Wait a minute. You're telling me _you're_ the one who summoned that giant sea monster?!" Severa asks bewildered.

"Oh, you saw that?"

"Master, _everyone_ saw that…whatever it was!" Kjelle exclaims. "We all forgot for a moment that we were busy fighting when that giant thing rose from the ocean and started attacking Valmese ships!"

"That was incredible, Father!" Morgan fanboys with stars glittering in his eyes. "Can you teach me how to do that?"

I chuckle and ruffle his hair. "Sorry, son. I don't think you'd have much use of it, even if I _did_ manage to teach you. See, the main reason why I even managed to pull it off was because there was water everywhere. With no water, recreating what I did back there is basically impossible."

Morgan blinks before he pouts. "Rats! And here I thought I had discovered a strategy not even Mother could beat."

"Ooh, so you're into tentacles, Little Bro?" Rose asks grinning. "Kinky. Never thought I'd see the day when I discover my brother's fetish."

Morgan blinks bemused. "Huh? What are you talking about, Sis? And what's tentacles got to do with anything?"

Rose is about to explain when I place my hand on top of her mouth.

"Rose, no corrupting your brother, you hear me?" I tell her in a disapproving voice.

Rose shrugs and places her hands behind her head. "Meh, it's not like this was my only chance. Face it, Dad. It's only a matter of time before Morgan loses his innocence." Rose waggles her eyebrows. "Especially since I know he more interested in girls than he lets on."

Morgan crosses his arms and looks away with a blush. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Rose pokes my son on the cheek. "Aw, you're in denial. That's adorable."

A vein pulses on Morgan's forehead. "And _you're_ invading my personal space. Lay off, Rose!"

Rose brings Morgan into a hug with a beaming smile. "Nope! I'm gonna cuddle with my adorable little brother, and you have no say in it!"

"Mother! Help!"

Robin looks at our children and their antics with a sweat drop. "Our children certainly have a…unique relationship."

I finally regain the strength to get back on my feet. And the first thing I do is bring my wife into a sideways hug while I look at our children fondly.

"That's one way to define it." I comment. "Amusing as it is, though, it also shows how close they are. I doubt siblings would ever be comfortable with showing their mutual affection the way our children do unless they share a strong bond."

"They must have had it rough growing up without us, don't you think?" Robin muses with a hint of sadness.

I nod with a serious expression. "That's what I thought as well. All the more reason we do whatever we can to stay alive in the battles to come and make sure they can relive family life again as much as possible."

Robin raises an eyebrow at me. "Well, you sure got used to the family thing quickly."

"Not really. It's mostly touch-and-go for my part." I admit. "This is all still new to me, but I'm trying to figure out how to be a parent as we go."

"Me too." Robin admits. "This might be the greatest challenge I've ever faced. It's one thing to come up with a strategy to defeat an enemy. But figuring out how to take care of a child? Who has already reached adulthood, no less? I hardly even know where to begin."

I tighten the hug. "Guess we'll figure it out together. I think the most important part is to show how much we care about them. Remember, from their point of view, this may be the first time in years that they see us. I think they need to get used to our presence as much as we need to get used to theirs."

Robin nods. "Well… Maybe we should try it slow. Get to know our children first before we decide how to approach this whole parenting thing."

I kiss Robin on the cheek. "Sounds good to me. We can all figure out how to be a family together."

My wife giggles and rubs her cheek against mine. "Together, huh? I suppose there's no better way."

"And that, Little Brother, is what you're gonna do when you get married." Rose points out for Morgan as she points at me and Robin.

Our son looks at us in red-faced horror. "I wanted to see our parents again, but not like this!"

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

It's been a few days since our clash with the imperial fleet of Valm. It took some used to suddenly having twice as many people on the ships as before that battle, but we eventually managed to work things out. If anything, I'm happy that both my family, the Shepherds and my team are on the same ship. No need for zipping between vessels to keep track of everything anymore.

"Captain! Island sighted!" Artemia shouts from atop the crow's nest and points west.

I pick up a telescope and take a closer look in that direction. Indeed, there's an island. And if I'm not mistaken, it's inhabited.

I give the Assassin in my team a thumbs-up. "Good eye, Artemia! I'll let Chrom and Robin know!"

* * *

Chrom frowns. "I don't know. I wish to reach Valm as fast as possible, and landing on that island just sounds like a waste of time."

"I wouldn't say that." Anna interjects as she approaches us with a stack of papers in hand. And where did she get those glasses?

Robin raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean, Anna?"

Anna places the glasses on her forehead. "The strategy you pulled on those valmese a few days ago was great and all, but it also put us in a bit of a pickle. We managed to get all the soldiers onboard the ships we wanted to keep, but we didn't bring over all the supplies."

Robin nods. "That's right. We were in such a hurry to get everything ready before that battle that we simply didn't have the time to load everything we wanted onto those ships. Some cargo had to be left behind on the ships that we set ablaze."

"And therein lies the problem." the merchant explains. "We have twice as many soldiers onboard every ship, but each ship only holds provisions for little more than half that amount."

Chrom blanches. "In other words…"

"…we might run out of food before we reach Valm unless we resupply." Robin finishes grimly.

Anna nods. "That's pretty much the gist of it. Now, if only there was an island nearby where we could stock up…"

I notice the redhead wink at me. Oh yeah. Great minds think alike.

I join in on Anna's nodding. "And it so happens there is that island one of my teammates spotted not too long ago. The fact that it's inhabited means that we're likely to find everything we'll need to make it to Valm without running the risk of starving."

Chrom raises his hands. "All right, all right. You've made your point clear. Very well, we'll make for the island. Tell the ship crews on the other vessels to change course!"

I summon a few dozen clones and send them on their way. "Consider it done, milord."

"Oh, thank the gods…" Nah groans from the railing. "I can't take much more of this sailing…"

The half manakete's face turns green.

"Ulp! Buaaa!" *FWOOM!*

A drop of sweat runs down the back of my head. "I'm amazed she hasn't set any ships ablaze with all that dragon fire she's been hurling during our voyage."

Robin gives me a disapproving frown. "Jack, don't jinx it."

* * *

"Quite the bustling little town." Robin remarks in pleasant surprise as we enter town proper.

"The harvest must've just come in." Chrom notes. "I wager there's some good eating to be had!"

"Count me in!" Lissa cheers. "It's been _days_ since I had a proper meal!"

Seeing as we're an army visiting, we decide to split up into smaller groups and find different places for our meals. Not only will this spread the workload over the whole town instead of having one place serve all of us, it allows us to cover more ground in our search for supplies to restock on. Considering the harvest season, we're bound to find some good stuff to restock our convoy.

I decided to take my family on a nice lunch at a tavern, just the four of us. I'm about to greet the owner when I hear screaming.

"AAAHH!"

"It's- It's Jack the Ripper! He's returned for another killing spree!"

"Quickly! Hide the children before he sees us!"

"Oh gods, have mercy on us! I beg of you; deliver us from this menace!"

The tavern is shut and barred within a minute. Another one, and the whole street is empty.

"Father?" Morgan asks uneasy. "Were they referring to you?"

I scratch my head. "I…don't think so. Even if they did, they got my epithet wrong."

I search with Mind's eye in hopes of finding someone who might still be around. I find a young man…hiding behind some crates by a merchant's stall? Well, better than nothing.

I walk up to the crates and take a look behind them. Yep, the guy's still there, shaking like he's having a fever.

"Hey, mind telling me what's going on in this town?" I ask him.

The young man looks up at me in horror before he scrambles away with a shout of terror.

"NOOO! I beg of you! Spare my life!"

Robin looks after the running youth bewildered. Then she turns to me. "Jack, what did you do in this town?"

I throw my hands in the air in frustration. "I don't know! This is the first time I set foot in this place, and people treat me like I'm some crazy serial killer!"

What in the world is going on in this town?!

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Morgan's character sheet**

 **Morgan Lvl 34 Class: Tactician (All stats + 3 %)  
** _Robin's son from the future. A cheerful boy who admires his mother deeply and aspires to follow in her footsteps by becoming a master tactician. He suffers from amnesia to the point that he only has clear memories of his mother and vague recollections of the rest of his family. Curiously enough, losing his memory hasn't dulled his skills in the slightest. Under Jack's tutelage, he has developed a skillset similar to a wilder of the Force. The cuddliest papa bear.  
Born on May 4_ _th_ _._

 **Titles: Dedicated student (+ 8 % EXP for character level and skills)**

 **HP: 4 841 / 4 841 (4 700 * 1.03)  
MP: 2 781 / 2 781 (2 700 * 1.03)**

 **STR: 43 (29 * 1.44 * 10.3)  
VIT: 38.6 (26 * 1.44 * 1.03  
DEX: 22.7 (22 * 1.03)  
INT: 41.2 (40 * 1.03)  
WIS: 28.2 (19 * 1.44 * 1.03)  
CHAR: 15.5 (15 * 1.03)  
LUCK: 18.5 (18 * 1.03)**

 **ITEMS:  
Lightsaber (Equipped)  
Elthunder**

 **Skills:**

 **Sword mastery** , **Lvl 41 [28 %], Passive**  
 _The sword is quite possibly the most well-known weapon in history, often being depicted as the weapon of choice by hero and villain alike or even as a symbol of power. While swords generally deal less damage than other weapons, they make up for it by being easier to wield.  
Increases attack speed and attack power by 205 % when attacking with a sword or dagger of any kind._

 **Lightning mastery, Lvl 34 [56 %], Passive  
** _The power of lightning has been an object of awe and fear in the eyes of humanity for millennia. The physics behind small static discharges are the very same that govern the nigh unstoppable and unpredictable thunderbolts that tear the very sky asunder. Harnessing the power of this ethereal element has therefore been a dream only the boldest of humans could even dream of; a dream come true only after generations of research, pioneering and literally putting life on the line. Those who succeed in taming this blindingly fast and destructive element can pierce through virtually any defense – provided they can maintain control. Remember: the same power that can strike your enemies without mercy can strike back at you in the same way.  
_ _Increases damage dealt with lightning-element magic by 170 %. The cost of all lightning-element skills is reduced by 11 %.  
Mastered spells:  
Thunder  
Thundara  
Thundaga  
Thunder hand_

 **Telekinesis, Lvl 50 [10 %], Active, Cost: 1 MP = 70 Newtons of force**  
 _An ability only available to those with a strong mind. By using the energy known as mana, the user can manipulate anything that has substance and mass by using their mind as if it were an extension of their body. The cost of this skill depends on how much force the user exerts on an object. The higher the skill level, the more force can be exerted for the same amount of mana._

 **Meditation Lvl 33 [41 %], Passive/Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _The art of relaxing and focusing the mind has been practiced in certain cultures for millennia, enabling the user to sharpen their focus and clear the mind from distracting elements. This kind of focus allows you to draw out strength in ways that were previously unavailable to you. Passively increases STR, VIT and WIS by 44 %. While active, increases HPR and MPR by 165 %. This skill cannot be active during combat._

 **Mind's eye, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 10 MP  
** _The human body is said to perceive the world through five separate senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. There are even rumors of a sixth sense, separate from the other five. But this one is none of the above mentioned. By using your ability to project a mental force on objects outside yourself, you can use that very mental contact to perceive the objects as if you used your sense of touch, except there's no need for physical contact. The Byakugan ain't got s-it on this! Range: 3 meters._

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

 **Frederick:** Milord, it would seem you have been impersonated.

 **Lucina:** By whom? And where can I find the dastard?!

 **Cordelia:** Chrom? I think our eldest daughter is getting a bit…murderous.

 **Severa:** Yeah, Lucina's always been fangirling over Daddy in secret.

*Cynthia swoops in with her lance at the ready*

 **Cynthia:** I finally found you, impersonator of Prince Chrom! Prepare to taste justice!

 **Sumia:** But our Chrom's the real one. I mean, how can you fake those dashing looks?

*Chrom shows off his majestic character without even trying*

 **Cynthia:** Seems legit…

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Notice me, Sensei! Fake Shepherds vs real Shepherds!**

 **Jack:** I'm gonna sue those punks' pants off for copyright infringement. Now, where can I find a phone to call Edgeworth?

* * *

 **Omake: JOE (Jack's Outrealm Escapades), Vol 1: Jan-Ken-Pain**

Jack and Severa face each other on deck, each with one hand reared back, and the other hand placed on top of it. On an unspoken signal, both tense and bring their hands down in a chopping motion.

"Jan-Ken-Pon!" teacher and student shout in sync.

Jacks' hand shows scissors. Severa's shows rock.

Severa smirks and readies her hand again. "Look the other way!"

Jack points to the left. Severa points down. The red-haired princess clicks her tongue.

"One more round…" Severa demands with an annoyed scowl.

"Sure thing."

They both get ready. Unspoken signal, chopping motion.

"Jan-Ken-Pon!"

Severa's hand reveals rock. Jack's reveals paper.

Severa growls and gets ready.

"Look the other way!"

Severa looks up. When she looks back down, she sees Jack pointing up. Jack flicks her on the forehead.

"Ow! Dang it, Sensei, stop outplaying me all the time!" the Mercenary complains.

Jack crosses his arms smirking. "You have much to learn, my dear student."

"What are you two doing?" Lucina asks as she approaches the pair.

"It's a simple childrens' game that I learned while I grew up." Jack explains. "You get to choose between three options; rock, paper and scissors. Each one beats another, which means every option can win. It's a matter of picking the option that beats you opponent's choice."

The blue-haired princess raises an eyebrow. "I do not particularly mind a few games, but what good will this do for Severa's training?"

"Sensei says it's for helping me think on my feet." Severa explains. "Imagine replacing those three options with, say, swords, axes and lances. Each kind of weapon is good against another of the three, right?"

Lucina nods. "Right. That's why Father always tells us to be careful around enemy lance wielders."

"Well, this game kind of works like that." Jack continues. "Basically, I'm using this game to train Severa in responding quickly and effectively when she faces an enemy. Say that she wins the initial clash. That gives her an opening to attack. However, her opponent will obviously try to retreat and get in a better position. On the other hand, Severa can capitalize on that and chase down her adversary for a decisive blow. Or, if we reverse the positions, Severa needs to know how to dodge the enemy giving chase so she can get in a more favorable position if she loses the initial clash. It's like sparring, only less violent."

"Speak for yourself." Severa grumbles while rubbing her forehead. "Those flicks hurt."

Lucina perks up at the explanation. "So that's what the part where you point in a direction is for! It's the chase part."

Jack nods smiling. "Exactly. If Severa can look in another direction than the one I point in, she's safe. But if she loses, that counts as her enemy managing to catch her and deal a blow in. This game is to train her for these exact situations."

"And I still think this is a stupid exercise." Severa points out. "I mean, this is basically a game of luck, isn't it?"

Jack shakes his head. "It's a lot deeper than that, Severa. Like I said, you have much to learn."

The red-headed princess raises an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Then how did you become so good at this game, Jack-sensei?"

Jack thinks back on when he tried it out himself.

 _ **Flashback**_

 _Jack and Goku stood outside the saiyan's house, both in the ready stance. Both fighters glared intensely, waiting for the unspoken signal._

 _The glares got sharper. Hands came down in chopping motions._

" _Jan-Ken-Pon!"_

 _Jack's hand revealed paper. Goku's revealed scissors._

 _Jack blinked before he got ready._

" _Look the other way!" Goku shouted._

 _Instead of any conventional way, Jack turned his neck, so he looked behind him. The Reaper smirked and turned back, expecting a surprised look on Goku's face. Instead, he found the Saiyan pointing in the very direction he looked._

 _Jack's face went blank. "Ah."_

 _Goku grinned, took aim…_

 _*Ka-Bram!*_

… _and flicked Jack right into a boulder._

 _Chichi rubbed her temples. "Goku, I told you to take it easy on the poor fellow! He hasn't gone through the same kind of crazy training that you do every day!"_

 _Goku raised his arms in apology. "Sorry about that, Chichi! I held back as much as I could! Honest."_

 _Then Goku blinked. "Uh, maybe we should check if he's okay. Hey, Jack! You all right?"_

" _Owww…" a voice groaned painfully under a small pile of rubble with feet sticking out of it._

 _That was the first of many times Jack would practice the art of Jan-Kan-Pon at the Son household._

 _ **Flashback end**_

A shudder runs down Jack's spine. "The same way I have honed every other skill I have, Severa; A training regimen where I put my life on the line."

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Ursus shock, Lvl 15 [21 %], Active, Cost: 950 MP  
** _A technique originally developed by Bartholomew Kuma, the Tyrant. A large bubble of air is compressed to a fraction of its size between the caster's hands. This builds up an enormous amount of pressure inside the air bubble. When released, the equalization in pressure will result in a shockwave very similar to a bomb. The more air used in this attack, the stronger and bigger the shockwave. Make sure to keep a safe distance from the epicenter, or get blown off your feet yourself.  
Base damage: 10 500 % of the caster's INT. Element: Wind. This skill ignores all defenses and resistances._

 **Overprotective Daddy Mode, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _Every doting father knows that his little angel is too good for whatever sleaze of a man who tries to get fresh with her. Being the responsible parent that you are, it naturally falls on your shoulders to put that SoB in his place and show him just how far out of his league your daughter is. If possible, you can also let your wife in on the action, especially if she can get creative with a sausage, a pair of nuts and whatever she can find in the kitchen drawer.  
All damage dealt increases by 100 % as long as this skill is active. This skill can only activate if a threat against your daughter is perceived._

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **Scourge of the sea, Title  
** _You have become the embodiment of everything sailors fear. With the very ocean seemingly on your side, anyone who dares oppose you at sea will meet a gruesome end in its unforgiving waves or by your own hand. Your prowess in naval combat is unmatched, plain and simple. You're still susceptible to scurvy unless you plan your diet, though.  
All damage dealt increases by 30 % during naval battles._

 **Tot B-Gon, Tome, Very rare  
** _A tome designed specifically to combat women. Even stranger, there's a spell written inside that only works on females. Other than that, it basically functions like an ordinary spell tome. While the circumstances surrounding the crafting remain a mystery, scholars generally conclude that the maker had some kind of grudge against the female population.  
Damage dealt to females increases by 50 %.  
Skill available when wielded: THOT slayer._

 **Lightsaber, Sword, Base damage: 80, Unique  
** _This version of the iconic weapon from a galaxy far, far away is powered by channeling mana through its hilt. The intricate system of rune circles inside will conduct and amplify the mana to the point that a blade of plasma forms from the end of the hilt. While powerful enough to slash through wood like a hot knife through butter, flesh has a remarkable resistance towards being seared by the plasma blade. Wield with care, and may the Force be with you.  
Element: Fire. Damage done against non-living targets is increased by 100 %. This weapon has a maintenance cost to remain active after being drawn. Maintenance cost: 10 MP/minute._

 **Arpeggio, Miscellaneous, Base damage: 50, Unique  
** _The signature weapon of Demyx, the Melodious Nocturne. While it looks like a curiously shaped sitar at first glance, this musical instrument is infused with powerful water magic. Depending on the tunes played, Arpeggio can manipulate the water in an existing source nearby and even summon water wherever the wielder pleases. Stick to the beat, and the water will dance for you. It's showtime!  
Water-element magic deals 100 % more damage. The cost of all water-elemental skills is reduced by 90 %. Increases proficiency with water-elemental skills by 50.  
Skill available when wielded: Water clone countdown._

* * *

 **Yes, yes, I know Morgan's canon birth date is May 5** **th** **, not the 4** **th** **. I just added it for that extra Star Wars reference.**

 **I'm not sure how many of you have noticed, but the names Jack's Union Strikes are references on their own. The ones he performs with Robin, Lon'qu and Nowi are all names of Pokémon moves. As for the one with Lucina; Well, anyone familiar with competetive Super Smash Bros. Melee should be familiar with it. It ain't Falco, but it still works. Somehow.**

 **During my first playthrough of Awakening, I had problems finding out who I would pair Lon'qu with. Based on the silhouettes of his potential support partners, I figured that the last one would be a Wyvern rider, and with luck, it would be a woman. So when Cherche stepped in, my first thought was "Hey, Lon'qu! I found your wife!". I've never regretted that decision even once. Not only do they complement each other well on the battlefield due to their respective support bonuses, their support conversations gave me a peek both into Lon'qu's past and Cherche's caring side.**

 **Lon'qu has one of the most subtle character developments that I've seen in Awakening. If you pay attention to his behavior in his support conversations with the female Shepherds, you'll notice that he's less uncomfortable the later his support partner joins in the story. From what I can gather, this implies that Lon'qu gradually gets used to the presence of women, mainly because he's forced to constantly hang around with them as a member of the Shepherds. For example, Lissa joins you from the beginning, and Lonqu starts out by hardly wanting to poke the princess with a ten-foot pole. On the other hand, when he speaks with Tharja, Lon'qu manages to keep his cool all the way through (though that can partially be explained due to Tharja's own personality). By the time Cherche joins, it's been two years since the war against Plegia. That's ample time for Lon'qu to get over his fear of women, provided he stuck around the Shepherds' barracks during the whole timeskip.**

 **So when Lon'qu initiates his support with Cherche, he's come far enough that he can speak with a woman without issue. And it's for this very reason that Cherche can help the swordsman work through his troubled past. I think that's the single best part of Lon'qu's writing, and a big reason why Cherche is my first pick for Lon'qu's wife. The guy who, at first, was so afraid of women has finally tamed his fear, and now he's ready to face their root cause, like it or not. And through the whole process, Cherche patiently walks with him, and helps him find the closure he's needed for all those years. And when Lon'qu finally reaches the end of the road, he emerges with an emotional strength he never had before, all thanks to Cherche's gentle care and diligence. And the best way he can think of putting that strength to use is to remain by Cherche's side, just like she did for him. Lon'qu's and Cherche's love story is one of facing your past, finding redemption, and the effect one caring heart can have for another. That's what I love so much about their pairing. I never regret pairing these two up, because I know they'll remain loyal to each other until death separates them.**

 **Some of you who have read earlier versions of the previous chapters may find Libra's conversation with Emmeryn a bit weird – as in, their relationship doesn't seem to have progressed as far as my earlier writing would indicate. Long story short, I decided to rewrite the part about the War Monk's and exalt's relationship mentioned in chapter 14 by simply removing it. Sometime while writing this chapter, I felt like I wanted to flesh out their relationship a bit more, hence the scene where they talk at the docks before the Ylissean league sets sail. I hope this rewritten version gives a better reading experience compared to the short mention in chapter 14 that I previously wrote.**

 **That will be all for now. Until next time.**

 **VipeR out.**


	25. Chapter 23

**Hello, dear readers. CorssVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **I believe I have had my first real taste of writer's block. And I can say one thing for certain: I now understand why this state is so dreaded among anyone who practices writing of any sort. This thing just hangs over your head like a vulture and threatens to drain you of all motivation to keep writing unless you find a way out of your slump. The fact that this could happen even to professional writers only makes me respect them more. Writer's block may be one of the biggest threats to not only their greatest passion, but their livelihood as well. And yet they persevere through it.**

 **Metal.**

 **One part of this writer's block is because I've been busy playing through Bravely Second. And let me tell you; the writing in this game is brilliant! I dare say it surpasses what its predecessor accomplished. The one exception would be the final boss. I personally have a thing against villains who are evil merely for the sake of being evil, and that's the impression I got from the game's final boss. I believe the writers could've done a better job with its character, but that might just be me, because I prefer villains who have a point in their world view, a grander agenda that addresses a crucial flaw in the society that the protagonists live in.**

 **That's what I think makes Braev such a great antagonist in Bravely Default; he knew what would happen if all four crystals were pushed to the limit, and he would stop at absolutely nothing to prevent that from happening (though I still believe things would've been much easier if he just sat down with Edea and properly explained why he basically launched an invasion against every other continent on Luxendarc). And to make things better, his side quest in Bravely Second shows how vast his wisdom as a ruler is, and how he balances this with being a family man. Bravely Second did a fantastic job in fleshing out the asterisk holders of the previous game, but out of all of them, Braev easily takes the cake.**

 **And that's part 2 of my brief review of what has become one of my favorite games.**

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _Both you and Father are the greatest heroes I've ever known._ – Cynthia

* * *

 **Chapter 23:**

 **Notice me, Sensei!  
Fake Shepherds vs real Shepherds!**

Figuring that we're not welcome in that particular part of town, my family and I decide to try other parts of the town in hopes that we're welcome elsewhere. Oddly enough, I get the exact same reaction wherever I go in town.

"It's Jack the Ripper! Get inside and bar the door!"

Rose scratches her head. "I think it's kinda obvious at this point, but I don't think you're welcome around here, Dad…"

I sigh. "Yeah, I noticed. But, curse it, I can't figure out why. Do I really have such a bad reputation that it reaches overseas? And for that matter, they all get my epithet wrong."

Robin frowns. "Something's not right. We'd better find Chrom and the others."

Decision made, we turn around to look for our favorite prince.

We eventually find him near the town outskirts where we entered town, and he does not look happy.

"Chrom? What's with the scowl?" I ask as I approach him.

Chrom eases up on the scowl as he sees me and my family approach. "Jack. Robin. Something strange has happened in this town."

I give the prince a flat look. "I noticed. People run for the hills the moment they see me."

The scowl returns full force. "So it happened to you too, huh? This is only getting worse by the minute."

"Milord, I have learned some troubling news." Frederick reports as he approaches us. "It seems a band of nasty rogues have been harrying this town without pause for some time. Apparently, they are led by a man masquerading as…you."

Lucina looks at the Great Knights shocked. "Someone is impersonating Father?!"

Frederick scowls. "Not just him, milady. From what my investigation could uncover, several individuals in this band of rogues pose as members from our own ranks."

I match Frederick's scowl as I connect the dots. "Including me."

Frederick nods. "That would seem to be the case, Jack. Supposedly, the townspeople fear a bloodthirsty serial killer by the name of Jack the Ripper. I take it that man is using your name for his own gain?"

I growl as winds build up around me. "So I figured. Not only does this punk have the nerve to brand me a criminal, he didn't even get my epithet right. When I find him, I'll show him what happens when you anger Jack the Reaper."

"Count me in." Lucina growls as she draws Parallel Falchion. "I will find this cur who dares impersonate my father, and when I do, I will make him _wish_ he was dead."

Cordelia looks at the eldest daughter concerned. "Um, Lucina? Don't you think that's a bit overboard?"

Severa sighs. "You might as well give up trying to calm her down, Mother. Lucina's always admired Daddy greatly." A fond, if exasperated, smile grows on her lips. "You won't find a greater fan of him in the whole realm than in my sister."

As our murderous auras resonate, Chrom rubs his temples. "All right, you two. Settle down before you give the townspeople any reason to believe you and those rogues are the same." The prince turns to Frederick. "Any idea where they may be, Frederick?"

Frederick pulls out his trusty Silver Lance. "It seems they headed north, milord."

Chrom nods. "Then so shall we."

I turn back towards the marketplace.

"Uh, Jack? North is that way." Robin tells me.

I glance back at my wife. "I know. I just need to make a few preparations. I won't be long."

Robin blinks bemused before she shrugs. "All right. I take it you'll catch up to us quickly."

I give her a terse nod. "Oh, I will. And…sorry if I'm acting a bit grumpy."

Robin shakes her head with a fond smile. "It's all right. I'd be upset too is someone posed as me and dragged my name through the mud. Though something tells me you'd raze half the town to the ground just to find the culprit if that were the case."

I tap my chin a few times before I nod. "Sounds about right."

* * *

As I reach the marketplace, I notice that someone followed me.

"Rose?"

"Thought I'd tag along to see what you're cooking up."

I shrug. "Nothing much. Just a little personal revenge."

Rose smirks. "I know you, Dad. You never mete out punishment by half measures. Whatever you're planning it's either gonna be grand, or so silly that the readers hardly see it coming."

I blink a few times before I shrug. "You're not wrong on the meting out punishment part. Whoever it is who's posing as me is about to get the humiliation of his life." I rub my chin as I scan the stalls. "Now, where can I find a good enough container…?"

Rose raises an eyebrow. "Container?"

"I need a container for my plan." I mutter frowning. "Just my luck that thing I'm looking for doesn't seem to be for sa-" My eyes widen as they land on the perfect object. A smile slowly grows on my lips as I approach the item on display. "Hello, new friend. You're exactly what I was looking for."

Rose eyes the object skeptically. "Really, Dad? This thing is so outta left field that not even I can figure out what you've got planned."

I grin at my daughter. "That's what will make my revenge all the more entertaining."

I reach into my bag and pull out a bag of coins. "Of course, I'm buying this like any respectable man would. Can't have a satisfying revenge through stolen goods unless the theft itself is part of the revenge. If anything, the merchant can keep the change." Payment done, I pick up my chosen item and head for the coast. "Now to fill the container. And I know exactly what to use."

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

About half an hour from the town, we find a few less-than-friendly-looking ruffians hanging out among some trees.

How do I know they're less than friendly?

"Well, lookie here, fellas. This lot's full of new faces." one of the ruffians remark as he spots us. He walks out onto the road with his axe drawn. "Hey, you there! Yer walkin' into the territory of Prince Chrom himself! Either leave what ya wanted to give him here, or we'll just take it after we're done with you."

That's how.

Frederick scowls and walks up to the ruffian with his Silver Lance out in the open. "Is that so? Then perhaps you would care to show me to this "Prince Chrom"?"

As the Great Knight gets closer, the ruffian looks up. And up. And _up_.

Turns out Frederick's pretty tall, and this particular ruffian must've missed his growth spurt. The height difference is almost comical.

The ruffian begins to sweat. "Uh… Well, I'd love to, but, see, our boss's, I mean, Prince Chrom's kinda busy right now, see? Can't burden the poor man with every little thing happenin' around here, now can I?"

Frederick takes one more menacing step towards the ruffian and bends down until he looms over the now gulping outlaw. A shadow falls over the Great Knight's face. "I insist."

"Uh, Johnson? I think this guy's trouble." one of the ruffian's buddies remarks nervously. Said fellow ruffian backs away until he bumps into something with his back. He turns around to find me, with my own face set on intimidation.

"Oh, we're not as bad as we seem, honest." I assure him in a tone that promises a bad time. "We just heard rumors about a band of rogues that have been terrorizing the local townsfolk here lately. We don't take kindly to rogues, see? And it was even stranger when the rumors told that Prince Chrom himself leads this merry band of outlaws. So we're just here for some answers." I crack my knuckles. "And you're the lucky chumps who will provide us with them, or else I'll get _very_ upset. And when I get upset, I tend to get…violent."

The ruffians huddle together and whimper in fear. We've pretty much surrounded them all at this point. Now for some old-fashioned mob style interrogation.

Except said interrogation gets interrupted by the whinny of a horse.

No, wait. That's a pegasus.

* * *

 **Cynthia Lvl 30 Class: Pegasus Knight**

* * *

Wait a minute… Oh, now I get why all this felt so familiar. Looks like we ended up on the island where some fraud is leading Cynthia around by the nose. Well, time to give the girl an eyeopener.

"There is no need to fret, good people!" the brown-haired Pegasus Knight shouts from atop her winged steed as she dives towards us. "Why? Because I am heEEERE!" *Krrrr!*

Cynthia didn't just fall off her pegasus and land facefirst. She had so much momentum that her face dug a short furrow in the ground. Everyone nearby (including the pegasus) grimace in sympathy at Cynthia's faceplant.

The Pegasus Knight places her hands on the ground and pushes herself up with a pained groan. "Oh, ow, ow, ow! Still need to practice that flying entrance."

Amazingly enough, the only sign that she just dug a furrow in the ground with her face are a few smudges of dirt on her cheeks. Other than that, girl gets up like nothing happened. Now, where have I seen a phenomenon like this before?

Observe.

Ah, I should've known. There's only one person in the whole world who could pass on _that_ skill to this young flier.

Chrom approaches Cynthia concerned. "Um, are you okay?"

Cynthia blinks as she faces the prince. "Huh? Who, me? Oh, I'm fine. Just tripped a little, is all."

Everyone present sweat drops at her reply. Yeah, let's just leave it at that.

Chrom scratches his head. "Okay… So, who are you?"

Cynthia blinks a few more times before her eyes widen. "Ah! It's you!"

Chrom blinks back and point at himself. "Me?"

Cynthia backs off and pulls out a Steel Lance from…somewhere? "All who would pretend to Chrom's name will answer to me for their deceit! Lay down your arms and surrender, or face judgement at my spear!"

Chrom looks at the Pegasus Knight bemused. "Well, she seems eager. What do you think, Robin? If she's being honestly deceived, we may be able to show her the truth."

"Enough!" Cynthia shouts. "In the name of my lord Chrom, cast down your sword or draw it!"

"Please, young miss, you are being deceived!" Frederick exclaims as he steps up. "This man here is-"

"What are YOU doing on that side?!" Cynthia shouts as she spots Frederick. She shakes her head. "No, that'll have to wait until later. Look, I'll give you all one last chance to lay down your arms. We can end this peacefully. Come, on, Deku! We're heading back to the others!"

The pegasus (who I now notice has a green mane) flies down. Cynthia mounts the winged horse with ease and takes off.

I scowl in the direction of the retreating Pegasus Knight. "Chrom, I think we finally have a lead on your imposter. If we follow her, she might lead us right to the rogue impersonating you."

"Um, shouldn't we try to talk with that girl before we look for Captain Chrom's fake?" Sumia asks. "That girl had such honest eyes. I can't in good conscience leave her among a group of outlaws."

Chrom rubs his chin. "Think you can talk her out of it, Sumia?"

The Dark Flier blinks. "Me?"

The prince nods. "Something tells me she'd listen to you. She certainly didn't seem to be in any talkative mood with me."

Sumia nods. "I'll try, Captain. I just need an opportunity to approach her without risking any wounds."

"Leave that to me, Sumia." Frederick assures his wife. "I shall make sure you can talk to that girl undisturbed."

"Are you sure you can cover us both on your own, Frederick?"

A small smile graces Frederick's lips. "I do enjoy a challenge every now and then."

Chrom draws Falchion. "Seems like we have our answer, then. Shepherds! To arms!"

Seems like those ruffians we ran into earlier bolted while we were busy trying to figure Cynthia out. Ah, well. My guess is that they ran in the same direction that she flew in. As that's as good a lead as any we'll get, we walk in that direction as well, weapons at the ready, and determined to get to the bottom of this royal fraud.

As for me, I've got a special surprise ready in case I find the punk who dared impersonate _me_.

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: Wings of justice**  
 _Some investigation on Frederick's part reveals that a rogue is impersonating Chrom and using that fake image in his quest to ravage the surrounding towns. Find that cur and bring him to justice! And keep your eyes out for a certain impressionable Pegasus Knight while you're at it._  
 **Objective:** _Defeat all ruffians._  
 **Rewards:** _10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Defeat the rogue who impersonates Chrom.  
_ **Bonus rewards:** _5 000 EXP, 5 000 gold_

* * *

As we clear the woods, we see quite the number of ruffians lined up among what looks like the ruins of an old town. Among their ranks is Cynthia.

Said Pegasus Knight scowls at us. "So, you decided to fight, did you? All right, then. I didn't want to do this, but you leave me no choice." Cynthia points her Steel Lance in our direction. "For Prince Chrom! Charge!"

* * *

 **POV: General**

 **BGM:** **Spear of Justice, Undertale music**

The ruffians storm the Shepherds with their weapons at the ready.

Kjelle steps up with her Dragoon Lance drawn. "Allow me."

As the first ruffians approach, Kjelle winds up and lets loose a massive swing.

"Hah!"

Even the wind pressure from that swing was impressive. The swing itself sends half a dozen ruffians flying back. That's when the Shepherds retaliate.

Stahl charges in through the opening provided by Kjelle. The green Great Knight goes for a straightforward approach and plows through any resistance the ruffians try to put up. His advance eventually gets halted as a trio of Generals form a shield wall and manage to put a stop to the momentum of Stahl's charge.

*Krang!*

It's a bit unfortunate on their part that Stahl knows how to wield an Armorslayer to great effect.

"Surround him! Quick!" a Berserker shouts in an attempt to cut off Stahl from the rest of the Shepherds' ranks.

"No, you don't!" Yarne shouts back as he tears a way through the enclosing ruffians barehanded. Right as the ruffians wise up and get ready to block the half-taguel out, Yarne jumps back. The ruffians only have time to look confused for a moment before an Arcwind spell hits them head-on, courtesy of Miriel.

* * *

On the other end of the battlefield, Chrom and Cordelia face off against a pair of Snipers.

"Cordelia, get behind me!" Chrom shouts as he raises the Fire Emblem. The Snipers aim for Cordelia, but find out that the Fire Emblem, surprisingly, makes for a terrific shield. A dozen arrows in, and there's not even a scratch on the sacred artifact. That's when Cordelia zips out from behind the cover of her husband with Gradivus reared back.

"Hah!" *Shink!* "Augh!"

The Falcon Knight's aim is true as Gradivus pierces one of the Snipers right through the chest. His partner looks in horror at his death. That's when he notices a shadow descend on him. Said shadow belongs to Chrom, who's coming down with Falchion raised high.

*Shing!*

The other Sniper collapses from the vicious downward swing. Right as Chrom gets back up, he rips Gradivus from the chest of its target and chucks it back to his wife. Cordelia catches the legendary spear out of the air, twirls it once, and gets right back into the fray against a Paladin.

* * *

Lissa has an intense stare down against an opposing War Cleric. The stare down gets interrupted as Henry pops up behind the enemy healer.

"Boo!"

Said War Cleric yelps in shock over the Dark Mage's sudden appearance. She pivots around and tries to behead Henry with her Steel Axe. It would've been easier if the storm of crows would stop harassing her. Right as she manages to scare away the birds, she finds Lissa in front of her with a triumphant smirk and Betty reared back.

"Gotcha!" *Wham!*

Lissa shoulders her Hammer and gives Henry a grinning thumbs-up. Henry responds by pointing behind Lissa.

*Ka-bram!* "Gaah!"

Lissa looks behind her and sees a Barbarian lying on the ground, twitching from the residual charge of a Thunder spell. Moments later, he's consumed in the flames of an Elfire spell.

"Teamwork's a lot more fun than I thought." Henry remarks happily.

"Well, you sure seem motivated." Lissa points out.

"Of course! I make the world a better place by killing stuff. Everybody wins!"

Lissa rolls her eyes. "We _definitely_ need to work on your regard for lives."

* * *

*Clang!*

Vaike grins as he pushes back against a Knight in a power struggle. The Barbarian angles his axe a bit and makes the ruffian's lance slide down the axe blade. Vaike then makes a quick sidestep and traps the shaft of the lance in the hooked part of his weapon. The maneuver catches the Knight off-guard, allowing Vaike to kick the armored outlaw in the chest so fast that the Knights drops his trapped lance in the process. He tries to get up, but finds it difficult as Vaike pins him down with a foot. A swift chop along the neck, and the Knight goes silent.

"Hyah!" *Boom!*

Sully suplexes a Great Knight, horse and all.

Because she can.

* * *

"Stand! Still! Already!" a Hero yells as he swings at Olivia. Try as he might though, the Dancer literally dances around his sword swings. A vertical swing has Olivia sidestep and retaliate with her own sword. A stab has Olivia jump and land on the blade. The Hero barely has time to blink in shock before he gets Olivia's shoe in his face. After a particularly wide swing from the ruffian, Olivia steps in and stabs at his neck. The Hero parries her Steel Sword with a quick flick of his shield before he backhands her with it. The blow dazes Olivia, and the Hero capitalizes on it with a swing at her torso. Olivia manages to react fast enough to escape the sword unscathed.

*Shing!*

However, the same cannot be said for her outfit.

Olivia's face turns red as she desperately covers her chest with one hand and points the other at her adversary. "Eek! Pervert!"

The Hero freaks out and waves his hands in front of him. "No, no! It was an accident, I swear!"

"My outfit's ruined, and at the front at that! How is that an accident?!"

"Listen, lady! We're busy fighting! Mistakes happen, okay? By the way, I think that's a mighty fine body you're ro-" *Whack!*

The Hero goes down like a sack of bricks, courtesy of Maribelle's parasol.

"Olivia, darling. While I believe it makes for a great distraction against male enemies, running around with your chest out in the open is _not_ proper for a self-respecting woman." the Valkyrie admonishes her friend.

"He started it…" Olivia mutters back embarrassed. "Would you happen to have a change of clothes at hand, Maribelle? I can't fight like this."

Maribelle sighs and pats the seat behind her on L'Arachel. "Climb on, Olivia. We'd better find you some new clothes away from prying eyes."

The Valkyrie glares out over the battlefield. The fact that the front of Olivia's outfit got ripped open was hardly missed by any ruffian nearby. Growling, Maribelle opens an Arcthunder tome and rains down lightning bolts on them with prejudice.

Olivia hugs her friend tightly from behind. "I wanted to become famous, but not like this…"

"Filthy swine, every last one of them." Maribelle mutters as she snaps her tome shut and steers L'Arachel away from the battlefield.

* * *

Virion nocks an arrow on his new Silver Bow and takes aim at a Warrior. The arrow flies, but the Warrior dodges with some space to spare.

"Ha! You missed!" the Warrior exclaims as he points at Virion.

The Bow Knight smirks. "And what made you think hitting you was my intention in the first place?"

The Warrior tilts his head quizzically. "Huh?" That's when he notices the green rune circle where he just landed. "Oh."

*FWOOSH!*

The ruffian gets sent high into the sky by the potent wind spell erupting from the rune circle. Behind him, Ricken and Miriel bump fists.

"See? I told you it would work." Ricken tells Miriel smiling.

"I admit, I found the attempt easier than expected." the Sage replies. "Our thanks for the distraction, Virion. It proved a crucial part of the plan."

Virion smirks. "Ah, but that was not the only reason why I shot that arrow, dear Miriel."

As the Sage raises an eyebrow, Virion points in the direction he shot the arrow. That's when Miriel and Ricken spot the arrow sticking out of the chest of a Barbarian who, judging by the direction, tried to sneak up on Ricken before their trap was sprung.

The Dark Knight does a double take. "Wait… You shot that arrow to protect me at the same time?"

Virion's smirk turns smug. "Why, of course. Did you expect anything else from the archest of archers?"

"How about another sneak attack?!" a Mercenary shouts as he jumps from a boulder and straight at Virion with his sword raised.

The sneak attack reaches an abrupt end as the ruffian changes directions in midair and crashes on the ground with shock written over his face. The moment is short-lived, as a stab wound appears and goes right through his heart.

Virion blinks before he rubs his temples. "I still cannot get a read on sir Kellam. How can he remain hidden out in the open and in broad daylight like that?"

"It's a gift." A voice whispers in the wind.

* * *

"Where is he?!" *Shing!*

A Berserker goes down after a clean swing across his torso, courtesy of a notably enraged Lucina.

"Where is that dastard?!" *Shing!*

This time, a Sorcerer falls victim to her blade.

"Lucina, calm down!" Severa shouts after her sister. "You won't find Daddy's fake if you keep running off from the rest of us and attack anyone who seems even remotely suspicious!"

"How else am I supposed to find the fool who dares impersonate our father?!" Lucina shouts back. "The moment sir Frederick shared what he had learned, that rogue made it personal!"

Severa rolls her eyes. "I swear, you're as bad around Daddy as Jack-sensei is around Lady Robin. Look, I'm as upset as you are that someone's pretending to be our father, but you don't see me fly off the handle. If Sensei knew I did that again, he'd scold me with a karate chop on the head – again."

Lucina releases a deep sigh. "No, you're right. Maybe we should look for the impostor together."

"Fine, if it will make you stop going on about the injustice of it all. These are _outlaws_ Lucina. They don't play fair. And you'd better get us out of this situation first!"

Lucina blinks and looks around. The princesses find themselves surrounded by ruffians on all sides.

A particularly bold one eyes the royal sisters with glee. "Hey, those are some pretty lasses we have here, boys. Would be a shame if we'd hurt 'em."

An eyebrow twitches on Severa's face. She points Laevateinn at said Ruffian. "Then perish."

The ruffian goes up in flames, to the shock of his buddies.

"Eye me like a piece of meat, would he?" the redheaded princess mutters. "Hey, Lucina. Let's try _that_ thing."

Lucina blinks a few times before she glances back at her sister. "You mean, the move Owain came up with one day because he was bored and wanted to figure out combination tactics?"

Severa nods. "Yeah, that one."

Lucina nods and steels herself. "All right. Ready?"

Severa smirks as flames dance over her sword. "Of course I am."

The sisters charge in the same direction. Lucina jumps into the air. At the same time, Severa sends a wave of flames at the ruffians ahead. The ruffians buckle down against the flames and weather the blow. Moments later, Lucina descends on them with an overhead swing. The blow itself already catches the ruffians off-guard, but Lucina's hasty retreat via L-cancel plain confuses them.

Until Severa tags in and brings down a flame clad Laevateinn on their unprepared faces.

*Boom!*

While the ruffians are still reeling from the redhead's attack, Lucina reenters the fray with a few quick Wavedashes and weaves in between the scattered ruffians while slashing at any opening she finds. Meanwhile, Severa circles the disoriented outlaws and boxes them in with her own slashes.

The ruffians are on their last legs when Severa crouches low. Moments later, Lucina slides to a stop besides her sister in a mirrored pose.

Severa releases a breath. "Ready…"

Lucina readies Parallel Falchion "Go!"

The sisters charge the group of ruffians one last time. A few paces before contact, Lucina zips ahead and pivots to take Severa's free hand in her own. From there, the sisters take turns in shifting their weight until they spin like a bladed boomerang. The flames coating Severa's sword trail behind the redheaded princess, turning their spinning motion into a vortex of fire and sharp edges. That's what hits the ruffians. Lucina and Severa slide to a stop as the ruffians land with various burn degrees and slash wounds all across their bodies.

Severa turns around and pumps her fist triumphantly. "Yes! Still works!"

Lucina gives her sister a proud smile. "For a moment, I thought the timing was off, but we are as synchronized as always. It feels good to fight alongside you again, Severa."

Severa blinks before she turns away from her sister and huffs with a blush. "W-well, of course you're well off when I fight beside you. I mean, I make any team up better."

Lucina raises an eyebrow at her sister's reply, but lets it slide.

"What in the- Who are _you_ supposed to be?!" an unfamiliar voice exclaims.

The royal sisters turn to the new voice and gasp in shock. Standing in front of them is a young woman garbed just like Lucina.

Except this young woman bears several differences that are notable for anyone familiar with Chrom's eldest daughter. For one, the Lucina lookalike has purple short hair, as opposed to Lucina's long and blue. Second, the Lucina lookalike has a seemingly permanent scowl etched on her freckled face. Third, she carries no weapon resembling Falchion. Only a rapier.

"Now I understand." Lucina growls as she connects the dots in her head. "So you are the reason the townspeople were so afraid when they saw me."

Fake-Lucina scoffs. "What, you're another one of those floozies trying to leech off the fame of this supposed time traveling princess? Get in line, sister. There ain't enough place for two of us."

Severa snickers. "Wow… I'm not sure if this idiot is even trying. They fell for a fraud this bad? Guess you need to step up your game if the masses can't tell you from an obvious fake, Sis."

"Not the time, Severa!" Lucina yells exasperated and stomps towards the person impersonating as her. "As for you, I shall personally see to meting out your just desserts."

Fake-Lucina draws her rapier and gets in a loose stance. "Please. I've already cut down half a dozen of you wannabes by this point. What's one more loser to the body count? Though I admit your hair looks great at least."

Lucina gets in her own stance. "Bold words for a liar who is about to be exposed."

The two sword wielders charge each other. Sparks fly as their weapons clash over and over. Lucina notes that her opponent is constantly on the move. The loose stance allows for surprising flexibility in her strikes. In response, Lucina buckles down and gets ready to try to feel out her opponents attack patterns.

"What's the matter? Can't keep up?" Lucina's fake taunts as she weaves her rapier in a deadly dance against the princess.

Lucina angles Parallel Falchion diagonally to block a stab, sidesteps a downward swing and crosses her arms when her opponent sends a kick to her chest.

" _Watch her movements closely…_ " the blue-haired princess reminds herself. " _Remember what Master Jack taught you about finding habits. Find what kind of approach she prefers. And when you find the pattern…_ "

"Die!" the fake shouts triumphantly and stabs at Lucina's heart.

*Ching!*

Only for the stab to get deflected by a parry.

"… _force an opening, and punish her mistake for all you're worth!_ "

Lucina wavedashes into the opening granted her for parrying her opponents attack. Before the fake princess can retake her stance, Lucina is already mid-swing. Right swing, diagonal, shoulder tackle, pommel to the face, grab, back throw, wavedash to the correct position and stab!

*Shink!*

Fake Lucina looks up at the real one in shock. Then she slowly looks to the left and sees Parallel Falchion stabbed into the ground, a hair's breadth from her face.

"You can only face justice if you're alive." Lucina points out. The princess crouches down and lifts up her impostor by the collar. "And you have a lot to answer for. Come on, Severa. Let's find somewhere to lock up this fraud until she can stand trial."

Severa shrugs and joins her sister. "Sure, whatever. But if we get in trouble for leaving the battle so soon, I'll blame you."

Lucina shakes her head. "If this is the best those rogues can muster, Father and the others should have no trouble subduing them."

As the fake princess gets dragged away, she slowly connects the dots. "Hold on… You mean to tell me _you're_ the real Princess Lucina?!"

Severa smirks at the impostor. "About time you caught on, genius. Just so you know, my sister doesn't take kindly to liars."

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **POV: Jack**

Seems like I have quite the sizable group of ruffians to take on. No matter. Their average level is pretty low. So low, in fact, that I wonder if I even need to draw Harvest Moon for this battle. If anything, these guys would better qualify as practice dummies for me to grind my Martial arts mastery.

"You sure you're gonna find your fake around here, Dad?" Rose asks as she hovers Kirby above her hand.

I crack my knuckles. "Gotta start somewhere, Rose. And since these guys are most probably on that punk's side, I might as well pry some answers out of them while venting some frustration in the process."

"So, what's the plan? It's not like your team's around to back you up."

I shake my head. "Nah, that'd be overkill. I can handle these bozos just fine. How about you?"

"Should be fine on my end. And if I ever get in a tough spot, I can just Magikazam my way out to safety."

I sweatdrop. "You're not gonna summon a random herd of sheep again, are you?"

My daughter shrugs. "Could happen. Or, you know, some ancient vampire could pop up out of thin air and flex on them, a British gentleman could unleash some sunlight kung fu, or a teenage delinquent could just go berserk because someone insulted his hairstyle. Random effects, remember?"

My sweatdrop grows bigger. "That's awfully specific for random effects."

"The point is, I'll be fine. You already know I can handle myself in a fight. It's not like you or Morgan have to act as my bodyguards."

"Speaking of which, where did Morgan go? I must've lost him sometime after all the fighting broke loose."

"I last saw him go with Mom. Said something about never leaving her unprotected."

I nod in approval. "Good move. That means we each have a person covered."

Rose gives me a flat look. "What did I just say about the bodyguard thing?"

"Ah. My bad."

"So, yer the guy who tried ta pummel our buddies into the ground, eh?" one of the ruffians asks me.

I look back at the outlaw. "And what if I am?"

The ruffian brandishes a Steel Sword. "Then we all have a beef with ya. No one messes with the Ripper's crew."

I narrow my eyes at his reply. " _Ripper's_ crew", was it? Seems like I'm getting closer to the truth.

"Guess we're on the mark after all, Rose." I muse as I get into a fighting stance. "Our plan is simple; beat them up first, ask questions later."

The ruffian gets ready to fight as well. "Ya want a piece of us, punk? Come on, then."

"Hey, wait a sec." one of his fellow rogues interrupts. "Look at his clothes. Don't they look kinda familiar?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought." another one confirms. "Reminds me of the boss's clothes."

The second ruffian snickers. "What, this guy tryin' to look like Boss? As if. He looks like a twig next to our leader."

"Really?" I ask.

The next moment, I zip in front of the offending ruffian and send him flying by punch to the face.

"Can a twig do that, punk?"

The other ruffians back away, now clearly on guard.

"Hey. Did any of you see that guy move?"

"Don't look at me. One second he just stands there. The next, he socks Butz in the face before I can even blink."

"Uh… This guy might be trouble after all."

"As if! If we all gang up on him, he'll go down eventually!"

I smirk after I heard that last statement. I crouch down in a fighting stance again and make a come-hither motion. "Is that so? Care to put that to the test?"

"Hey! What's going on here?!" a new voice bellows from among the ruffians.

The outlaws respond accordingly and step aside to reveal-

"You cannot be serious…" I say with a deadpan face.

A bulky frame garbed in a purple robe that covers everything except the head, feet and hands. Black gloves on the hands, and leather boots on the feet. A smug face that belongs to someone in their forties, complete with a goatee and a surprising lack of hair on the scalp. And the most notable thing of all? A farmer's scythe painted white, fastened on his back.

"Boss! You're here?" one of the ruffians exclaim.

The bald man cracks his neck a few times. "Heard a bit of commotion further back. Next thing I know, Butz lands at my feet with a mark that looks like a fist in the middle of his face." That's when he notices me. "Huh. Didn't expect some lookalike to waltz around these parts.

"I finally found you, faker!" I growl as I walk towards him.

Fake-me grins back. "Faker? I think _you're_ the fake around here. You're comparing yourself to me? Ha! You're not even good enough to be my fake!"

I pause in my approach and blink bemused. "Okay… That's a good response. I'll give you that."

Fake-me grins. "I know, right? This old geezer told me I should say that if anyone looking like me ever called me a fake. Said something about entertaining the "powers that be" or whatever. Never thought I'd ever have to do it, though."

"Wait a second… Bald old fart? Can't see his eyes? Won't stop ranting about the female form?"

The impersonator nods. "Sounds about right. You know 'im?"

I roll my eyes. "All too well."

Curse it all, Old man Hubba! Did you have to give this no name copycat scrub some kind of weird stuff to work with? If I find out you're the one who talked him into this whole impersonation thing, I'm coming for your wrinkly old butt, guard of the Outrealm gate notwithstanding.

Fake me shrugs and draws the weapon on his back. "Whatever. You're trying to copy the one and only Jack the Ripper, and the world ain't big enough for two of me. Guess I'll just rip you apart, just like the rest of my victims."

My right eyebrow twitches at the sight of this smug eyesore. _This_ is the punk impersonating me?! I'm gonna beat the ever loving _sh-t_ out of him!

"I'll make you eat those words." I growl as I draw Harvest Moon and shift it into scythe form.

The ruffians do a double take on my weapon.

"What the- Did you guys just see that?"

"His sword became a scythe! And it looks cooler than Boss's."

Fake-me growls. "So you've got a fancy prop for a weapon. Big deal! Wanna know how I became known as the ripper, little man? I jammed this sucker into the gut of whoever pissed me off, and then I ripped it out. That's what I'm gonna do to you."

I twirl Harvest Moon a few times and settle in a stance. "Please. That gardening tool is nothing compared my prized blade. If all you do is attack innocent townspeople and talk big, merely pointing my dear weapon at you feels like I'm insulting it."

A tic mark appears on his forehead. "Oh yeah? Let's hear you say that after I turn you into a corpse!"

"Is something the matter, Daddy?" a female voice asks from behind a few ruffians.

"Oh, screw you, Author! Screw! _You_!" Rose yells.

I look at my daughter with a raised eyebrow before I follow her line of sight. That's where I find…

…a young woman around Rose's age, in an outfit that, surprisingly enough, matches hers piece for piece. Though the clothes are the only real similarity between the two women. For one, the woman dressed like Rose looks completely different, from the hair color (pink) to the face (my daughter looks cuter, end of story). Second, this fake-Rose is…significantly curvier than my daughter.

"Just someone pretending to be me, hon." fake-me replies. "I'll put this fraud in his place, and then we can get straight back to where we were."

Fake-Rose practically drapes herself over my own fake. "I'd like that very much. We were just at the good part when all that noise came in. I'll just stay on the sidelines until you're done." She leans in to whisper in his ear. "We will have _so_ much fun together."

A shiver runs down my spine. The fact that these two are supposed to impersonate me and Rose and the tone this female fraud speaks in when addressing my fake is wrong on more levels than I can count. Just… _No_!

"You're not watching from any sidelines, you harlot! Face me!" Rose growls as she readies Kirby and glares at her fake.

Fake-Rose gives my daughter a bored look before she straightens up and sashays towards her with an Elfire tome in hand.

"Oh? And how exactly do you intend to measure up to me? I'm more than just a pretty face, darling." she tells Rose haughtily. "I'm more than capable of knocking you flat on your face with my magic, while you have nothing more than that plush toy of yours. And let's not forget that I have these…" she runs her hands along her upper body to emphasize her point. "…while you have…nothing."

Rose face turns murderous. "That's it! I'll show you what happens when you mock a girl who got abandoned by the gods of puberty! You're going down, b-tch!"

 **BGM: I'll face myself, Persona 4 music**

"Wrong BGM, Author!" Rose yells into the air. "Read the context!"

 **BGM interrupted**

Everyone present look at my daughter strangely.

I sigh. "Yes, that's normal. No, I don't know who she's referring to." I shake my head and get back in my combat stance. "Not that you'll have any time to think about it. Get ready for a beatdown, you fraud!"

Fake-me brandishes his scythe (That freakin' eyesore!). "Hah! More like you should get ready to be gutted like a fish!"

 **BGM: Rival's battle theme, Pokémon Heart Gold & Soul Silver music**

My fake charges me with a battle cry and his weapon reared back. A frontal assault? Really? As he reaches striking distance, he winds up the scythe for a terribly telegraphed upward swing. _Seriously_? All I need is a sidestep, and his swing goes wide.

"This is why mere serial killers are such bad fighters." I comment as I shove the butt end of Harvest Moon into his gut. Right afterwards, I unleash my own flurry of swings. To make things a bit more interesting, I aim more for leaving small gashes than slicing him to ribbons. Tears soon start to appear all over his cloak.

"I guess you use your big frame to just power through any counterattack normally directed at you by any _slightly_ competent opponent." I continue as I assault him both verbally and physically. "And by the time they realize it doesn't stop you, you're in position to jam that scythe blade into their guts and rip it straight out. Hence, why you're known as "the Ripper". But guess what?"

I let up on my offensive to bait an attack. Like I thought, he's stupid enough to take it. I jump over his horizontal swing, use his scythe as a springboard and jump to land behind him.

"Your amateur tactics would never fly against someone of decent skill. You're just a bully who built his reputation on picking on people who don't fight back instead of fighting opponents who push you to improve. In other words, you're nothing but a big fish in a small pond."

"Would you shut up already?!" fake-me roars as he pivots for another violent horizontal slash. A quick twirl with Harvest Moon sends the swing wide and allows me to leave a crossed wound over his chest.

"And to top it all off, you have the gall to pretend you're someone _way_ beyond your level, and drag their name through the mud in the process." I continue undeterred.

Before my fake can prepare another attack, I send him back with a kick to the gut (right on the fresh wound, naturally). Then I flip Harvest Moon into a reverse grip, so that I hold my scythe almost by the blade and point the butt end at my fake.

"So I'm going to show you just how far out of your league you are." I declare.

Fake-me shakes his head before he growls at me. "And how do you plan on that? By pointing the wrong end of a weapon at me? You're even stupider than you look."

I zip in front of him with Gale step and smack him over the face with Harvest Moon. "Lesson one: Underestimating your opponent is the quickest path to defeat." From there, I alternate between swatting his scythe aside or simply beat him over the head or at his wounds with Harvest Moon's shaft. "Just fighting defenseless townspeople has left whatever fighting skill you have rusty. You rely on brute force with hardly any tactics behind them, and so you've come to believe that's all you need to defeat anyone, simply because you've yet to meet anyone who can work their way around that strength."

Fake-me eventually manages to put his weapon against mine and shove me away to get some distance (I let him.).

"If you think I'm just gonna sit here and let you lecture me, you've got another thing coming!" he bellows. "You wanna see me get serious?! Your funeral, bub!"

This time, he leads with the butt end of his scythe, probably to force an opening before he swings the blade. A combo move, huh? Though it's pretty basic. I could do that merely a few weeks after I got Harvest Moon. The fact that I had at least 50 clones working on my form nonstop during those weeks has nothing to do with it. At least, that's what I tell myself.

I manage to sidestep both hits and stand right beside him when I smack him on the rear with Harvest Moon.

"With how slouched your back is, it's hard for you to put any of its strength into your swings." I lecture calmly. Then I poke him on the back of a knee, forcing him down. "What's more, you bend your knees too little, which means your center of gravity is too high. A flanking blow knocks you off-balance too easily. And yet, you tend to overextend your swings, even when the reward is too small in proportion to the risk. All this points towards you being an amateur at best at wielding a scythe in battle. Heck, your weapon's not even suited for a real fight."

"And what do you know?!" fake-me roars as he forces himself back on his feet.

Huh. Stubborn one, I'll give him that. But endurance means nothing if all it does is prolong the inevitable. By this point, his moves are so sluggish that I hardly have to try dodging. Sidestep, lean left, jump on the scythe, flick him on the nose, duck low, poke him on the knee, swerve sideways, a whack on the arm, a smack on the hand. Really, it's comical how much he's still trying to land a hit on me. In fact…

"Come on. Stop trying to hit me and hit me." I taunt him while I dodge his wild swings with minimum effort.

"Shut up already!" fake-me shouts as he charges straight at me.

*Poke*

"Augh! My eye!" fake-me screams as he drops the scythe and rolls on the ground in pain.

"It's almost sad how easy it is to beat you." I muse as I put away Harvest Moon and rummage in my bag to pull out the surprise I had ready for him. Fake-me eventually gets back up. He and every other ruffian watching us give me a look of disbelief at what I pulled out of my bag; a glass jar filled with dirt.

I grin. "Guess what's in it."

Fake-me's eyebrow twitches. "Are you actually going to fight me, or are you just going to mock me?!"

I shrug. "Considering how much you suck at fighting, it really makes no difference to me. Just so you know, this is what will bring you down."

"Like h-ll it will!" fake-me roars as he charges me again.

I sigh. Really? Is charging headfirst the only thing he can do? I'd better put an end to this farce before his embarrassment starts to affect me.

I toss the jar up into the air and get in a stance. Fake-me shouts a battle cry as he gets in range and swings his scythe at me.

*Clang!*

His eyes widen in shock as he finds the blade of his weapon caught between my elbow and knee. From there, I grab the shaft with my free hand and yank him towards me to elbow his face, stomp on his foot, poke him in the eyes (again) and finally grab his arm before I turn around and slam him into the ground. As my imposter lies groaning on the ground, I bend over him.

"You will remember this as the day you were publicly humiliated, beaten to a pulp and exposed for the fraud that you are." I point upwards with my thumb. "Also, jar."

I straighten up and take a step back. Moments later, the glass jar comes back down and crashes right into his face, finally knocking him out.

"For me, it was Tuesday."

The ruffians look at the aftermath of our battle (if it could even be called that) in awe.

"Holy cow… He beat boss without even breaking a sweat." one ruffian mutters in disbelief.

"Hey, don't you think there's something weird about this guy?" another one points out. "I mean, look at him. He's got a weapon that reminds me of Boss's, but that one looks like it actually works. It's almost like he fights like…" he blanches. "…the grim reaper…"

"I thought Boss's nickname sounded off…" a third muses. His eyes widen. "Hold on a sec! Does that mean…we've been following a fake this whole time, and that guy is the real Jack?!"

I turn around smirking and point my thumb at myself. "Yes! I am!"

Note to self; Make Muhammad Avdol proud.

Now that I've established who the real Jack is, I can finally take the time to observe how Rose is doing.

"Stand still and let me wreck you already!" my daughter yells as she throws spells of all kinds of elements at her fake while adding a ballistic Kirby to the mix every now and then.

It honestly astounds me how wide her spell repertoire is. Judging by the fact that she's got a tome open, I assume that's where she has the bulk of her spells recorded, as well as the rune circles inscribed on the pages to cast them more easily.

For fake-Rose's part, she alternates between dodging for dear life and trying to not look like a complete amateur. Seems like this fake placed more faith in her looks than actual combat prowess (for notable reasons).

That is, until Rose's fake pulls off a flick-flack and manages to gain enough distance to counter with her own array of spell. A trio of fireballs fly from her hands and collide with the icicles launched by Rose. As the dust settles, both girls appear to be somewhat winded from the exchange.

"This is ridiculous…" Rose's fake mutters in disbelief. "How can one person have that many spells recorded in a single tome?"

Rose finally allows herself to smirk. "I'm the type of person who keeps pulling all kinds of crazy stuff out of my hat for the sake of either pure awesomeness or wacky comedy. Mediocre NPC:s like yourself could never understand. And that's why you could never imitate me properly."

"Enough of your nonsense!" fake-Rose growls as a rune circle glows under her feet. "So what if you have a wide range of spells under your belt. None of that matters unless it's backed up by proper power! Take this! Arcfire!"

A red-hot stream of flames erupts from her hand and surges towards Rose. In response, my daughter snaps her fingers.

"Too easy. Flood wall!"

A wave of water forms in front of Rose and crashes into the incoming fire spell. A massive cloud of steam is formed as the spells cancel each other out.

Fake-Rose slumps forward in shock. "No way… My strongest spell…"

Rose scoffs. "Was that seriously the best you had to offer? Come on, at least tell me you have a tier 4 spell hidden somewhere in your skillset. To think that a wimp like you tried to copy _me_ , of all people?" Rose lazily waves her hand in front of her as her tome glows bright red. "Let me show you what a real fire spell looks like. Crown fire!"

A rune circle forms under Rose's fake in a second. The next, a vortex of fire erupts from it and engulfs the imposter. Her screams of pain mix with the roar of flames until they die down. Fake-Rose is still very much alive, judging from the fact that she's still breathing, but the effects of the spell are clear to see from the singed clothes and burn marks all over her body.

"I toned it down a bit because I wanted to save up for the finisher." Rose comments. "And look, fan service. Enjoy, readers!"

That's when fake-Rose notices the state of her clothing (note: lack thereof), the stares she receives from the surrounding ruffians and tries her best to cover the exposed skin. "Eek! Stop staring at me!"

"That's what you get for prancing around with stuff you should be grateful for." Rose declares as she raises her tome into the air. Now that I take a closer look, the tome is that Tot-B-Gon tome I noticed back in port Ferox. "This is for flat girls everywhere!"

Rose channels a massive amount of mana through her tome. But instead of any rune circle appearing or anything of the sort, Rose's tome simply grows larger. And larger…

A drop of sweat forms on the back of my head as I tilt my head backwards to comprehend how big her tome gets. "Oi, oi… That's a bit much, Rose."

Rose's fake looks in horror at the gargantuan object casting a shadow over her. "H-hey… You're not going to hit me with that, are you? I-I can fix this! Honest! Just please let me go!"

By the time Rose's tome stops growing, it has reached a size comparable to a three-story house (How is she even lifting that thing?).

"Flat is justice!"

Rose slams down the tome on her imposter with all the fury of an enraged teenage girl.

*THOOM!*

The impact is so powerful that the ground briefly shakes.

When the dust settles, Rose's tome shrinks back to its original size. In the rectangular crater left in the aftermath, Rose's fake lies knocked out and flattened from having a massive flat object dropped on top of her.

Rose hops into the crater, picks up her tome and dusts it off. "Never mess with an OC who can break the fourth wall, b-tch."

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **POV: General**

Sumia performs a loop in the air to avoid an arrow. As she finishes the loop, she hurls her lance at the Bow Knight who shot it before he can prepare a new arrow. The blow stuns the ruffian, allowing Sumia to close the distance, grab her lance again, and channel an Elthunder spell through the weapon and straight into the Bow Knight. The mounted archer screams in pain before he falls off his horse (who miraculously avoided getting electrocuted) as a smoking and twitching heap.

Some distance away, Frederick tears through the outlaws' ranks with his Savage Lynel Crusher in full swing. The Great Knight commands his horse to jump over a low Beast Killer swing from a General before he brings down his massive club and turns the armored outlaw into mush under heavily deformed armor. Frederick prepares for another attack run when he suddenly notices a flier approach him _fast_. He raises his shield to intercept the opening blow.

*Krang!*

His eyes widen in shock as he notices not only that his shield buckles under the force of the attack, but he's pushed back as well. A glance upwards reveals that his attacker is Cynthia, the young Pegasus Knight from before, which only shocks Frederick even further.

" _How in the world does she put so much force behind a simple lance thrust?_ " the Great Knight asks himself as he struggles to weather the heavy blow. His horse eventually skids to a halt, but Cynthia has already retreated to a distance too far away for him to retaliate. That's when the Great Knight notices the green sparks dancing over the young Pegasus Knight's body. " _What could be the source of those sparks? They were not there when we first met her. It may well have something to do with her tremendous strength…_ "

Cynthia, for her part, glares at Frederick. "Tell me, villain. Where did you get that weapon?"

Frederick blinks bemused before he lifts up his Savage Lynel Crusher. "This? It is a gift that an ally gave me a few years ago. Why do you ask?"

"Because I know exactly what that weapon is." Cynthia explains. "And the fact that you hold it gives me more questions that I'm comfortable with asking. For starters, what are you doing on the opposite side?"

"Opposite side?" Frederick asks confused. "Why, it is only natural that I am. That is where my liege is, after all."

Horror grows on Cynthia's face. "Oh no… Don't tell me that scoundrel deceived you… Look, there's something you need to know, now!"

"Pardon me, but I think _you_ may be the one misinformed." Sumia interjects. "Can we speak a moment?"

" _I'm_ the one misinformed?!" Cynthia snaps back. "Your words ring as hollow as-" That's when the young Pegasus Knight takes note of the ring hanging from a small chain around Sumia's neck. "Ring as hollow… Ring? Y-your RING!"

Sumia blinks confused. "What about my ring?"

One second, Cynthia sits completely still on her mount. The next, she glomps Sumia with a massive smile on her face. "MOTHER!"

"Oh gods, that's a strong grip." Sumia groans in Cynthia's embrace. Then the last word registers in her brain. "Wait, "Mother"?"

Cynthia looks up at the Dark Flier with tears brimming in her eyes. "It _is_ you! Oh, Mother, you're alive! I never thought I'd see you again! I… I…" And like that, the floodgates burst open, and Cynthia buries her face against Sumia as she cries – a lot.

Unsure what to do, Sumia gingerly pats Cynthia on the head. "Um… Are you all right?"

Cynthia looks back up at her mother with tears still streaming down her face and a significant amount of snot from her nostrils. "How can I not be okay?! It's the first time I see my mother in years, and when I do, you're with the bad guys! How could you fall for the lies of some rogue pretending to be Prince Chrom? Worse yet, how could both you AND Father fall for the same lie?!"

"I believe that is where you are wrong." Frederick interjects. "If you would please look at the man fighting over there, his actions should speak for him."

Cynthia reluctantly wipes her face before she follows where Frederick is pointing. Among the men she's considered her allies for quite some time, a lone man tears through their ranks with astonishing ease. Cynthia squints her eyes as she tries to get a better look at that man.

Blue hair? Check.  
Brand of the exalt on the shoulder? Check.  
Fierce swordplay? Check.  
Dashing, heroic figure? Check.  
Cape fluttering for no apparent reason? There's hardly any wind around these parts, so, check.  
Falchion?

A Berserker manages to close in on the blue-haired swordsman and brings down his axe with enough force to crater the ground under the swordsman's feet. Nevertheless, the blue-haired warrior manages to block the swing with his sword and pushes back. What's more, the sword shows neither scratch nor dent from the impact. Since Cynthia herself knows firsthand how strong that Berserker is (thanks to a round of arm wrestling, which she won), it's safe to assume that the sword can, for all intents and purposes, be considered indestructible.

Check.

 **BGM:** **You say run, My Hero Academia OST**

Cynthia's eyes slowly widen to the size of dinner plates as realization dawns on her. "Eh…? EEEEEEEHH?!"

"I'm sorry to say this…" Sumia tells her remorsefully. "…but I'm afraid you've served under the very rogue you fought so hard to put down."

Cynthia shakes with barely contained rage. "That crooked scoundrel… I will END HIM!"

The green sparks reappear all over Cynthia's body as she jumps back on her pegasus and tosses away her Steel Lance. In its place, the Pegasus Knight reaches behind her back and pulls out a Savage Lynel Crusher. "Deku! Full speed!"

Sumia's and Frederick's eyes widen in shock.

"What in the world?! Where did you get-" *Whoosh!*

Sumia's question goes unanswered as Cynthia speeds off on top of her pegasus, massive metal club raised with more ease than a girl of her physique has any right to achieve, and leaving a trail of green sparks as she goes.

* * *

Ruger chuckles as he sends two more mercenaries towards the army coming for him. "Fools, the lot of them. A few honeyed promises of riches, and they dance in the palm of my hand. Now to make my grand-"

"Get back HEEEERE!"

The Trickster turns around to see who screamed behind him. The moment he sees the enraged Cynthia catch up to him at terrifying speeds wielding an equally terrifying giant metal club, he does the only reasonable choice;

Run like a yellow-bellied chicken, and throw as many meat shields as he can in the way!

"Stop her! I don't care how! Just do it!" Ruger shouts as he runs as fast as he can.

The mercenaries share a confused look before they brace themselves for the clash.

*Ka-BRAM!*

And find their ranks smashed as Cynthia swings down her Crusher with more strength and speed than her physique would suggest.

"I should've known there was something wrong when you kept demanding food and supplies from the townspeople without so much as a "thank you"!" the Pegasus Knight shouts as she swings her weapon at the interfering mercenaries and tries to open a path towards the imposter.

Cynthia finds her path blocked by an Arcwind spell cast as a wall by a nearby Dark Knight. Normally, a Pegasus Knight would make a hard turn to dodge a wind spell of this magnitude.

Cynthia jumps off her pegasus and swings down on the Arcwind spell so hard that it dissipates. From there, she continues on foot.

"There is no rogue who is beyond justice! I will put you down and make you answer for your crimes, even if it's the last thing I do!"

"Hold your horses, little girl!" a Paladin shouts as he rides to intercept her. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but I'm not about to let a lunatic like you assault Lord Chrom like that!"

"Would you just zip up and LET ME THROUGH ALREADY?!" Cynthia shouts as she sends the poor rider flying into the distance. Seeing a small opening among the mercenaries' ranks, Cynthia whistles Deku to her side and jumps on. From there, she uses the pegasus as a springboard and launches herself over the rest of the mercenaries and right over Ruger.

The Trickster receives the shock of his life as Cynthia lands in front of him with enough force to briefly send him airborne from the shockwave.

"Hey, villain. Have you ever heard these words before?" Cynthia rears back her Savage Lynel Crusher.

"Go beyond…" The sparks expand until they cover the massive weapon as well.

"…plus…" Ruger briefly contemplates his life choices. It doesn't look good.

"UULTRAAAAAA!"

A sound not unlike a thunderclap rings out over the battlefield as the Savage Lynel Crusher makes contact. The world goes still in that very moment. Then everything resumes with Ruger breaking the sound barrier the next moment and flies straight across the battlefield.

* * *

Jack knocks a Mercenary's sword aside and downs him with a kick to the head. Just as he's about to find another target, he notices something approach at extreme speeds.

"Whoa!" *Ka-bram!*

A ballistic…something crashes into what little remains of a house, reducing it to a mere heap of rubble. Jack goes to inspect the mysterious projectile, only to find it to be a human in extremely bad shape, but somehow still alive.

The Gamer frowns. "Wait a minute… Blue hair? Fancy clothing? And that mark of the exalt definitely looks fake. This must be the guy impersonating Chrom. But what's he doing here?"

Jack looks in the direction Ruger flew in from. "And what could've reduced him to such a state?"

* * *

Meanwhile back with the misled mercenaries, the sellswords regard Cynthia with a great deal of fear for what she just did.

"Did you see that swing?" one of them asks in a shaking voice. "That raw power was just ridiculous."

"So that's the power of one trained under Jack the Reaper…" another one muses.

Cynthia, for her part, cradles her right arm gingerly while wincing in pain. "Man, I've still got a long way to go. Father would've settled this mess in just ten moves." Despite the pain, the Pegasus Knight grins right through it. "I needed more than a hundred."

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **POV: Jack**

It took a while, but the fighting has finally settled down. Turns out Chrom's fake stumbled upon a band of traveling mercenaries who happened to be around, and sent them our way with his impersonation act. While unexpected, we managed to hold the mercenaries back long enough for the heat of the battle to die down and everyone to notice that the whole reason why this battle started in the first place had been beaten within an inch of his life – which, by all rights, shouldn't even be possible, considering no human being should be able to survive an impact that sends them flying at supersonic speeds, not to mention another impact against stone that effectively breaks the flight in an instant. Miriel is _still_ hovering over the fake, trying desperately to figure out how he's still alive after all that, before he's transported away to the local garrison in wait for his trial.

"That's the last of them." Chrom sighs tiredly as one final dozen ruffians are piled into a cart to be taken to the same place as their leader is bound for.

Frederick nods. "We can explain the truth to those mercenaries as we tend their wounds."

Yeah, while we _did_ manage to end the fight without killing any of the mercenaries, we still managed to give several of them a massive beating. Morgan in particular proved himself to be astoundingly good at instilling the fear of Naga in one particular sellsword who had the terrible idea of calling Robin a fake. Said mercenary now suffers from a pathological fear of overprotective Mama's boys and flying boulders the size of wheelbarrows. Good thing Lissa's dabbed in a bit of therapy during our peacetime.

"Frankly, I'm shocked that scoundrel had the audacity to impersonate you, milord." Frederick muses."

Chrom frowns. "Not the worst of his crimes, I'm sure."

Frederick shakes his head. "It is unacceptable, milord. I have clearly failed in my duties as a knight." The Great Knight clenches his armored fist with determination burning in his eyes. "I shall draft a series of portraits and see that copies are distributed to all! Never again shall someone mistake the noble visage of my lord Chrom for-"

Chrom grimaces. "Frederick, please just let it go. We have more pressing matters to concern ourselves with."

Frederick does a subtle snort, which is his version of pouting. "And here I had everything ready to recreate your portrait from the latest recruitment campaign, right down to the scales and your stance – with updates on your physique, of course."

"Absolutely not!"

* * *

Lucina and Severa finish up their medical checks with Maribelle when the blue-haired princess senses someone approach her at high speeds.

"LUUUCIII!" *Glomp!*

"My ribs…" Lucina groans from within Cynthia's bear hug.

"Oh, Luci! I've missed you so much!" Cynthia tells the princess as tears of joy stream down her face. "I was terrified when I couldn't find anyone of our friends after I opened my eyes in this timeline, so I first thought I was the only one who made it through. But now we're back together again, and this time, justice will win!"

Severa rolls her eyes. "Oh, joy. Our little champion of justice is as enthusiastic as ever."

Cynthia pouts. "Aw, don't be like that, Sevvy. If you wanted a hug yourself, all you had to do was ask. I sure have a lot of catching up to do with the hugging."

Severa takes a nervous step back. "No, no. You keep your distance from me. I'd prefer my spine not to snap before I reach the age of twenty, thank you very much."

Cynthia grins and lets go of Lucina (much to the blue-haired princess's relief) to approach Severa (much to the red-haired princess's dismay). "Hey it's not _that_ bad. I can hug a log without accidentally crushing it now. My hugs are filled with lots of affection, and nothing else."

"Really, I'm fine, Cynthia. You don't have to hug me or my sister every time you see us."

"You're getting a hug, end of story!" Cynthia declares with finality.

"Daddy! Help!"

As the two young women run off into the distance, I glance at Lucina. "You three seem awfully close."

Lucina nods with a fond smile. "Yes. When Father and Mother passed away, Sumia and Frederick took me and Severa into their home to fulfill their duties as our godparents. But even if they never had such responsibilities, they raised me and my sister as their own children anyway. As a result, Cynthia came to see us as her sisters, even though neither Severa nor I are related to her by blood. It is similar to how I consider Sumia to be somewhat of a second mother to me."

"Oh, I love you too, Lucina!" Sumia replies with tears streaming down her face as she hugs the princess tightly. "Blood bonds mean nothing in this case! You're as much of a daughter to me as any child I will give birth to in the future." Then the Dark Flier blinks. "Wait a minute… Cynthia _did_ call me "Mother" before she stormed off on her pegasus. Does that mean…?"

"I believe it best if you asked her yourself, Lady Sumia." Lucina groans from within the embrace. Huh. So that's where Cynthia got the death hug from.

"Please!"

"No!"

"Pleeaase!"

"No means "no", Cynthia!"

The three of us turn in the direction where the conversation came from and notice an odd sight (which, in all honesty, is practically the norm among the Shepherds). Cynthia gives Severa puppy dog-eyes, while Severa glares back at the Pegasus Knight while using Frederick as a human shield for any sort of advances Cynthia might try on the princess.

"Cynthia, I believe Princess Severa has made her opinion on this matter clear. Hugging her is only acceptable if you have her consent. To violate that would technically be a grave offense, as she is royalty by birth." Frederick points out.

Cynthia slumps forward disappointed. "Aw. And I promised I'd be gentle too."

Lucina pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs. "Just…give it some time, Cynthia. We all need some time to adjust, after all we have no doubt been through after arriving in the past."

Cynthia pouts. "And here I thought we could have a giant group hug together. Oh well. Guess I'll wait until the whole gang's back together."

Severa suppresses a shiver. "Oh gods… Please don't place me between you and Nah. I can't handle both of you at once."

 **BGM:** **Ilia's theme, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess music**

"Pardon my intrusion, but there's something I wish to ask you, Cynthia." Sumia interjects. "Earlier when we met on the battlefield, you called me "Mother". Does that mean what I think it does?"

Cynthia shuffles her feet. "Um… About that. Yes, you are my mother, Sumia, which makes Frederick my father."

Frederick nods. "Ah, I thought as much. I _did_ find it odd that you wielded a weapon much like my own. A weapon that, to my knowledge, does not even exist in this world."

The Pegasus Knight nods. "Yeah. I technically got it from you, Father. By the way, I'm sorry for insinuating that you were a thief after I noticed you wielding your own giant club."

Frederick smiles. "If it is any comfort, I took no offense in it. Though what do you mean with you _technically_ inheriting that weapon form me?"

The mood instantly turns somber among the three youths from the future.

"You were always a dedicated man, no matter what cause you had committed yourself to." Cynthia explains. "Be it you duty to Luci's and Sevvy's parents, or your life as a family man, you always gave it your all and would lay down your life to protect others. And one day, that's what happened." Cynthia shuts her eyes as tears spill from them. "One day, you set out to help defend a village that was under attack from the Fell dragon's forces."

The Pegasus Knight pulls out her Savage Lynel Crusher. "You never came back. This weapon was the only thing the knights in your squad could retrieve from the battlefield."

Sumia gasps in horror while barely holding back her own tears. "Oh gods…"

Frederick hums. "So I fell in the line of duty. I suppose such will be my lot in life, as I have chosen to be a knight in service of the royal family. And yet… I doubt that would be a satisfactory answer."

"To heck with duty! Cynthia lost her father, and our godmother became a widow that day!" Severa yells. When everyone looks at her, she blushes and shrinks back. "Sorry. Sore topic."

"But it's true." Cynthia confirms. "You were absolutely heartbroken when you heard the news, Mother. What's worse, you never got the time to mourn Father. Not long afterwards, you had to leave and defend the people too." Cynthia reaches behind her and pulls out a sharp piece of metal.

Sumia gives it a closer look. "Is that a spearhead?"

Cynthia nods. "It hasn't been made yet. You promised me we'd make it together after you came back."

Sumia frowns before her eyes widen in shock. "Wait a minute! If it wasn't made, then that means…"

Cynthia bites her lip. "You never came back… The village was safe, but only because you threw yourself at the enemy forces and put everything into defending the people. You never returned from that battle." Cynthia shakes as her tears return. "You broke your promise to me. How could you leave me, Mother? You were a legend! You were invincible!"

Sumia runs to her daughter and embraces her. "I'm sorry, Cynthia. I'm so sorry for leaving you like that. I guess I'm not much of a legend after all."

"…You are to me." the Pegasus Knight sniffles against her mother's chest. "Both you and Father are the greatest heroes I've ever known."

Sumia smiles gently at her daughter. "I may not be invincible, but at least I was blessed with a wonderful child. Had we decided what sort of haft to give the spear? We can pick up the materials in the next town."

Cynthia looks up at her mother hopeful. "W-we can?"

Sumia nods. "I promised, didn't I?

And the floodgates burst open for the third time for the young Pegasus Knight. "Oh… Mother… I love you!"

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: Wings of justice**  
 _With incidents like these happening, you can hardly wait until identity verification gets invented in the world of Fire Emblem. At the very least, the band of ruffians who have terrorized the local towns have been defeated, Chrom's good name has been restored, and Frederick has a new informational campaign in the works, whether Chrom likes it or not._  
 **Objective:** _Defeat all ruffians._  
 **Objective cleared!  
** **Rewards:** _You gained_ _10 000 EXP! You gained 10 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Defeat the rogue who impersonates Chrom.  
_ **Bonus objective cleared!  
Bonus rewards: **_You gained_ _5 000 EXP! You gained 5 000 gold!_

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Cynthia's character sheet**

 **Cynthia Lvl 31 Class: Pegasus Knight  
** _Sumia's daughter from the future. A bright and cheerful young woman with a strong sense of justice, and she's not afraid to make it known to others. On the other hand, she has inherited her mother's tendency to trip over just about anything, which makes her speeches about justice, no matter how passionate, fall flat to most of the audience. Under Jack's tutelage, she developed a skillset and personality traits similar to those of the number one hero, All Might. The biggest attention hog.  
Born on May 14_ _th_ _._

 **Titles: Wings of Justice (+ 7 % CHAR)  
Pega-pony princess (+ 10 % Movement speed, -5 % CHAR)**

 **HP: 4 800 / 4 800  
MP: 1 975 / 1 975**

 **STR: 40  
VIT: 34  
DEX: 51  
INT: 17  
WIS: 27  
CHAR: 30.6 (30 * 1.02)  
LUCK: 10**

 **ITEMS:  
Steel Lance (Equipped)  
Savage Lynel Crusher  
Concoction**

 **Skills:**

 **Polearm mastery, Lvl 40 [63.0 %], Passive  
** _The spear is believed to be the first weapon man ever wielded, mainly for the purpose of hunting. Long and slim, polearms are easy to use but difficult to master due to their length and rigidity. Those who master these weapons not only gain an advantage in range – they can also attack in more ways than many other weapons offer. It has the added benefit of looking awesome AF too.  
Increases attack speed and attack power by 200 % when attacking with a polearm of any kind._

 **Blunt weapon mastery** , **Lvl 33 [18.0 %], Passive**  
 _Weapons don't need to be sharp and pointy to be dangerous. Wielding a blunt, weighty weapon can reduce even the toughest fighters to mush with a heavy enough blow. Increases attack speed and attack power by 165 % when attacking with a blunt weapon such as a hammer or any object with a dull impact surface._

 **Animal buddy, Lvl 35 [83.0 %], Passive  
** _The introduction of cavalry was a milestone that changed warfare forever. The ability to ride on an animal grants the rider mobility beyond what most, if not all, foot soldiers could ever achieve. Of course, a rider is only as dangerous on the battlefield as their ability to ride their mount in battle allows them to. In other words, your combat prowess heavily depends on how well you can work with your mount on the battlefield.  
Increases movement speed and attack power by 25 % and DEX by 11 % while riding a mount._

 **Stone face, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _You may look delicate, but you're no stranger to taking impacts to the face, be it from others or because you're just that clumsy. Having suffered so much facial trauma during your life has strengthened every facet of your countenance to the point that almost nothing can mar it, not even stone. In fact, you may even be able to break something with your face alone due to how hard it's gotten. And yet, your cheeks remain as soft as ever. No, it doesn't make sense. Negates all damage caused by attacks hitting the face unless it's a bladed weapon._

 **One for All, Lvl 25 [15 %], Active, Cost: 180 MP per minute  
** _The signature ability of the world's greatest hero, All Might. The power in this ability has been stockpiled and passed down from generation to generation. At least, the source version is. This version merely increases your power and speed proportionally to how much you crank it up. The higher you go, the stronger you become. But be warned. Should you draw out more power than you can handle, your body_ _will_ _be damaged in the process. Every hero knows that saving someone always includes a measure of risk. How great are the ones you take?  
Increases STR, movement speed and attack speed by 5 times a multiplier between 1 and 100. Should the multiplier exceed your skill level with this ability, you will take damage equal to 80 times the difference between the multiplier and your skill level each second this skill is active._

 **Smash!, Lvl 33 [84 %], Active, Cost: 128 MP  
** _While intended as a last resort, there are times when the only solution to a dangerous situation is to simply rush in and hit danger in the face as hard as you can. Get in there, clench your butt cheeks, and shout your fighting spirit from the bottom of your heart! Expect large amounts of collateral damage if used in combination with One for All.  
Base damage: 1 200 % of the user's STR. Element: None. Ignores 14 % of the target's defense.  
Synchronization bonus: If used while One for All is active, attack power and attack speed increase by 30 %._

 **Plus Ultra!, Lvl max, Passive  
** _A true hero never stops overcoming the misfortunes in life. These words are the foundation of self-improvement, one of the most important qualities in life. Only by daring to go beyond your comfort zone will you discover new horizons previously unknown to you. Only by going beyond your limits will you surpass them. That being said, do keep in mind that exceeding your capabilities puts a heavy strain on yourself, no matter where your limit may be. Doing so recklessly will only shorten your life, though it will_ _probably end in a blaze of glory. It's not just about surpassing yourself – it's also about knowing when to do it.  
Allows the user to increase the multiplier of One for All beyond 100. Doing so doubles the HP loss so long as the multiplier exceeds the current skill level._

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

 **Chrom:** At long last. Valm.

*Soldiers chase Say'ri through the port town*

 **Valmese:** We have you now! Surrender, and we will only make this slightly painful.

 **Say'ri:** Confound it all, do they ever stop?!

 **Robin:** Something tells me she's important. We'd better rescue her.

 **Jack:** Leave that to me, honey!

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Valm ho! The resistance balances on a sword's edge!**

*Jack parkours across the rooftops*

 **Lon'qu:** He's up to something crazy again. I can just feel it…

* * *

 **Omake 1: That time back in Ferox…**

"Man, I never thought much of this, Luci, but you look good in that Marth disguise." Cynthia comments back at the ship heading for Valm.

Lucina nods smiling. "Thank you, Cynthia. More importantly, though, it turned out to be a very convincing disguise. No one realized that I am not even a man."

The Pegasus Knight grins. "See? I told you all those acting lessons would pay off."

"Wait, you're the ones who helped Lucina make her disguise?" Lissa asks.

Cynthia nods proudly. "Yup! I came up with the design. See, I'm a huge fan of the Hero-King, what with him being a legendary hero and all. So when Luci wanted to take the name of a hero to inspire the people, I knew exactly which one to draw inspiration from!"

"And it took all of us pooling our resources together to make that outfit." Severa grumbles. "Do you have any idea how much work it took to make Lucina's clothes, Auntie Lissa? It was a giant pain in the butt."

"But it all worked in the end, didn't it?" Lissa points out. "I mean, you had us all fooled, Lucina. Not to mention you're good enough with a sword to back up your performance in case someone would doubt you."

"I'll say." Jack interjects grinning. "Your disguise was so convincing that Lissa developed a small crush on you."

Blushes grow on Lucina's and Lissa's faces.

"Did you have to bring that up, Jack?!" Lissa yells angry.

Jack grins with zero remorse. "Hey, you were the one with the dreamy face while Khan Basilio told us about how Lucina kicked Lon'qu's butt."

"Ah… I-I'm flattered, Aunt Lissa." Lucina stutters awkwardly. "I never expected it to be so convincing, but-"

Lissa flails her arms. "I got over it, I swear!"

Chrom rubs his chin with an amused smile. "Heh. I had completely forgotten about that. Ah, what I wouldn't give to tell Emm all about this before we went our separate ways."

"Chrom!/Father!"

Severa elbows her sister with a smug smirk. "Oh, playing for the other team, are you, Sis? Not that I'm judging. I helped Cynthia with the design, after all."

Lucina hides her face in her hands. "Severa, please… I can't take much more of this."

Chrom laughs. "Ah, I think I needed that. No better way to liven up a journey than with some laughter among familiar company."

"Speak for yourself." Lissa huffs indignant. Then she glares at Jack. "This is all your fault, Jack! If you hadn't brought that up, I wouldn't be in this situation!"

"You only have yourself to blame, Lissa." Jack counters grinning.

Lissa's eye twitches before she pulls out Betty. "Stay right where you are, or I might put holes in the ship."

Jack sweatdrops and back away. "Uh… Now, Lissa. You know just as well as me how bad of an idea that is."

For every step Jack takes backwards, Lissa takes one forward.

"Then you'd better take it like a man. Hope you don't mind a few dozen bruises." A sweet smile adorns her face. "Don't worry. Maribelle and I make a good team when it comes to healing."

"Not happening!" Jack shouts and zips around the ship with Gale step.

"Get back here!" Lissa yells as she gives chase.

* * *

 **Omake 2: Why commenting on a girl's chest is a bad idea.**

After Rose flattened her imposter, the ruffians huddle together to discuss among themselves.

"Hey… That guy with the scary sword-scythe thingy proved that he's the real Jack." one of the ruffians points out. "Wouldn't that mean that the mage girl following him around is the real deal as well?"

The ruffians peek out from their huddle to look at Rose, who's just replaced her tome in its holster.

"Can't argue with that." one of the ruffians agree. "I never even knew you could use magic like that."

One of his buddies snorts. "You don't know the first thing about magic at all."

"Shaddup! Like you're any smarter!"

"Still…" the first ruffian muses as he rubs his chin. "I can't help but think that there's something…lacking with this girl. You guys catch my drift?"

The other ruffians nod sagely.

"Oh yeah."

"Totally."

"The other one may have been fake, but, man. Those curves!"

Unbeknownst to the ruffians, Rose's ear twitches in their direction.

"I know, right?" one particular ruffian points out grinning. "Seriously, with curves like those, I'd probably stick with her any day of the week. The real one however seems a bit… Eh…"

His buddy nods. "Yeah, I know. Girl's as flat as a b-"

The ruffians freeze up as a wave of suffocating killing intent washes over them.

"So, I'm not good enough for you, huh?" Rose asks ominously while surrounded by a bloodred aura and her eyes glow the same color.

The ruffians back away slowly. "Uh… Did she hear that?"

Rose cracks her knuckles as she steps forward. Each crack sounds like reality itself is breaking. "Every single word."

"Now, Rose. They may be outlaws, but keep in mind that they're _misguided_ outlaws." Jack tells his daughter.

"I don't care, Dad." Rose growls. "These punks dare talk about my figure? Do they even realize the feelings they're trampling on?"

Jack looks at his daughter with a sweatdrop before he sighs. "Fine, you can beat them within an inch of their lives. Just don't kill them, Rose."

Rose crosses her arms over her head and swings them down on both sides of her body. At the same time, the Dark Mage lifts a leg into the air, turns sideways and slams her foot back down on the ground.

"Messatsu!"

 **Rose gained "Raging Demon"!**

"Rose! I said _don't_ kill them!"

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **Jar of dirt, Miscellaneous, Very common  
** _A glass jar that has been filled with dirt. The story goes that a legendary (if nonchalant and slightly crazy) pirate captain once used an object like this to repel a terrifying adversary at sea – with mixed results. There really isn't much about this item that is special. It's just a jar filled with dirt that can be found anywhere. Though the weight alone might have some uses.  
Can be used as a weapon. In such a case, this item counts as a blunt weapon with a base damage of 10. Breaks after one use._

* * *

 **You say Ru-**

 **Ah, screw it! You already know how the meme goes!**

 **To clarify, Rose didn't actually learn the Raging Demon. Omakes are meant to be little skits that aren't necessarily connected to the main plot. Just take it with a grain of salt.**

 **Until next time.**

 **VipeR out.**


	26. Chapter 24

**Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here with the newest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **Before we get to anything else, I am proud to announce that this story has reached a great milestone; it has gained 1 000 followers. Seeing this four-digit number on the screen fills me with a sense of pride I never expected to feel when I first started writing this fic back in 2018. Yet here we are, almost a ear and a half later, with a story that's not even halfway finished, yet has already gained more recognition than I had hoped for. And for that, I say to you all:**

 **Thank you. Thank you all for the support, reviews, and what else you may have done. This is a moment that I share with all of you, because this story wouldn't have become what it is today without you all. For that, I lift my hat off for you as I continue on my path in life, and in writing.**

 **And with that said, the time has finally come for the Ylissean league to set foot on Valm. It's only going to get crazier from here.**

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _Liberty is a fine word, aye, but not always enough to rouse men from foolishness._ – Say'ri

* * *

 **Chapter 24**

 **Valm ho!  
The resistance hangs by a thread!**

 **You have slept in a bed! HP and MP have been fully restored! All negative status conditions have been removed!**

I open my eyes to the gentle rocking of the ship we're sailing to Valm. I take in my surroundings. Nope. Nothing significant seems out of place or has changed since I fell asleep last night. Good. That means I can take my time and just enjoy the comfortable silence in our cabin.

More importantly, I notice Robin still asleep. The adorable part is that she's hugging me like I'm a giant plush toy, all while snoring so subtly that you'd probably miss it unless you're as close to her as I am right now. Small wonder she's still asleep. Not only does she have to manage a whole army with half as many ships to fit everyone on, she and Anna were busy long after sundown organizing all the supplies that the townspeople were more than happy to provide us with after they learned we got rid of their local outlaw problem. Even with an assistant to share the workload with, Robin's duties still take a lot out of her. She needs all the sleep she can get.

Also, it's about five in the morning according to my built-in clock. I think it's appropriate to let her sleep in peace for a few more hours. It's not like we're about to run into some random enemy fleet any time soon. And even if we do, I'll just go Demyx on the poor fools.

So while I wait for my wife to wake up, I could simply take the time to enjoy the warmth of her embrace and the slow rocking of the ship.

…

I give up after about a minute. As beautiful as my wife is, and she has no equal on that front ( _clearly_ not marital bias), even I can only look at her sleeping face for so long until I simply get bored out of my skull. If I want to look at her face, I want her to look back.

" _ **You know… You could just wake her up with a kiss and get steamy from that point.**_ " Sparrow suggests.

" _Not happening._ " I reply immediately. " _Admit it; you just want a free show again._ "

Sparrow snorts. " _ **Of course I do. Do you have any idea how boring it is just watching you watch your wife like you're some lovesick puppy? She's your wife, for crying out loud! Enjoy your life together!**_ "

" _I'll have you know I already do. You just lack a proper grasp of human inhibition_."

" _ **Can't deny that. Seriously, you humans let your annoying inhibitions get in the way all the time. No wonder there's so many of you who don't feel satisfied with their lot in life. If you don't like your current life, then change it, you moron!**_ "

I roll my eyes. " _Look, I'm not about to have a conversation with_ _you_ _of all living existences about human desires and inhibitions. I'm heading out on deck. Might get some practice in before breakfast._ "

" _ **And how do you plan on doing that while your beloved clings to you like a child to its plush toy?**_ "

I smirk. " _Observe._ "

I make a clone beside the bed. We share a nod before I slowly lift myself to a sitting position. Gotta move carefully, lest I wake Robin.

My clone takes hold of Robin's wrists and pries them off as gently as he can. When the gap in her embrace is large enough, I wiggle my way out and crawl off the bed. At the same time, my clone crawls over me and takes my place. Robin only has time to frown in her sleep for a moment before she's allowed to hug the closest object she can find again, which happens to be my clone. With my clone in place, he then leans back down and pulls the covers back over himself and my wife. And now for the final touch.

*Poof*

The smoke cloud disperses to reveal that my clone has Mimicked a giant teddy bear. The sudden change in body shape jolts Robin a bit.

My wife groans and frowns at the sudden shift. Both my clone and I hold our breaths. This is by far the riskiest part of our plan. Come on, Robin… Just stay asleep. You need every moment of rest you can get, honey.

Robin pats around on the soft, chubby body of my teddy-clone before she hugs it even tighter and snuggles her face into the crook of its neck with a satisfied sigh. Her soft snoring returns seconds later.

I let out a sigh of relief. I originally planned on simply leaving a clone in my place so Robin wouldn't have to sleep and wake up alone. The part where he transforms into a giant teddy bear was mostly a spur-of-the-moment thing that turned out a lot better than I thought it would.

In fact… Why stop at just _one_ stuffed animal?

A few puffs of smoke later, I have half a dozen clones Mimic stuffed animals of various kinds, though these ones are closer to the usual size meant for children. Then I pick the plushie-clones and place them around Robin and my clone.

There. Now my beloved wife sleeps among an assortment of stuffed animals while cuddling the biggest one in her sleep. I'd gush over how freakin' adorable this looks if it wouldn't risk waking her. Instead, I reel my impulse in and exit the cabin as silently as I can.

* * *

Ah, the sea air feels quite refreshing after I spent a whole night inside a cabin. Modern ventilation technology is still far away in this world, so the air inside was pretty stuffy by the time I woke up. A big breath of fresh morning air is just what I needed to get started on this day.

And that's when I notice Severa lean over the railing and looking out over the ocean.

"Severa? You're up early." I remark.

Severa turns my way with a surprised look before her features soften. "Oh, it's just you, Jack-sensei."

I lean my back against the railing and glance out over the sunrise. "I'm surprised to find you on deck at this hour. Last time I checked, you prefer at least another hour of sleep."

Severa gives me a sour look. "And how do you know that? Did I actually have a point when I called you a stalker?"

I give my student a flat look. "It's kind of hard to miss when your sister tries to get you out of your bedroll, and you protest loud enough that half the camp could hear it – provided they're already awake. Doesn't help that my tent is just a few spaces away from yours."

A blush grows on Severa's cheeks before she turns away with a huff. "Well, excuse me for needing my beauty sleep. Do you have any idea how fast you get wrinkles if you don't sleep enough? I've had enough of that before we traveled back in time, thank you very much."

"Are you seriously that concerned about your looks?"

Severa glares at me. "Like you could understand! Boys have it so easy, not having to think about their looks all the time. If you walk around with messy hair and ratty clothes, people just assume you had a bad day. But if a girl is in the same spot? People start guessing all kinds of things about her, no matter how crazy they are. And before sunset, there's at least three rumors about her that have spread across the whole town."

I pause to think about it. Huh. She's got a point. Snarky attitude aside, Severa's a lot sharper than some people may think.

I raise a hand. "All right, I'll give you that much. Gotta admit, I never thought of it that way. And honestly, I probably wouldn't care, even if I was aware."

Severa raises an eyebrow. "Why? Because you're a man?"

I shake my head. "Because that would mean you're trying to impress the wrong people, Severa."

The redhead blinks before she frowns at me. "Explain."

I look back out over the ocean. "It's quite simple when you stop to think about it. How much does your appearance even say about you? Say that I _do_ walk around with messy hair and ratty clothes. People may assume whatever they want about me, but the only way for them to really find out why I would walk around like that in public is if they took the time to ask me directly instead of spreading wacky gossip that may not even be true."

"Still doesn't stop said gossip from spreading like a plague." Severa points out.

"Nor does it matter for the people who truly care for you – which also happens to be the people who truly matter to you as well." I counter. "They are the people who actually try to understand you. They are the people who try to dig beneath the surface to see who you really are. They are the ones who can see beyond the messy hair and ratty clothes. And they are the ones who learn what an absolutely horrible day you've had before they met you." I look back at Severa. "Those are the people you want to impress, Severa, because they can see your true worth."

Severa blinks before she puts her hand to her forehead and shakes her head. "*Sigh* It's been so long since you last took the time to lecture me. I've forgotten what it's like, hearing when you share what you know."

"You mean I did more than just train you in how to fight?"

"You did more than that for all of us, Sensei. You were never satisfied with just instructing us in fighting. You took your time to sit down with each and every one of us and got to know us."

I raise an eyebrow. "Isn't that, you know, what your parents are supposed to do?"

Severa gives me a sour look. "It's not that simple. Unlike this time around, Auntie Emmeryn died in my timeline. That meant Daddy had to take up the mantle and rule Ylisse. And peaceful realm or not, he always had his hands full keeping the realm running. So much so that Mother had to help him all the time. They never had much time for me or Lucina."

I grimace at hearing Severa's explanation. Yeah, parents being too busy working to spend time with their children is never a good thing. I should know. I come from a family like that myself. It's not like it's always the parents' fault either. Sometimes, life just deals you a terrible hand to play with. And, from what I know about Chrom and Cordelia, they'd never neglect time with their daughters unless absolutely necessary.

"Constant issues happening around the countryside?" I guess.

Severa nods. "And more. You'd be surprised how often Daddy was pestered by the nobles running around Ylisse for all manner of reasons." The Mercenary clicks her tongue. "Freaky stuck-ups with their harebrained marriage proposals. Try to betroth me to some tub of lard twenty years my senior because Lucina kicked his butt when he tried her, will they?"

I violently suppress the urge to go kill any overweight lolicon noble I can find, if for no other reason that they technically haven't tried it in this timeline.

"I take it Chrom denied every request of that sort, huh?"

Severa smirks. "Oh, you should've seen Daddy's face when they presented that proposal. He almost shoved Falchion through their throats while yelling at them that, he said, and I quote: "I'll be damned if I let you marry my little Severa to some child molesting lecher who just wants a trophy wife!"."

I whistle impressed. "Oh, good one, Chrom. I'd better note that one down in case any pompous know-it-all aristocrats try to ask for Rose's hand in marriage."

Severa snickers. "And that's before he let Mother in on the action. I never knew you could shove a broom so far up someone's butt until she did it. And, just for kicks, she had Auntie Lissa heal his wound, just so she could threaten to do it again."

I sweatdrop. "And they let you see all that? By my estimates, you weren't even ten when it happened."

Severa shrugs. "Part of the formalities when arranging marriages among nobility. Have to have both future spouses present before the deal is made, even if one of them don't even have any say in the matter." Severa sighs. "Other than that, the most often we had any time together was during all those stuffy parties thrown at the palace for the heck of it. Being the princess of a realm isn't easy, you know? Just look pretty, nod happily anytime some stuck-up minor noble cracks a joke or throws in a compliment, and pray that you can get them off your case as fast as possible while still looking polite. Still don't get how Auntie Lissa does it."

I raise an eyebrow. "Sounds like you lived the life of a doll more than an actual person."

Severa sighs again as she looks out over the ocean. "Story of my life… While in the palace, I was always Chrom's and Cordelia's daughter, or a princess, or Lucina's _little sister_ , or whatever other title they thought would sound nice on me. And because everyone else in my family seemed oh so perfect, everyone expected me to be like that too. "Cordelia's legacy" they called me."

She turns back to me. "But then, I met you."

I turn to face Severa directly while still leaning against the railing. "Oh, this I've gotta hear."

"It all began when Lucina happily told Daddy that she had found a new teacher. Up until then, Daddy was the only one who trained her, what with her being his heiress and everything, and that was on top of all his other duties in ruling Ylisse." Severa tells me. "I didn't think much about it at first. I mean, of course instructors from all over the realm would kill for the chance of instructing the First Princess of Ylisse. But a few weeks in, something happened. Lucina came back with a few bruises and scuff marks on her body."

"And how's that bad?" I ask.

"You don't get it, do you, Sensei? Lucina's a _princess_." Severa stresses. "The eldest one at that. How do you think the capital would react if they learned that their precious golden child got hurt during training?"

I give my red-haired student a look of disbelief. "Oh, come on. They don't think she's made of glass, do they?"

"If only you knew." Severa replies with an eyeroll. "But it got me thinking; Who in their right mind would train my sister and let her go in that state? Considering how boring life in the palace could be, the idea of finding out sounded too tempting to resist. So I asked Lucina to follow her to one of those training sessions."

"And that's when we met."

"Yep. I didn't know what to think of you at first. You had none of that formal talk at all when you addressed either of us. What's more, the clothes you wore looked so out of place in the palace. And then, Lucina's training started. I had never seen my sister struggle so hard as when you trained her. She put everything she had into fighting you. She slipped up. She got knocked down. She pushed herself up, even as she looked dead on her feet. But do you know what surprised me the most? She was smiling all the time. Like she was having fun. Like nothing else mattered to her, and she could just be herself. And in that moment, I thought; I want to know how that feels too. So when you were done, I asked if you could train me too."

"And I accepted, right?"

"You shot down my request." Severa bluntly corrects me.

That throws me for a loop. "Huh? But…you still address me as your teacher. How does that work?"

"Well… You didn't reject me outright. You simply said that I needed my parents' permission first before we started. Something about not wanting them to beat you into the ground if something went wrong." Severa sighs. "It wasn't easy, though. Daddy thought it was enough that Lucina got to train under you. Mother didn't want any of it, period."

"And I still took you under my wing...how?" I ask, still confused.

Severa frowns. "I think I've mentioned this in passing, but growing up as Lucina's sister wasn't easy. As the eldest, everyone had their eyes on her. Oh, sure, people still knew I was there as well, but it was more like an afterthought. Lucina always had first pick. I was sick and tired of it all. So for the first time I can remember, I yelled at both my parents that they don't even care about me. That all they see is Lucina."

"You basically guilt tripped them into letting me train you." I summarize.

Severa shuffles her feet. "More or less. I apologized to them later, of course." Then she smiles. "Still worth it in the end, though. You helped me learn skills I didn't even know were possible. But more importantly, I found sanctuary. Sure, the training was harsh, but you were always fair. You never played favorites, and you never bothered with any formalities. With you, I was never just a princess, or the daughter of someone special, or some doll that's supposed to look pretty. I could just be…me. Any progress was through my own effort, and no one else's." Severa gives me a soft smile. "You treated me like a person. Like I mattered. That was the first time it happened to me outside my family, Aunt Lissa included. I was so happy."

I smile back. "Well, I'm right here, and I think the way we're around each other works just fine."

Severa sniffs before she wipes a tear from her eye. "T-thank you. You're still the caring man I once knew. My first real friend before I met the others. I- You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course I don't. I'm just happy there are people in your life who see you for who you truly are. And I'm honored to be among those people, because I can tell that behind all that snark and the snide comments, you have a kind heart."

Severa giggles as she wipes another tear. "Look at you, throwing around compliments like it's all natural. But I guess it's that honesty that made me come back to you, no matter how harsh training with you was. You've been there to help me find my path. And now I want to be there for you, should you ever need me."

I offer her my hand. "And I'll do the same for you, Severa. Both as your teacher and as your friend."

Severa accepts my hand.

We smile and hold our hands for a moment longer.

Then Severa's face turns red and uncomfortable. She rips her hand out of the handshake in the blink of an eye.

"J-just don't get any funny ideas with me, got it?! We're still friends! A-and master and student! Nothing more, nothing less!"

I blink confused. "Um, sure? I mean, when did I ever suggest it's more than that?"

Severa blinks with a blank face (and the blush is still going strong) before she literally starts seething. Just as I think she'll explode on me, she turns around, flips a pigtail over her shoulder and stomps off with a huff.

 **Your relationship with Severa has advanced! Your relationship with Severa is now "Friends"!**

 **The bond you've nurtured has given birth to a new ability! You can now perform the Union Strike "Firestorm" with Severa!**

Well, that was weird…

* * *

Since I spent some time just chilling with Severa on deck, I decided to cut my morning practice short so I would be back in time when my wife wakes up. Lo and behold, she's awake by the time I return to our cabin.

And, to my amusement, she lies absolutely confused in the bed with all the stuffed animals around her.

"Jack? You're up early. And where did all these stuffed animals come from?" my wife asks as I close the door.

I smile. "I figured I could get some morning practice in while waiting for you to wake up. But I couldn't leave you alone, so I left a bunch of clones to keep you company in the meantime. And I had them all take the forms of the stuffed animals you're now surrounded by, since I figured that seven of me would make the bed _very_ cramped."

Robin's eyes widen as she eyes the stuffed animals in a whole new light.

Then she scoops them all up (the giant teddy bear clone included) with a smile full of childlike joy.

"I love you all!"

Some ten minutes later, all my plushie clones dispel and hit me with the memory of being hugged by my wife while she declares her love for me seven times over at the same time. I've got the grin to tell the tale. It's a good day to be me.

* * *

I twirl the practice staff a few times before I set myself in an easy stance. On the opposite side of the sparring ring, Cynthia goes in a low combat stance of her own, training staff firmly gripped in both hands.

"So, how are we doing this?" I ask my brunette student. "You want to spar on your pegasus or on foot?"

Cynthia blinks. "Wait, you mean I can ride Deku while sparring with you? That doesn't sound fair, Jack-sensei."

I smirk and lift off the deck. "It would seem I need to remind you why _I'm_ the master, and _you're_ the student, Cynthia."

The Pegasus Knight gulps as she takes in my flying form. Then she nods and whistles her pegasus to her.

"By the way, why did you name your pegasus "Deku" of all things?" I ask.

Cynthia shrugs. "Believe it or not, it was originally your idea. Something about this arrangement being too good to pass up. All right! Let's do this, Sensei!"

I blinked bemused before I chuckle and retake my stance, this one adjusted for aerial combat.

Cynthia takes the initiative and charges me. Seeing as she has her mount to add extra momentum to her charge, I zip up and turn around to strike her from above instead. Cynthia reacts quickly and raises her staff to block my downward swing. Our weapons only make brief contact before the Pegasus Knight slips away and gets ready for another attack run.

Hm. So she uses hit-and-run tactics against me. That's a solid strategy for most mounted units who fight foot soldiers, as it allows them to use the significant difference in mobility to their maximum advantage. No wonder there were anti-cavalry weapons developed over the centuries. Some foot soldiers veterans must've been _really_ pissed over their cavalry enemies constantly darting in and out of their own range before they could retaliate.

That being said, I dare say my own mobility far exceeds that of most mounted soldiers, thanks to my own skillset.

So instead of waiting for Cynthia's next charge, I take the initiative this time and fly towards her instead. in response, Cynthia pulls on the reins on her pegasus, making the winged mount rear back and thrash its front hooves in my direction. So I change course and dive underneath. Then I curve and come up on her right for a flanking blow.

*Thwack!*

Only for my sneak attack to be intercepted by a thrust from Cynthia. Even though I managed to deflect the blow, it had enough force to keep its course relatively stable and nicked me on the shoulder.

I back off and rub it idly while eyeing Cynthia carefully. I know that she's skilled with polearms, but skill alone doesn't-

Wait a minute… There are green sparks traveling along the length of her training staff. That sneaky little vixen.

"So that's how you want to play it, do you?" I ask frowning. I put a layer of Reinforcement in place. "Fine. Then I'll play along."

Cynthia scratches the back of her head sheepishly. "Oops. You saw that?"

"The green sparks give it away." I explain and charge forward. About halfway to Cynthia, I switch it up and start to dart around.

Cynthia frowns as she tries to follow my movements. As I get close, she makes her pegasus do a somersault. At the apex of the loop, she jumps off her mount and comes down with an overhead swing where I'm headed. I brake and wind up for my own swing.

Our training weapons meet with a thundering crack…

*Krk…*

…and snap moments later due to the amount of force behind the swings.

The world briefly goes still as both Cynthia and I realize the Pegasus Knight is still falling at high speeds, and there's nothing stopping her. Thinking fast, I zip back to get out of the line of fire.

And then Cynthia crashes face-first on deck.

*Bam!*

I float back down on deck to check up on my student. Sure, her HP's alright, but Sumia needs at least a little peace of mind.

I crouch down in front of my student. "You okay there, Cynthia?"

The brunette puts her hands on the wooden surface and pushes herself up with a groan.

"Oh, ow… Didn't expect that to happen."

I take another look at my broken training staff. "You're telling me. Those training weapons snapped like twigs when we got serious." I toss what remains of my training staff away without a care. "Guess we need to figure out a better way of sparring in the future if ordinary training weapons don't make the cut. Until then, I'd say we're done for the day."

Cynthia nods and pushes herself up in a sitting position. "So, how did I do? Pretty cool moves, huh?"

I rub my chin. "You have an interesting approach to fighting, I'll give you that much. On one hand, you have a firm grasp of the hit-and-run tactics that Pegasus Knights are known for. On the other hand, you can draw on so much raw physical strength that such tactics simply won't work. Hence a style that's all about charging in headfirst and smash through the enemies. I'd normally call that a bad idea, but you seem to make it work."

Cynthia grins. "I know, right? It's the hero's job to spearhead the offensive, so I have to make sure everyone notices me."

I sweatdrop at Cynthia's reply. "I don't think it works that way. Sure, you hit hard, but you're hardly the most defensive fighter of your generation (barring non-wind magic). Making yourself obvious for the enemy means you're practically asking their archers to aim at you."

Cynthia waves off my concern. "Eh, details. It doesn't matter if they can't hit me. Besides, offense is the best defense, right?"

I frown. "There's something that doesn't add up. It doesn't matter how agile you are in a fight, Cynthia. Against a big enough enemy army, it's only a matter of time before you get hit. So why would you expose yourself in such a vulnerable position instead of staying close to your allies and let them protect you?"

"Well, just think about it, Sensei. If all the enemies are busy looking at me, who's looking at the others as they get ready to attack?"

I blink bemused. Considering Cynthia's one of the few fliers on her generation, that means she'd be among the only ones the enemies look at. It may only be for a moment, but that one moment can decide everything.

"Let me get this straight." I probe. "You spearhead the offensive and make yourself obvious, just so the enemy will drop their guard against your ground bound allies? I'm all for efficient tactics, but I fail to see how Lucina would ever approve of such a reckless strategy."

"The life of a hero is always fraught with danger, Jack-sensei. That's the first lesson you taught me when you allowed me to train under you." Cynthia explains. "I can't be a hero unless I put myself at risk. That's the price I have to pay if I want to protect my comrades."

"But why you specifically, Cynthia?"

Cynthia pokes her fingers together. "I've always wanted to be a hero. It's kind of hard not to when you grow up with parents like mine. I've always admired them. I still do. And I want to become a hero who defeats the bad guy and saves the day, just like them."

I scratch my head. "Again, I don't think that's how it works, Cynthia. Being a hero is more than just smacking around some villain terrorizing the innocent. Answer me this; why would you even bother attacking the bad guy in the first place?"

Cynthia blinks bemused. "Because he's doing a bad thing?"

"*Sigh* I'm afraid you're missing the point, Cynthia. And that concerns me. Being a hero may be a noble goal, but unless you have a clear picture of what a hero truly is and that picture fits with reality, you run the risk of becoming the very thing you try to fight."

Cynthia gasps. "What?! I'd never turn into some evildoer who attacks the innocent!"

"And what makes you so sure about that? Have you ever tried to reason with a person you perceive as a villain? For that matter, have you ever considered the fact that the villains you try so hard to fight against are humans just as much as we are?"

"Um… I, uh…"

I shake my head. "Look, I don't expect you to have an answer straight away. I just don't want you to risk your life for the wrong reasons, let alone keep going even after the danger has passed. Where I come from, there's a proverb about heroism that I think you could learn a great deal from."

That makes Cynthia perk up. "Really? What is it?"

"You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

Cynthia looks at me confused. "Huh? I don't get it."

I smile and get up. "That's what I want you to think about, Cynthia. Try reading up some history while you're at it. About revolutionists who risked their lives to take down an oppressive government. What became of those who died trying, and those who lived on to reform the societies where they lived. Laurent should be able to help you in that regard."

Cynthia pouts. "Reading books won't save anyone, Sensei. Besides, it's boring."

In response, I pull a book out of my bag and smack Cynthia over the head with it.

"OW! What was that for?!" the Pegasus Knight shouts as she holds her head in pain.

"A half-baked attempt to knock some sense into you, Cynthia. I may have trained you to fight in a simple, yet effective way, but I refuse to believe I trained you to be ignorant. I'll have you know that some of the greatest heroes of my home world were scholars. They dedicated their lives to fight the tyranny of disease, and some of them succumbed to the very horrors they fought against. But there are those who found cures, stopped pandemics, and saved millions of lives for generation to come. And the most dangerous tools they wielded were mere dissecting knives."

Cynthia eyes the book of my hand with an expression of curiosity. "Wait, so they fought, but not against villains?"

"You could say that the diseases were their villains. After all, pandemics can strike anyone, be they good or evil. If that doesn't fit the description of a villain, I don't know what does." I explain.

Cynthia blinks before she crosses her arms and frowns in deep thought.

I walk away from the Pegasus Knight where she sits. "Give it some thought, Cynthia. You might learn something new about heroism that you never thought was possible by the time you're done."

 **Your relationship with Cynthia has improved!**

Well, that was a strange case of tough love. Or maybe that's how it typically looks like. Here's to hoping Sumia won't be upset that I hit her daughter over the head with a book. Maybe I should've aimed for the face instead… No evidence left behind.

* * *

Donnel and Vaike stand at attention in front of me, faces serious. I clear my throat as I unravel a paper sheet.

"Donnel and Vaike. In preparation for this voyage to the continent of Valm, you two have joined me on a journey for the purpose of recruiting allies to aid us in our upcoming campaign." I read out loud from the text written on the paper. "Over the course of this journey, you have both shown resourcefulness, sound judgement, the ability to take initiative and battle prowess far exceeding that of a rank soldier. In recognition of the ability you have displayed, and by the power vested in me through my rank as captain, I hereby bestow upon each of you a symbol of your ability. Lieutenant Frederick. The seals, if you please."

Frederick approaches us with two wooden boxes in his hands, each big enough to fit a small watermelon. He presents the boxes to me with all the stoicism befitting an official ceremony. I open each box, revealing a Master Seal sitting on a velvet cushion inside. I take the first seal and give it to Donnel.

"Donnel, time and again you have proven yourself a capable soldier with an aptitude only seen once in a generation, backed up with a work ethic befitting only the most dedicated of warriors. No matter what you may think of yourself, you are no longer a hindrance for your comrades. Rather, you have become an ally who we all can depend on, and at the rate you are going, it's only a matter of time before you place among the best of the best. I bestow this seal upon you in recognition of the hard work you have put in for both the realm you serve and the family you love so dearly." I place the Master Seal in the former farmer's waiting hands and snap a salute. "In your comrades, you find strength, as do your comrades find strength in you!"

Donnel holds the seal carefully in one hand while he mimics my salute with the other. "In service of Her Gracefulness and the halidom of Ylisse." he replies.

No one bothers to comment on how he _kind of_ botched Emmeryn's title. Considering it's Donnel, it really doesn't matter.

Next up is Vaike. Like Donnel, he accepts the Master Seal with a reverence that I normally never see on him.

"Vaike, when I first met you after I returned from the Outrealms, I had learned that you still had a ways to go before you would be considered worthy of promotion. During our trip through Regna Ferox, you have shown that you have grown to match and even exceed these expectations. Your judgement has proven to be sound, your awareness in battle shows experience, and the loyalty you show to your allies has, if possible, grown stronger as we have traveled." I salute the Barbarian, just like with Donnel. "No matter the situation, you always have been, and always will be, a vanguard who opens the path for the rest of us should we ever face opposition. That kind of reliability is a rarity among soldiers, and is one you should take pride in. Stand tall, that the enemy may see your might, and realize that you are but a taste of what's to come, should they refuse to surrender."

Vaike performs a salute of his own, though he allows himself a tiny grin. "So long as my back's covered, I need only move forward."

I nod in approval before I take a step back.

"The seals presented to you will open a new way forward. Choose where you wish to walk, and raise your seals into the air."

Donnel and Vaike nod and do just that. The Master Seals begin to glow before they fly into the air and unleash a rain of magical thunderbolts on both axe wielders. The world is briefly blinded by the flash before they both vanish in a giant dust cloud (which doesn't make any sense, since there's hardly any dust on the deck).

The dust cloud first disperses around Vaike. Gone is the furry garb around his shoulders. Instead, he wears pauldrons made of animal bone and small pieces of leather armor on various parts on his body. The light covering reveals his muscled physique for the whole world to see.

 **Vaike's class has changed to Berserker!**

The blond grins as he flexes his muscles. "Aw yeah! Watch Teach take you through the motions."

Sully snorts. "Yeah, yeah. That's enough boasting from you, Vaike."

"Aw, come on, Sully! Let me enjoy this moment a bit, will ya? I worked my pants off for this!"

"Hate to break it to ya, Muscles, but I think Curls's got you beat there." Gaius snickers.

The Assassin's point becomes clear when Donnel finally comes into view.

Where he used to wear light armor, the former farm boy now has a respectable ensemble to cover his body. His armor is still light, for all intents and purposes, but it covers far more than before, most notably both arms, his shins, and even the neck. Curiously enough, his brass pot is still sitting on his head.

And, true to Gaius's words, Donnel's muscle mass is way bigger than Vaike's. Like, the guy's so muscular now that he almost makes Vaike look scrawny in comparison.

 **Donnel's class has changed to Warrior!**

Donnel rolls his shoulder a few times. "Feels funny… Like I'm a whole different fella!"

A drop of sweat forms at the back of my head. "Oi, oi. There has to be a limit to how freakin' swole a person can get. This is getting ridiculous, Donnel."

Nowi glomps her husband with a hungry look. "So much muscle…"

Is that drool leaking out of her mouth and hearts in her eyes? Huh. Never expected Nowi to secretly have a muscle fetish. So much for my sister figure being innocent (or as innocent as a dragon, who can and has already roasted several people alive, can be).

Vaike, for his part, is busy lamenting the fact that he got outmatched in muscle size in front of everyone. He's even got a massive depression cloud hovering over his head to complete the look.

Basilio claps the newly minted Warrior on the shoulder. "Hey, kid. Nice seeing ya made a good career choice. Though I've gotta ask; ever tried using a bow before?"

Donnel blinks before he clears his throat. "Huh, me? I mean, no, yer Khan lordshipness."

Basilio sweatdrops at the honorific before he shrugs. "Uh, right… Well, good thing I'm around then. Tell you what; since you've clearly settled for the best role possible, how about we celebrate the occasion with some bow practice. Who knows? You might turn into a good shot someday."

An excited smile grows on Donnel's lips. "It'd be an honor, sir! Just tell me when!"

A shiver runs down my spine. It was bad enough that Donnel is supposedly an old hand with slingshots. If he develops that kind of skill with bows and picks up one with ridiculous draw weight…

I'm not sure who would make the scarier archer; Donnel…or Noire. On one hand, my mentally unstable student has the fire power of an artillery battery, so long as she's got the mana to spare. On the other hand, Donnel's got so much raw strength that his bow of choice might as well be a ballista.

* * *

I take a deep breath and exhale. Then I focus on my opponent in front of me; Lon'qu.

"You ready for this?"

The Swordmaster nods with an equally focused expression and gets in a fighting stance with his designated training weapon; a broomstick.

In response, I mirror his action with a broomstick on my own.

"Broomsticks?" Laurent asks confused. "Master Jack, I understand that we need to conserve our supplies carefully, but is this not a bit extreme?"

I take the time to briefly glance at my student. "Trust me, Laurent. Anything deadlier than this, and neither Lon'qu nor I will be able to spar beyond the first clash." Then I focus back at Lon'qu. "Have at you."

Lon'qu tenses up before he inches towards me slowly. He raises his broomstick in the air and swings it at me – slowly. I step in to meet him and meet his swing with my own.

*Tok*

"…"

"…"

Lon'qu and I immediately back away from each other. I release the breath I didn't even know I was holding in. "Okay… Okay, I think this could work."

Lon'qu nods with a drop of sweat running down his brow from the intense concentration. "As long as we're careful." He gets in a low stance. "One more round."

I nod and get ready myself. Lon'qu makes a short dash to get in range and thrusts the broomstick at me. I deflect the blow and retaliate with a diagonal slash. Lon'qu rolls to the side and comes up for a rising strike. I lean backwards, pivot, and send a backhanded slash his way. Lon'qu's quick on the uptake and counters with his own slash.

*Shing* *Plonk, plonk*

I click my tongue as I toss away my sliced-in-half broomstick. "Curses! And we had such a good flow going too."

Lon'qu eyes the remaining half of his broomstick. "It worked so long as we concentrated on holding back, but I believe we got lost in the moment in that final clash."

I rub my temples. "*Sigh* This might be the best way for us to keep our skills sharp, but man, holding back to this degree is _hard_."

My lieutenant nods. "That's to be expected. If our skills are at such a level, the only way to truly progress is by holding back until the situation demands otherwise."

"How…?" Laurent asks in disbelief.

I blink and face the Mage. "Hm? How what?"

Laurent points at the cut broomsticks. "How in the world do you slice a broomstick in half using another broomstick!? Two weapons cannot cut each other at the same time, and even if they could, neither of those objects have a sharp edge to begin with!"

Robin places a comforting hand on my student's shoulder. "Get used to it, Laurent. Jack and Lon'qu are among the most skilled sword wielders I know, aside from Chrom. I have seen them perform a similar feat before, but they used actual training swords back then."

Laurent turns to my wife with even more disbelief written over his face. "But…how? This shouldn't even be possible."

"That's why I'm telling you that you won't find the insight you're seeking if you just go on you mind alone, Laurent." I tell my student. "Sometimes, the heart acts irrationally."

Laurent gives me a flat look. "I fail to see how the heart has anything to do with this."

I scratch the back of my head. "Yeah, maybe it doesn't. The point is; just go with the flow. No need to sweat the details."

"Far out, maaan…"

We all blink and turn our heads to where that strange phrase came from. That's when I see Nah sitting against the railing and looking at seemingly nothing in the sky with glassy eyes and a bit of drool leaking from her mouth.

"Nah? Are you okay?" I ask my niece concerned.

"Juuusht peachy, Uncle Jack." the half-manakete replies while swaying back and forth unsteadily. "You should try out some a' this stuff. It's _gooood_."

That's when I notice a bundle of what looks like browned grass compressed into the vague shape of a cookie in Nah's hand. What in the world is that?

* * *

 **Wacky weed, Consumable, Very uncommon  
** _A plant that only grows in humid, tropical climates. The leaves contain a syrupy fluid that has a calming effect on whoever consumes it. Natives from those lands often chew some of this plant to alleviate fever or nausea. If consumed in too great an amount, however, the consumer enters a state of narcotic intoxication. This happens most frequently if the fluid is processed and refined to a distinctly brown mass to enhance its effects. Of course, regular consumption of the calming substance comes with significant health risks, which led to the plant to be outlawed altogether in many civilizations. Simply put; Don't do drugs. It never ends well._

* * *

My eyes widen as I read the description. I crouch down and place my hands on Nah's shoulders.

"Nah? Can you hear me?" I ask her gently.

Nah gives me a dull stare. "Sshure…" she slurs out.

"Nah, who gave you that cookie?" I ask, barely holding my ire back.

Nah gives me a dopey smile. "You want shome too? I got it from the redheaded lady over there."

I follow where Nah points and find Anna, who's doing a poor job at looking inconspicuous.

Any attempt she may have made to escape is mercilessly crushed under a combination of Telekinesis, enough murderous intent to give the average mook PTSD (complete with the demonic bear illusion), and some wind manipulation to cause a miniature storm around myself.

"Anna. What did you give Nah?" I ask the merchant in a tone that promises pain if she gives the wrong answer.

Anna, for her part, tries to look anywhere but at me as sweat runs down her face. "Um… Well, I thought it would help her seasickness, since she's practically been puking dragon fire nonstop. I, uh… I _might've_ given her a bit much (I didn't mean to, I swear!)."

"Is that so?" I ask as the bear illusion behind me snarls. "Mind telling me why you would try to alleviate my niece's seasickness with an outlawed substance that comes with significant health risks, let alone explain why you have such a substance in the first place?"

"Weeeell… It technically isn't outlawed _everywhere_ , now is it? I thought that…maybe I could turn in a quick profit if I sold it to the right customer at the right place."

I give the merchant a blank stare. Anna fidgets nervously.

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. "Could you at least tell me if there's a way to remove the blasted stuff from her body?"

Anna taps her chin a few times. "I think a skilled enough healer can get rid of the worst of it. The rest should go away after some proper bed rest. Maybe."

I give the merchant a final glare before I leave. "It better do the trick, or I'll find a way to inflict inhuman amounts of pain on your person while still having a technically legal excuse."

Anna gulps. "You wouldn't…would you?"

"Try me. I dare you."

I sigh as the murderous atmosphere around me dissipates. I soon get back to Nah (who still looks stoned out of her mind) and place her over my shoulder. "Come one, Nah. Let's find Libra and see if he can't purge this stuff out of your system."

"Unca Jack, neeoooo…"

* * *

 **AN: For real, using drugs never ends well. Anyone who claims otherwise deserves a bible to the head while you yell "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thine neighbor!", which basically means; no lying. At least one of you out there may claim that my standpoint is a bit extreme. To that I say; So what if it is? It sure is a heck of a lot healthier than trying substances that have been proven to be harmful to you.**

* * *

 _ **Timeskip**_

Sigh. It's a good thing Libra joined us for this voyage after all. After he learned of Nah's situation, the War Monk more or less dragged Miriel to his medical hut and had the Sage run tests to determine what Nah had put in her mouth. All the while, Libra and Miriel sent me around the room to fetch all manner of substances. An hour into the testing, Miriel managed to break the substance down and concocted a potion that would essentially flush it out.

Don't ask what it's made of. Despite my interest in chemistry, I'm not a certified chemist. Whatever Miriel put into that beaker pretty much knocked Nah out cold. From there, it's just a matter of letting the half-manakete get plenty of bedrest, and she should be just fine. According to Miriel. Of course, Libra will be busy keeping an eye on the poor girl to make sure she recovers without any major issues.

I sigh as I walk back out on deck. Man, who would've thought working as a medical assistant could be so hectic? It wasn't even a surgery where the patient's life hung in the balance.

"Well? How is she?" Nowi asks worriedly.

I smile. "She should be fine after enough rest. Whatever Miriel cooked up, it should be able to flush out…whatever the heck she ate in the first place." I crack my knuckles, smile still in place. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a merchant to bully."

"I already told you, I'm sorry!" Anna shouts from where she's clinging to a mast like a spooked koala.

I raise an eyebrow in amusement. "You _do_ realize I can just fly up to your position, right?"

"Rats! I knew I forgot something important when I planned on hiding up here until you cooled down!"

Nowi shakes her head. "Leave her be, Jack. She was just trying to help Nah, even though it went kind of wrong."

"See! Nowi's being reasonable! Listen to her!"

I sigh. "Fine. I'll let Anna off the hook."

"I knew you had a good heart!"

"Still handing you over to the authorities after we're done with this campaign, though!"

"Oh, come on!"

I point at the redhead. "Giving drugs to kids is _not_ okay, no matter what the local laws say."

"We're not even in a place with established laws, period! These are international waters, you know!"

My smile returns. "And for that very same reason, the only thing stopping me from inflicting bodily harm upon your person out of spite is the fact that I agreed to lay off, thanks to my sister figure.

Nowi rolls her eyes. "I'm not sure whether I should be sad or proud over being the elder sibling in this relationship. We kind of tend to flip the roles around a bit, don't you think, Jack?"

I nod sagely. "Ah, the wonders of accepting me as a family member."

"Seriously, what happened to you during those nine months you were traveling? You just seem off at times."

"In my defense, I was already kind of off in the head when we first met. Bad first impressions and all that."

Nowi rubs her temples. "*Sigh* Don't remind me. I'm still amazed our first day together ended well at all."

"Again, the wonders of accepting me as a family member."

* * *

"Captain! Land sighted!" Artemia shouts from the crow's nest.

One look through the telescope confirms her sightings.

"Good eye, Artemia! I'll let Chrom hear it. Keep watch in case there's anything else!"

Chrom takes a long, good look through the telescope. "At last, Valm Harbor. Hmm… It appears well fortified… Prepare the troops. We'll-" The prince stops mid-sentence and enlarges the image he seems to have spotted. "Huh? What's that?"

Frederick raises an eyebrow. "Something amiss, milord?"

Chrom frowns and hands the Great Knight the telescope. "It seems there's trouble brewing in the harbor, Frederick. The imperials are chasing down a woman."

Frederick's searching soon stops as he focuses on a specific direction. "Ah, I see who you are referring to. An enemy to the empire, perhaps?"

"Any enemy of the empire is a friend of ours." Chrom replies. He turns to Robin. "Robin, tell the troops to be ready to storm the harbor the moment we dock. Whoever that woman is, she'll need help if she's to escape the imperials."

Robin rubs her chin in deep thought. Knowing her, she's already planning a course of action.

"Having all our ships enter the harbor at once would be dangerous, Chrom." my wife points out. "At most, maybe ten of our ships could enter at the same time from what I can gather of those docks, and even that would require careful steering from the helmsmen. If the situation's as urgent as you say it is, it's safest to just land one ship and secure enough of the harbor to let the others join in later."

"Which would mean our flagship and the troops on board will be the only ones to meet any imperial soldiers stationed at the harbor." I conclude as I pick up on her reasoning.

Robin nods. "That's what I concluded as well. Seems like we have to act as our army's vanguard if we're to save that woman and make landfall in Valm with any chance of success."

Chrom frowns and rubs his chin. "Not how I would like our entrance into Valm to be like, but it seems like we have little choice. We may be in a hurry, but not so much that we can risk any more ships than the ones we sacrificed to sink their fleet."

Basilio grins hungrily at the idea. "No need to sweat it, Chrom. If anything, this'll be the perfect moment to give those Valmese jerks a taste of their own Vulnerary. They sent a ship full of soldiers to my harbor and wrecked the place while claiming the lands as their own. We're just returning the favor before the battles begin for real."

Flavia gives her fellow khan a dry look. "You're still sore about that incident, oaf? That happened more than a month ago. Besides, Port Ferox was well on its way to recover last time I checked."

"But it ain't back to its former glory just yet." Basilio points out as he cracks his knuckles. "Besides, I still haven't had a proper piece of the action yet. I wanna enter Valm with style, preferably while busting heads while I'm at it."

Flavia rolls her eyes. "And this is why Ferox is better off with me as the reigning khan, and not you."

While our favorite barbarian rulers have their little not-lover's spat, Robin turns to me.

"Jack, we need to get in fast if we're to reach that woman Chrom spotted in time."

I smile at her. "Already on the same page, Robin. We have the perfect helmsman on board for this task."

I turn to the helm. "Barras, full speed! Get us to those docks as fast as you can."

The Barbarian salutes. "You got it, Captain! Hey! You heard the man, people! Get those sails unfurled! We've got a snappy landing to make!"

* * *

As we approach the docks, Linebeck clears his throat. "Uh, Captain Jack? Hate to rain on your parade, but I've got bad news. We can't dock the ship at this speed. Not unless we crash it into port."

I rub my chin. I'm no navigational expert, but I know enough about inertia to recognize that my teammate has a point.

The proverbial candle lights up above my hand. Here's to hoping Robin won't scold me when I tell her about my idea.

"All right, new plan. Barras, steer the ship so that you'll pass the docks as close as you can. I'll jump into town from there."

Lon'qu gives me a dirty look. "Jack, what madness are you up to this time?"

"Trust me, Lon'qu. I know what I'm doing."

"That's _exactly_ what worries me." the Swordmaster clarifies. "I had hoped Robin's presence would curb some of your crazy ideas, but I was clearly mistaken."

"To be fair, when have I _not_ been up to some crazy ideas?" I counter.

"At least you admit to your lunacy…" my lieutenant grumbles.

Robin sighs. "All right, what _are_ you up to this time, Jack? Depending on what your answer is, I may have to pull rank on you, as much as it pains me."

I nod in approval. "Shows how much you care about me, Robin. Anyway, my plan is simple; Get the ship close enough for me to get into town. I can navigate the place fast enough that I can rescue that woman on the run before the valmese corner her."

My wife raises an eyebrow. "Last time I checked, you've never been to this place before. How are you supposed to navigate this port town if you've never been here, and under time pressure at that?"

I grin. "Who said I would take the streets? The roofs give plenty of bird's-eye view for me to use."

Lon'qu snorts. "And I assume you'll just pick up our potential ally after you find her, and jump the roofs back the way you came?"

My grin grows wider (and a tad bit crazier). "Oh, ho ho ho. That'd be too simple, Lon'qu. I have a _much_ faster method for getting back."

I scan the deck before my eyes land on the person necessary for this plan to work. "Hey, Noire? You still have that Hirashin kunai on you?"

The Archer perks up. "Huh? Yes, of course. I always keep it on me, Jack-sensei." To emphasize, she pulls out the dagger for me to see.

I nod. "Good. Then I have a shot to pull this off."

Robin eyes the dagger. "Jack, what is that?"

I shrug. "A weapon that mine and Henry's future selves apparently crafted based on a little something I discovered before we first met. I've already tested the spell runes engraved in its hilt, so it should work as intended."

Henry rubs his chin as he gives the kunai a closer look. "Huh. Looks neat. So, what's it do?"

I grin and turn back towards the docks. "You're about to find out, Henry."

Barras makes a hard turn as we get close to the docks, putting me in the position I want.

"All right, that's as close as I dare steer this ship, Captain." the Barbarian reports. "Now what?"

I place a foot on the railing. "Until I return, sail around a bit until you can dock here comfortably. Noire!"

Said Archer yelps. "Y-yes, Sensei?"

"On my signal, be ready to toss that kunai onto the ship deck two minutes later. Make sure it's on a place with enough space for at least two people."

Robin places a hand on my shoulder. "Jack, whatever you do, be careful. You're about to run right into enemy lines on your own."

"I know, Robin. There's no need to worry, though." I reply smiling. Then I turn towards everyone else. "You guys better keep your eyes on Noire's dagger, 'cause you're about to witness the rescue operation of the generation."

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Main quest: Smoldering resistance  
** _Right as you're about to make landfall on Valm, Chrom spots a woman on the run from the empire. Following his usual logic, the prince sees a potential ally in the escapee. Get her to safety, and see if you can't find a local resident on your side while you're at it. Of course, that only applies after you've secured a foothold on Valmese soil. That means the port town has to be cleared of imperials.  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat all Valmese soldiers. Don't let Say'ri die.  
_ **Rewards:** _15 000 EXP, 15 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _None  
_ **Failure:** _You have no base of operations for your campaign, nor do you have any allies to make on the continent. In short, you lose the war. End of story._

* * *

A second round of contemplation makes it clear to me that trying a running start may be better than just making a burst jump off the ship. Decision made, I walk to the center of the deck, crouch a little, and speed off.

"Noire, now!" I shout as my foot makes contact with the railing.

 **BGM:** **Escape from the city, Sonic adventures 2 OST**

A burst of Gale step launches me clear above the harbor and onto a nearby roof. From there, I run and jump from rooftop to rooftop while mentally mapping the place out. Man, the streets in this port town go all over the place.

"Hey! Who's that?!" I hear someone shout under me.

I look down and realize I've been spotted by some Valmese soldiers. Deciding to take a more discreet approach, I jump down and point my palm at the imperials.

"I am not an enemy." I intone.

"He's clearly an enemy!" a Paladin among their ranks shouts.

I turn around and run for it. Curses! The Jedi mind trick didn't work! Forgive me, Master Obi-Wan! I have failed you!

But just as it seems like I'm rounding a corner, I jump on the wall of a house instead and bounce right back at the soldiers. My sudden change in direction catches them off-guard. That gives me the opening to go for the Paladin, kick his shield right off his arm and grab it before I continue my run.

"I'm borrowing this!" I shout behind me as I flee.

"Get him!" the Paladin shouts enraged.

The street ahead of me slopes a bit downwards. Perfect!

I toss the shield I snatched onto the ground and jump on it. We're shield surfin', baby!

I wave behind me. "Later!"

I lean a bit to the left to dodge a few barrels on the ground, lean to the right to dodge a Javelin, and place a barrel behind me right as an arrow is shot. A well-timed jump has me practically fly over a set of stairs before I bump over a crate and slide to stop right as I reach a three-way street and snatch the shield back up.

That's when I realize there's a sizable group of imperials on the right. The imperials all turn around in sync, eyes glowing red.

I turn the other way and book it. "Nope!"

Even as I weave between alleys and round corners, I notice how more and more imperials chase after me. And after one particular corner…

"GET HIM!"

…I notice the soldiers I first ran into earlier, including one familiar, shield-less and pissed off Paladin. Great. Now I'm in the middle of a street with enemy soldiers on both sides.

Which means there's only one way for me to go: up.

A burst of Gale step brings me at roof level and allows me to leave my ground bound chasers behind. Though I only have time to cross two roofs before I narrowly dodge another arrow shot at me.

"Whoa! Hey, watch where you're aiming that-" *Fwoom!* "Yikes!"

There are imperials all over the streets trying to shoot me down! Good thing I finally got a read on my target. A few more rooftops and a dozen close shaves with Elthunder spells later, I jump down in an alley between a group of imperials and a female Swordmaster.

 **Say'ri Lvl 35 Class: Swordmaster**

While shocked at first, the Valmese soldiers recover quickly and point their lances at me and Say'ri.

"You have nowhere to run. Any last words?" one asks.

Right on cue, I sense Noire toss the Hiraishin kunai.

"One thing." I reply. "You will remember this as the day when you _almost_ captured Jack the Reaper."

I grab Say'ri's shoulder grinning. "See ya!"

*Flash!*

 **BGM ends**

*Flash!* "Eep!"

I reappear on the deck of our ship with Say'ri in tow. A quick scan of everyone around me indicates that Noire was the one who yelped. Probably to be expected, since she's the one who helped me set the whole thing up without necessarily knowing what I had in mind.

For her part, Say'ri stumbles from the flash of light and sudden movement and tries to find the nearest support. It turns out to be Frederick.

"Mercy… What in the world just happened…?" the female Swordmaster asks while keeping one hand on her head and one firmly clamped on the collar of Frederick's breastplate.

Chrom sighs and rubs his temples. "I apologize for whatever Jack put you through. To tell you the truth, we had intended to save you the moment we spotted you getting chased by those imperial soldiers. Jack volunteered, but I still don't understand how exactly he did it."

I cross my arms. "In my defense, we were in a race against time. I had to pull something fast, or chances were she would've been captured before we could reach her. Or worse."

Say'ri finally manages to stand on her feet without using Frederick as support (which is good, because Sumia looks to be half a second away from committing jealousy induced murder) and finally scans her surroundings.

In particular, her eyes focus back on me. "Wait… He called you "Jack"."

I nod. "That's my name, yes."

Say'ri gives me a closer look. "Garbed in a purple, nigh ethereal cloak. A white greatsword shaped like a bat's wing. You would not happen to be the one they call Jack the Reaper, would you?"

"That's what I called myself right as we met – quite literally." I confirm.

Say'ri sighs relieved. "Then it means I stand among the Ylissean league. At long last, some good news. And to be rescued by the Scourge of the seas himself."

Wait… I got that title while at sea, which means there's no way for any spy who could've snuck aboard our ship could ever have a chance to relay those news to Say'ri without being spotted. The fact that she knows of that title can only mean that she's got at least one Pegasus Knight on her side who performs recon at sea.

Say'ri clears her throat as she addresses Chrom. "Prince, Chrom of Ylisse, I wish to speak more, but…"

Chrom frowns as he looks back out over the port town, where soldiers are scrambling about all over the streets. The harbor in particular is seeing more soldiers, now that they've noticed that we've docked.

The prince draws Falchion. "We'll have time for all the talk we need once the fighting is finished. Shepherds! Prepare for battle!"

Basilio grins as he pulls out a Silver Axe. "Heh. I still remember when these guys barged into my port and wrecked both the town and my army. Time to return the favor – twice!"

Flavia rolls her eyes as she draws a Silver Sword. "So eager to throw yourself on a lance, oaf? Remember, this is enemy territory. We may have sunk their fleet, but chances are they have even more troops stationed on the mainland."

If possible, Basilio grins even wider. "That means there's more heads for me to bust. Ba ha ha!"

We're about to jump off the ship and start the fight for real when I notice Say'ri hesitate.

"Something the matter?" I ask the Swordmaster.

Say'ri blushes. "I would join you in this battle, were I able to. However, I am currently…unarmed."

Oh.

Yeah, Say'ri only holds a Concoction by the time you find her, if only to help her survive until you can plow your way through all the Valmese units and save her.

Or, you know, you could just give a staff user with high enough magic a Rescue staff, give that Valmese blockade the finger, and recruit her on turn one. I did that every time since playthrough number 2 of Awakening.

My method was just cooler. And, well, not possible to pull off in the actual game, but that's beside the point.

I tap a finger on my chin as I rack my brain for possible options for our newest ally. I could always lend her a Traced weapon, since I have the mana to spare. Or I could send a clone to the inventory and fetch a sword for her, hoping it's one she's comfortable with (she's already an accomplished sword user, so no problem there).

Or…I could make use of an old buddy of mine who's been sidelined for a _long_ time. Yeah, I'll go with that.

"I might have a solution to that problem." I eventually tell her and reach into my bag.

After some rummaging, I finally pull out what I was looking for; my trusty old Windcleaver, still in pristine condition thanks to regular and proper care.

Say'ri balks as she sees me pull the sword out of a bag that shouldn't be able to hold an object that long. "How did you-"

"Don't ask. Just don't." every single Shepherd, my teammates and even the khans interject in perfect sync and identical flat looks.

I place my old sword in her hands. "Draw it and give it a try."

Say'ri gently grasps the hilt and draws the blade with all the reverence that you would expect for some priceless artifact. Then, a fourth of the way, the rest of the blade gets pulled out with a ringing sound that only a Swordmaster seems to be capable of.

Say'ri looks at the blade with its glowing wavy pattern in awe. "This… This blade was crafted by a true master blacksmith. Where did you find such a fine blade?"

I shrug. "Got it from an assassin who tried to kill me a few years back. I caught him off-guard, shoved a Bronze Sword into his heart, and took the sword as my own. It's served me well through many battles and journeys, so I can vouch for its sharpness. Also, be careful not to swing too hard in the direction of an ally. That sword's infused with wind magic and launches blades of air if you swing hard enough while channeling mana through it."

Say'ri raises an eyebrow. "Blades of…air?"

"Sharp enough cut through armor if used correctly. The harder you swing, the sharper the blade." I explain.

Say'ri, if possible, looks at the sword in even greater awe. She eventually snaps out of her (potential) fangirling, sheathes the Windcleaver, ties it to her waist, and draws it anew.

Then she gives me a short bow. "My thanks, friend. I shall make good use of this sword."

I nod and draw Harvest Moon. "Simply treat it as if it were your own. I can tell you know how to treat a sword with proper care, and that's all the reassurance I need."

The gangway is lowered to the docks. Chrom takes the lead, cape billowing majestically (still haven't figured out how that works) and faces the Valmese soldiers with a steely gaze.

"The battle is nigh. Attack!"

 **BGM: March to Deliverance, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia music**

First things first: establish a parameter around our landing point so we can actually deploy our troops and establish some kind of presence on the battlefield.

"Hot d-mn, coming through!" *Shing! Boom!*

Oh, nice opening move, Basilio. Bulldozing into enemy ranks and scaring them senseless definitely gets the job done. It only takes half a dozen swings from the clearly vindictive Warrior to give the rest of us enough space to spread out and join the offensive. Most importantly, our cavalry gets the space they need to really get going.

"Come get some!"

"Don't forget about me!"

Case in point, Sully and Stahl capitalize on Basilio's initial attack to pierce a hole through the enemy ranks. And just like that, there's an opening through the thick shell that lets us strike at the soft underbelly.

Kjelle glances at Yarne.

"Shall we?"

The half-taguel punches his fists together with a grin. "Let's tear through them!"

Kjelle takes point in that double team and charges shield first at a pair of Knights. The impact knocks them off-balance long enough for Yarne to land a haymaker that knocks the first one on his back. The other Knight gets no time to retaliate as Kjelle keeps charging and shoving her shield at him. A particularly hard blow leaves him staggering, only for him to stumble forward from a kick in the back from Yarne. The sudden shift in motion leaves him helpless to stop his stumbling right onto Kjelle's lance.

Noire constantly moves around to keep a distance from a trio of Mercenaries chasing her down. She manages to find the time to Trace an arrow or two, which get tripled through her weapon, but not enough time to make something truly potent. The Mercenaries manage to corner her against the edge of the docks.

Noire looks around in panic. "Oh no! What should I do?! What should I do?! Um… Um… Blood and thunder!"

The Mercenaries get caught off-guard as the Archer's whole demeanor changes from timid to bloodthirsty in an instant. That shock costs them, as Noire Traces a huge Battle Axe and, rather than changing it into an arrow, simply swings at the sellswords instead with reckless abandon. Their hurried attempt to get some distance and reengage Noire gets foiled as they get pelted by Wind spells from Laurent.

"Hey, where did all this paper come from?" one of the Mercenaries asks confused as he notices all the notes stuck on him and his comrades.

"Heck if I know!" another one shouts. "But this d-mn paper won't come off! It's almost as if I'm getting slower with it sticking to me!"

The third grins. "Slowing down because of some paper? You're losing your edge, old- Huh?"

The Mercenaries realize too late that they are actually slowing down. That's when Noire gets close enough with her axe raised and ready to smash someone's head in.

"Don't mess with a girl with an axe!" *Krang!*

The middle Mercenary gets a face full of heavy, metallic death. The other two Mercenaries are enveloped in flames shortly afterwards.

Norie dispels the Battle Axe with a tired sigh. "Thank you for the help, Laurent."

The Mage gives Noire a friendly nod. "It is only natural to help an ally in battle. What's more, I believe I have found a new use of the Slow spell."

Seeing as we have the momentum and are gaining ground, I scan the battlefield for Say'ri. Now, where…

Ah, there she is. Girl's doing well for her first time fighting with us. My old Windcleaver practically sings as she swings the lethal blade through the air. I note that her fighting style revolves around dodging or parrying and then retaliating in a single smooth motion. Defense, offense, defense, offense. It's like seeing a swinging pendulum in motion, only more complex.

She does run into trouble in the form of a Great Knight, however. The mounted soldier makes full use of his longer Steel Lance to keep Say'ri at bay while steadily pushing her back. Between a disadvantage in reach and a relentless opponent sitting on a relentless horse, Say'ri finds herself on the defensive.

*Clang!* "Got you covered!"

Good thing Flavia's nearby. The reigning khan deflects a lance thrust with her arm guard and pushes the Great Knight back far enough to give Say'ri some breathing room. One moment is all she needs. The Swordmaster rushes our from behind Flavia and flanks the Great Knight. Now it's the Great Knight's turn to block with his shield. The blows rain down, but the valmese holds firm under Say'ri's assault while keeping a wary eye on Flavia. He manages to time deflecting a thrust from Say'ri and pushes her back before he winds up for a lance thrust. That's when Say'ri stands her ground and swings down _hard_.

*Shing!* "Guh!"

The Great Knight gets caught flatfooted as Say'ri sends a windblade right into his armored chest. Judging from the thin line of red coming from the distinct slash mark on the breastplate, it's safe to assume Say'ri managed to cut through his armor.

And that's when Flavia comes down with a brutal overhead swing and splits clean through his helmet and his head.

Say'ri releases a breath. "Mercy, friend."

Flavia flips some hair over her shoulder. "Anytime, sister. Happy to help."

Looks like she can handle herself against opponents of this level.

"Where are you looking!" a Knight shouts as he charges me. I shove his lance aside with Harvest Moon, jump over his shield, and land behind him with Harvest Moon at his neck. And pull.

*Shing*

The decapitated Knight collapses on the ground. Sigh. This is so easy it's almost boring. Though I suppose it's better than constantly being pushed to my limits and generally hardly contributing at all. Besides, I've got more enemies coming my way. Good thing I have a trusted ally nearby.

I step close to my son. "Ready, Morgan?"

Morgan raises his lightsaber. "Ready, Father."

My son and I leap headfirst into the enemy ranks. I lead the charge with a Rasengan in hand.

*Boom!*

We land on the small impact crater I blasted into the cobblestone, and go to town on our enemies from there. Thanks to both of us using Mind's eye, we can swing around as recklessly as we want without fearing that we'll hit each other. Which is good, considering how sharp harvest Moon is, and I have no doubt Morgan's lightsaber is potent in its own right.

I rush a Mage and swing low at his legs before I pivot. Moments later, Morgan jumps over me and follows up with an overhead swing. With my back turned to my son, I make a wide horizontal swing all around me. Morgan backflips over the swing and turns in midair before he stabs a Cavalier in the shoulder. Then he kicks off the Cavalier's side as I come in with a full circle swing than ends with me stabbing Harvest Moon's blade in the cobble stone. I heave myself over the shaft and drop kick a Mercenary, and simultaneously dodge an Elthunder spell that Morgan launches at a Knight. Both Morgan and I turn around and charge each other.

*Bzm! Shing!*

We stop back-to-back on opposite sides. In front of me, a Fighter falls to the ground in two pieces. Another one does the same in front of Morgan.

We both turn around and high-five.

"Now that's teamwork!" I say with a proud grin.

Morgan matches my grin. "With tactics to tip the scales!"

"Nah! Look out!" we hear Cherche shout.

Morgan and I look to where we heard the Wyvern Rider shout. While Cherche herself is busy with a General, Nah has a hard time against a Dark Mage who keeps flinging Elwind spells her way. While I have no doubt she could normally handle herself, I notice how my niece keeps swaying back and forth with a spaced-out look in her eyes.

Curses! Looks like the drug hasn't been completely flushed out of her system yet!

"I'll help Nah! You go assist Cherche!" I tell Morgan.

"Got it!"

Good thing I still kept the shield I, ahem, _borrowed_ from the Paladin earlier. This should come in handy in helping my niece. All I have to do is pull out the shield, take aim…

...and YEET!

*Whang!*

"It is written in the Book of honorable dudes: Thou shalt not abuse the loli!" I yell while pointing at the downed Dark Mage.

"I don't think he can hear you, Jack-sensei." Cynthia points out as she lands beside the unstable Nah. "Come on, Nah. Let's get you back to the ship for more bedrest."

"Ride horsey…" the half-manakete slurs as Cynthia places her on Deku and takes off.

Glad that's taken care of. There's more soldiers coming in from the port town, likely because Say'ri's gone, and they can therefore focus all their strength on fighting us.

Hm… There's a Paladin without a shield among their ranks. He looks familiar.

Said Paladin spots me, and sees red.

"GEEET HIIIIIM!"

Oh, it's that guy. Thought I recognized him.

Robin sidles up to me, Levin Sword in hand. "Jack, what did you do after you left the ship?"

I shrug. "I might've drawn the ire of a good portion of their troops stationed here and led them on a wild goose chase through half the town before I denied them the satisfaction of capturing me. Oh, and I stole that guy's shield while I was at it."

My wife raises an eyebrow. "That explains the lack of shield."

It says a lot about my wife's mental fortitude in that she took the whole "wild goose chase" part without any issue. She's come a long way.

Oh, right. I've got a pissed off Paladin charging at me with Silver Lance in hand and murder in his eyes. Can't forget about him. Or his buddies trying their hardest to keep up.

Robin and I meet them head-on and split up a few paces before contact. The Paladin, predictably, goes after me and swings his lance. I jump over the swing and hook Harvest Moon's blade against the shaft of the Silver Lance. That lets me swing around the polearm before I pin it in place with one foot and pivot on it to send the other in the Paladin's face. I float down gently to the ground as the rider drops his weapon and crashes on the ground. Impressively enough, he's soon back on his feet and draws the Steel Sword kept at his side. I shrug before I shift Harvest Moon into a sword as well, get in a stance, and make a come-hither motion.

*Clang!*

For someone who's clearly enraged, this Paladin shows a remarkable amount of restraint. Sure, he's pissed at me, but not to the point that he swings at me in a blind rage. His form is actually good for a rank-and-file soldier.

Still leagues behind mine and Lon'qu's though.

*Shing!*

"Guh! Gahah…"

The Paladin collapses from a deep gash right across his gut. He falls to the ground, cleaved Steel Sword still clutched tightly in his hand.

Meanwhile, Robin's sending lightning bolts with deadly precision at a pair of Fighters. Judging from how twitchy their movements are, they've taken some heavy punishment at this point. One of them try their luck and manage a zig-zag maneuver before he comes close to my wife and aims a horizontal swing.

That's when his nerves act up at the worst possible moment and he freezes in his wind-up motion. He gets a point-blank Elfire spell in his face for his trouble.

That's also when I notice a Warrior standing a few paces behind those soldiers, with his bow aimed at my wife right where the flames obscure her line of sight.

I point my free hand at Robin and pull her to me with Telekinesis. She gives of a surprised yelp as she literally flies backwards and into my embrace. Moments later, she notices the arrow fly where her chest was.

Robin turns around smiling. "Thanks for the save."

I smile back. "Any time, Robin. Now how about we tag team them?"

Robin smirks as she readies her sword in one hand and her tome in the other. "My thoughts exactly."

As we charge to meet the remaining Valmese soldiers head-on, I ready a wind spell for my wife.

"Get ready to jump!" I shout and cast it on the ground where she's about to run.

The vortex of air that I made gives Robin a big enough boost to jump clear over the Valmese soldiers while dropping an Elthunder spell on their heads in the process. The moment the spell ends, I speed up and weave in between their ranks while slashing in every direction I can manage. I slide to a stop on the opposite side as my wife lands.

Robin concentrates her mana into her Levin Sword, causing the lightning bolt to stick to the blade and increase its length instead of shooting out as it normally does. Meanwhile, I slap the ground for a quick Transmutation.

"Let 'em have it!" I shout as the sparks travel along the ground.

The ground under their feet heaves up in a jerking motion, sending the Valmese soldiers still alive up in the air and completely defenseless as Robin raises the lightning coated sword.

*Krzzt!*

The blade of pure lightning grows until reaches the rooftops. A single swing fries the remaining enemy soldiers with the expected cracking sound of a lighting strike. They all fall to the ground charred, twitching and, most importantly, dead.

I give Robin a thumbs-up. "We should do this more often."

My wife giggles. "As if we don't spend almost all our time outside of battle together already."

 **BGM ends**

 **Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy approaching!**

My eye twitches at the alert. Just as I have a moment with my wife, the big bad finally decides to show up? Seriously, the valmese have the worst timing ever.

* * *

 **Farber Lvl 46 Class: Dark Knight**

* * *

"Long live the emperor! Death to all who oppose him!"

Oh, great. And it's one of those generic boss types to boot. Can this guy get any more cliché?

I sigh and shift Harvest Moon into scythe form. "Let's just get this over with. These guys are getting tiring."

"Hang on, Jack-sensei! Let us handle this one!" I hear Cynthia shout.

I turn around and, lo and behold, the Pegasus Knight is back with Lucina and Cynthia in tow.

Severa raises an eyebrow. "Remind me why we're doing this?"

Cynthia gives off a megawatt grin. "Because this is the perfect for us to show Sensei how far we've come! Besides, aren't you curious about how well our teamwork holds up?"

"I'm sensing a backstory." I point out.

"The three of us learned to work together as a result of growing up in the same home." Lucina explains. "We learned to apply this in battle long before we came back in time. However, it's been a long time since we joined together like this."

Severa flips a pigtail over her shoulder. "Hmph. I suppose I could give it a shot. This guy doesn't look that strong compared to what we've gone up against before on our own, and now it's all three of us."

Cynthia pumps her fist. "Yeah! Let's show Jack-sensei our very own Triangle Attack! Sound the call, Luci!"

Severa gives the Pegasus Knight a dry look. "You're still going on about that Justice Cabal schtick? We're not kids anymore, Cynthia."

Cynthia puffs her cheeks. "Hey! No one disses the Justice Cabal! Least of all a founding member!"

The redheaded princess's eyebrow twitches. "That was years ago! I'm not putting up with it any longer!"

"We might as well humor her, Severa." Lucina sighs. "You know Cynthia is more cooperative if she's motivated. And nothing motivates her more than the cause of the Justice Cabal."

"Fine." Severa huffs. "But if we end up humiliating ourselves in front of the whole army, I'm blaming you two."

Farber scowls at the three girls. "You children think of this as some game? This is war! Surrender now, or your lives will be forfeit!"

Severa rolls her eyes as she draws Laevateinn. "Ugh. Could you get _any_ more predictable with your lines? We haven't even started, and I'm already losing interest in this battle."

Lucina hardens her features as she draws Parallel Falchion. "Best be on your guard, Severa. This is an officer in the Valmese army. We cannot afford to take him lightly."

"Yeah, yeah. Underestimating you opponent will get you killed and all that. I know."

Lucina and Severa crouch in matching battle stances while Cynthia takes to the skies.

"Sisters, form up!" Lucina commands. "Attack formation Delta!"

 **BGM:** **Passion of the tridental mages (vs three Mage-sisters), Kirby: Star Allies music**

Lucina takes the lead and charges Farber head-on. The Dark Knight draws his Silver Sword and kicks his horse into action. The charge meets an abrupt end as Cynthia descends on him like a hawk, lance first.

*Clang!*

Farber grunts at the force of the blow, but manages to hold fast. That's when Lucina reaches him and leaps to swing at the Valmese rider directly. Farber responds by having his horse rear back on its hooves and thrash at Lucina while pushing Cynthia away at the same time.

"Ugh, move, Lucina!" Severa shouts as she slips in from her sister's right.

Farber deflects Severa's swing and smoothly switches to retaliation moments later to make use of the brief opening he forced on the redhead.

"Forget about me?" Lucina shouts as she blocks the swing.

That's when Cynthia returns for another attack run. Unlike last time, green sparks dance along her Steel Lance.

"Here I come~!"

Farber pulls his horse away and gets some distance from the female trio. Cynthia thrusts her lance at his previous location moments later with enough force to shatter some of the cobblestone.

Farber's entire posture changes at this point. Quite reasonable, since it's clear the three girls make for a strikingly good team. The girls in question retake their positions, ready for the next exchange.

Farber reaches behind his back and pulls out an Arcfire tome. The arcane book is flipped open with its pages glowing bright red.

Lucina's eyes widen. "Scatter!"

Moments later, flames swirl to life at their position. Farber keeps casting Elfire spells with pinpoint accuracy and tries to score a hit on either Lucina or Severa. Fortunately for the girls, Lucina's Wavedash gives her just enough mobility to dodge the conjured flames while Severa manages to use her own Fire mastery to tank the spells with little effort.

Seeing as he's got the sisters handled, Farber directs his attention at Cynthia. The Dark Knight frowns in thought before he kicks his horse into motion again. The horse gallops over the cobblestone, jumps on a few crates and, to everyone's shock, takes to a nearby rooftop. From there, Farber commands his horse to jump, putting him at the same height as Cynthia.

And that's while he's got both hands occupied with weapons and no hands on the reins. The only thing holding him in the saddle is immense legwork used on the tread cover.

The Valmese commander swings his sword at Cynthia, backed with the inertia of an entire horse at full speed.

*Clang!* "Eep!"

The swing is so powerful and unanticipated that Cynthia ends up being flung off her pegasus and into the town.

"Cynthia!" Lucina shouts in alarm.

"Don't worry, she can take it. I've seen her hurt herself harder during training." Severa assures her sister.

Farber's horse lands back on the ground. "If you have time to worry for your comrade, then take the time to worry for yourselves!" the rider shouts.

Rune circles appear over the pages of Farber's tome again as he makes a new charge at the sisters. Severa slides in front of Lucina and braces herself for another fire spell.

Farber raises his tome skywards. "Arcthunder!"

"Wait, wha-" *Krzzt!* "Gah!"

Severa falls to her knees as she gets blindsided by the lightning spell. Lucina's eyes widen in alarm again before she focuses on Farber and hardens her gaze. The elder princess dashes past Severa and rears Parallel Falchion back. Some six paces from Farber, Lucina jumps and aims the sword at his chest.

Farber responds with another brutal swing that stops Lucina's attack on the dot and makes the princess stumble backwards. That's when she notices a red rune circle glow under her feet.

Lucina's Eye of the exalt flares to life.

*Fwoom!* *Ching, ching, ching, ching!*

The boost in reaction speed helps Lucina parry the Elfire spell cast at her. Unfortunately, the flames also obscure her vision. By the time they disperse, Farber is already in front of her mid-swing.

"Hah!" *Clang!*

Due to her timing being disrupted, Lucina misses the timeframe for the parry and drops Parallel Falchion due to the resulting sloppy block instead.

Her problems only get bigger as Farber turns his horse around to have the mount kick Lucina away. By the time she stops rolling on the ground, Farber's tome already glows brighter than before due to him chanting an aria.

"Meet your maker! Arcfire!"

A massive torrent of flames erupts from the rune circle that appears before the Dark Knight. Lucina only has time to get up on her knees as she sees the fire spell approach and finds herself frozen in shock.

*Fwoom!*

"Ghhh!"

"Severa?!"

Lucina stumbles back upright in shock at seeing her sister place herself in front of her and shield her from certain death by fire magic. Judging from the sparks jumping across the redhead's body, the lighting spell is still affecting her.

"Wipe that smile off!" Severa grunts through the pain as she staves off the Arcfire spell. A few seconds later, the flames stop trying to fry the princesses and seemingly wrap themselves around Laevateinn instead.

Farber's eyes widen in shock. "Impossible… This girl is more skilled in fire magic than I?!"

"This _girl_ is about to school you in how you're really supposed to combine swordplay with magic, you dunce." Severa replies as she brandishes Laevateinn and dashes at Farber.

The flames enveloping Laevateinn gives Severa an extra bit of reach, which is enough to stop Farber's swordplay. Adding to that is that her fighting style is so relentless that Farber finds himself unable to focus and cast spells properly.

Meanwhile, Lucina looks around for Parallel Falchion, but seems to have little success in locating the divine sword.

"Luci! Catch!"

Lucina looks in the direction the voice came from and catches a Steel Lance thrown at her. Cynthia's back in action and has her Savage Lynel Crusher out. A whistle, and she back on her pegasus and in the sky again. Lucina hardens her features and twirls the Steel Lance a few times before she runs back into the fray.

Huh… I didn't know Lucina had gained Polearm mastery. She must've trained with Sumia and her mother while I was away. And judging from how well she handles the lance, she's put a considerable amount of practice into that form.

As Severa notices her allies return to her side, the Mercenary kicks it up a notch in her clash against Farber.

"Time to end this! You're boring me!"

Severa swipes at the legs of Farber's horse, which gets dodged. Right after the swing, Severa jumps into the air and brings down the tip of Laevateinn at the Dark Knight.

*Shink!*

Farber manages to dodge that strike as well. Before he can retaliate, Severa pulls Laevateinn out of the ground and repeats her attempts at skewering Farber on her burning blade. Farber manages to dodge each attempt, but every time the cycle repeats itself, he notices that cobblestones get stuck on the blade as Severa pulls the sword out. And, as heavy as those stones are, Severa seems to swing the sword with the extra weight with little trouble. Instead, the golden weapon only becomes a different kind of dangerous as the sword gradually turns into a crude bludgeon – and the stones catch fire as well!

Severa has about half a dozen burning stones impaled on Laevateinn when she jumps into the air and swings her sword _hard_. That flings all the stones off the sword and in an arc against Farber. The Dark Knight does his best to block the attack with sword and magic alike, but one burning stone manages to clip him on the temple, causing him to sway unsteadily on his horse.

It's at this point that Lucina catches up to the dueling pair. The blue-haired princess twirls the Steel Lance and adds both Wavedashing and L-cancels after each leap to unleash a veritable storm of stabs and swipes on Farber. Due to the hit to the head he received earlier, Farber finds himself unable to retaliate properly.

And that's when he finds himself in a shadow that keeps growing.

Cynthia descends on the Dark Knight with One for All covering her whole body in green sparks. "This is the end, friend! Thalis Smash!" *Ka-bram!*

The swing leaves a blinding flash upon impact and sends Farber skidding back. By the time his horse manages to stop, his right arm hangs limply at his side.

Severa moves Laevateinn in a circular motion that stops with the tip pointing up. The redhead takes a breath before she opens her eyes to reveal a steely gaze.

"My turn! Dragon Fang!"

Severa swings her sword down. As the swing ends, the flames enveloping the blade erupt in Farber's direction and soon morph into the shape of a snarling serpent dragon, complete with yellow glowing eyes. Farber raises his good arm and chants a fire spell to counter, but finds his magic quickly overwhelmed before he himself receives the brunt of the blazing attack.

And that's when Lucina steps up with the Eye of the exalt blazing with renewed vigor. "You will not stop me!"

The elder princess flips the Steel Lance, takes aim and hurls the polearm with a war cry. The lance flies through the flames and nails Farber in the chest so hard that he falls off his horse.

 **BGM ends**

"I may fall…but we are legion… You cannot stop…the Conqueror…" Farber groans before he goes limp.

 **Farber has been killed!  
Lucina has leveled up! Severa has leveled up! Cytnhia has leveled up!**

"Mercy, friends! The tales of your strength were no exaggeration…" Say'ri exclaims in disbelief. "Come. We have much to talk about."

Robin nods. "All right. But let's make sure everyone gets to land in the harbor first. We need to set up a base of operations before we can even begin to organize anything else."

The Swordmaster nods. "Of course."

* * *

I approach Lucina with Parallel Falchion in hand. "Here, Lucina. I noticed you've been looking for this for a while now."

Lucina breaths out in relief as she reclaims her sword. "Thank you, Master Jack. I feared I'd never find it again. By the way, where did it land?"

"In a pile of crates near the docks, of all places. What's even weirder was that the crates got all smashed from the impact." I grin jokingly. "Heh. Even when it's no longer in Chrom's hands, that sword _still_ manages to wreck stuff. How there are no records of the Hero-King wielding Falchion without accidentally wrecking a castle or two in the process, I'll probably never know."

Lucina raises an eyebrow. "I doubt King Marth would ever wield the sacred blade in such a crude fashion. Besides, what makes you think such records could even exist?"

I shrug. "Considering how Chrom wields the sword and the fact that I've seen you smash a wall or two during your practice as well, I figured it runs in the family. I mean, I've seen Severa hit a man so hard, he flew right through a castle wall."

"That was ONE TIME, Sensei!" the red-haired princess yells exasperated.

I chuckle before I raise an eyebrow at Lucina. "So… Care to tell me more about this "Justice Cabal" thing?"

Lucina rubs her arm nervously. "Um… Well…"

"It's a little something Luci and Sevvy made up with me back when we had just started training under you, Jack-sensei." Cynthia explains. "Since we were all children of the Shepherds, we thought it'd be cool if everyone from our generation could form a band to fight evil and protect the innocents too. Gotta hand over the mantle to the next generation at some point, right?" Cynthia grins. "That was Sevvy's idea."

Severa's face turns as red as her hair as she crosses her arms and looks away. "It- I was a child back then, okay?"

"And the name of your band?" I inquire.

Cynthia's grin reaches megawatt levels. "That was my idea! We couldn't go call ourselves "the second Shepherds" or anything like that. That would be too predictable. We needed something that highlighted our cause, something to truly inspire the people we would protect and strike fear in the hearts of our enemies!"

I give the Pegasus Knight a dry look. "And so, you came up with the "Justice Cabal"…"

Cynthia nods, completely oblivious to my disbelief. "I mean, couldn't just announce our identities to the whole world all the time. Part of a secret organization of heroes is keeping the identities of the members secret to all but a select few trusted ones outside, right?"

If possible, the look I'm giving Cynthia gets even dryer. I dread the day the girl discovers the Justice league, Avengers, X-men, etcetera, so on and so forth…

"Of course, Luci had to be our leader." the Pegasus Knight continues. "She's always been good at taking charge and making things work. Must have it from her father."

"What, and I don't?" Severa growls.

Cynthia waves her childhood friend's ire off. "Oh, you're reliable too, Sevvy. Gods know how many times you've saved my bacon."

"Mostly because you just can't stay out of trouble." the redhead mutters.

Lucina sighs with an awkward smile. "Be that as it may, when Severa and Cynthia presented the idea to me, I was a bit sceptic at first, of course. But as the days went by, I just couldn't get rid of the thought. It just sounded to good to pass up. So in the end, the three of us agreed to form our very own secret band of heroes. Thinking back, it may have mostly been out of a childish desire to be like our parents – or at least like the way we saw them. Heroic. Noble. Brave. We wanted to be like that. And before we knew it, others in our generation caught wind of our secret and eventually became members themselves."

Severa rubs her temples. "Not exactly easy to keep a secret band of kid heroes secret when so many of us were gathered in the same spot. I _still_ can't believe our parents never suspected anything for years. And what gave it away? A paper trail left behind by Laurent. LAURENT! The guy's obsessed with tidiness, and he's the one who ultimately blew our cover."

Lucina gives her sister a pleading look. "Severa, could you please let it go? Laurent has been lamenting his carelessness that day ever since. There's no need to further remind him of his blunder. Besides, when our parents eventually found out about our secrets, they welcomed it."

"Not after we spent a full week arguing with them about the whole thing." Severa counters. "And that's _after_ they were done hunting Sensei down."

"And how do I fit into the picture?" I ask in disbelief.

Cynthia shuffles her feet. "That…might've been because of me."

I narrow my eyes. "Explain. Now."

Cynthia gulps. "Well, I thought: every hero needs an origin story, right? Some were born into a grand destiny, while some simply chose to take action at the right time. But no matter where they come from, every hero needs a mentor to train under so they can fulfill their duty. And since you were already training everyone in our generation, I figured you fit the bill perfectly. So I…kind of named you the Grandmaster of Justice without you knowing."

"And your parents found out about that, connected whatever dots they could think of, and placed all the blame on me." I conclude flatly.

"To be fair, all of this would end up becoming our saving grace." Lucina points out. "When the Fell dragon rose, the Shepherds fell one by one. I knew the name of the Hero-King would inspire the people greatly, but as great as King Marth was, he was only one man, as was I. Like him, I would need an army to fight the calamity."

Cynthia's all smiles and pep again. "And that's how the rest of us signed up to join Luci. We had already formed our band of heroes in our childhood. It was finally time to fulfill our sworn duty for real."

"A "sworn duty" that we took up as kids without knowing any better." Severa reminds her friend with an eyeroll.

"Aw, don't be like that, Severa. It worked out in the end, didn't it?"

"No, it did NOT!" Severa yells back. "That's the whole reason we're back in time in the first place! We couldn't fight Grima head-on, so we had to go back to a time before that monster got as powerful as it did!"

Lucina nods. "Which is why it is so important for us to find our remaining comrades. I fear we will need every capable fighter we can get when the time eventually comes to prevent the Fell dragon's return." The eldest princess rubs her arm. "If only I knew where to find them."

Cynthia places a hand on Lucina's shoulder. "We'll find them, Luci. You'll see." the Pegasus Knight grins at me. "And this time, we have our very own Grandmaster of Justice to guide us along the way, just like old times!"

"Please stop calling me that." I mutter. "I didn't even sign up for this "Justice Cabal" schtick."

 **By learning of future events, you have earned a new title! You gained the title "Grandmaster of Justice"!**

* * *

Say'ri gives a short bow to Chrom. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am called Say'ri, and I fight with the Resistance."

Chrom raises an eyebrow in surprise. "So there is an organized resistance?"

Say'ri nods. "Aye, of sorts. Several groups formed to seek liberty for the states of Valm."

Chrom rubs his chin. "I thought the emperor had stamped out all dissenters…"

Say'ri allows a small smirk. "He tries, but we Resistance are a slippery lot. We strike hard and then vanish again into the dark of night. Even now rebels ride to the banner of dynasts across the continent. United, we could pose a veritable threat to Walhart. And so, for some time I have struggled to bring us together."

Flavia frowns. "What's stopping you?"

Say'ri sighs. "Greed. Jealousy. Sloth. All the old weaknesses of man. The dynasts all would have freedom, but on their own terms. Some refuse to take up arms unless their territory is threatened. Others thrive under the Conqueror's heel and will not join unless there is profit in it. Liberty is a fine word, aye, but not always enough to rouse men from foolishness."

I facepalm and groan. "In other words, politics. Why is the deciding factor stopping major changes always freakin' POLITICS?! I get that it's important to manage how things are run in a country, but the lengths almost every single ruler is willing to go to have their way at the expense of the greater good is absurd. Can't we just assassinate the lot of them, put someone actually competent and responsible in their place, and _then_ try to organize this resistance of yours?"

The others look at me with varying degrees of shock, disbelief, and horror.

I shrug. "What? Don't tell me the thought never crossed your mind. If it's obvious that the current head honcho in charge is just being a hindrance for the right thing, you're all better off without him sitting on his overgrown behind and instead replace him with someone who can actually do the blasted job and _not_ screw everyone else over for the sake of personal profit. Seriously, there's a reason why concentrating all the political power on one person has a long history of backfiring spectacularly. Power _corrupts_. If you don't divide it among a few people to create a balance of sorts, it's only a matter of time before the current ruler turns into a self-centered moron and drags his whole country with him to Hell. Chosen by the gods to rule, my foot…"

Robin pokes me on the forehead. "Jack, we are not here to push our views on politics onto another country, no matter how much we disagree with the current system. We have a war to fight. Besides, going with your plan would make us no better than the empire."

I cross my arms and puff my cheeks. "Tell that to the poor commoners toiling under some man-child of a lord who doesn't even try to understand what's going on outside his gaudy mansion, all while his vassals leech off his riches behind his back."

My wife gives me a dry look. "Surely your opinion of the nobility isn't _that_ low."

"Case in point: Gaston Ferros." I counter. "Doesn't exactly help that the impression I get from Say'ri's story only reinforces my argument about said nobles of this continent. You'd be surprised how many ministers there are who slip the occasional boon or two into their pockets when they think no one's watching, only to blame everyone else when the whole system collapses because they're the ones who ended up robbing the system of everything."

Robin's look gets even dryer. "I've taken part in some of the meetings that Emmeryn usually holds with various nobles from all across Ylisse. Trust me. I know."

I raise an eyebrow. "And the reason why you don't call out on their asinine schemes?"

"One: I don't have enough evidence to expose them in front of Emmeryn, no matter how badly I want to. Two: The resources I need if I wanted to conduct an investigation are needed elsewhere. Three…" My wife smirks. "Why waste time on proving what everybody already knows, when I can simply return the favor and rob them of more than they took without anyone being the wiser? I'm the head tactician of the whole halidom for a reason."

I blink in disbelief before I grin. "You sly vixen. You are among the most terrifying women I know, and it only makes me love you more. My hat's off for you, my love."

Robin flips some hair behind her shoulder with a triumphant smirk. "And I can do it all while sitting behind a desk."

My grin turns predatory. "And if anyone tries to stop you with force, I can retaliate with even greater force before they know what's happening."

Robin's smirk turns downright devilish. "Oh, the things we could accomplish if we decided cut all ties and start a coup." Then she shakes her head with a fond smile. "Which is the exact reason why I have no intentions of rising to power. I know fully well you would support me in anything I'd set my mind to, even if it meant that I'm trying to create my very own empire."

The predatory gleam in my grin vanishes. "Ah, phooey. Well, at least I know you have a plan in case relations with House Ylisse sour."

"I _always_ have a plan, Jack." Robin points out smugly (but not without basis).

"I know, my dear. I know."

Flavia coughs into her fist. "Riiight. Ignoring the potential impact those two could have on politics across the whole world if left unchecked, I take it you're looking for a more convincing argument to unite this "Resistance" of yours, are you, Say'ri?"

"Just so." Say'ri confirms. "Although my efforts thus far have met with meager success. I fear many distrust me because my brother fights for Walhart."

Basilio scratches his head bewildered. "Why does he support the empire?"

Say'ri clenches her fist and grits her teeth. "Would that I knew, good sir. Yen'fay was a good man once, but he is my brother no more! If we meet on the battlefield, I would cut him down, same as any other imperial."

Ouch. If Yen'fay ever learned Say'ri said that, it'd be a hard emotional blow on him. Sure, the man has the mental fortitude to match a mountain, but even the greatest rock can be ground to dust if chipped long enough.

"Walhart is said to command a million men now. Perhaps more." the Swordmaster continues. "Sooner or later he will stamp out the Resistance entirely, if we do not unite."

Lissa's jaw hits the ground. "Um, Chrom? Did she just say he has a MILLION soldiers?!"

"Ha! And what are one million men against the Ylissean dogs of war?! You stopped a thousand of their ships, did you not?" Say'ri retorts. "Your daring strategy has awoken and inspired people across all of Valm. Together we can yet unite the Resistance and break Walhart's grip!"

Several of us sweatdrop at Say'ri's reasoning.

"I'm gonna have to stop you there, Say'ri." I interject. "As famous as we are after the last war, thinking that we can defeat a million men with our ranks alone is stretching it. While I know I can defeat my fair share of the imperial ranks, I can't speak for my allies – not even my wife. And she's terrifying on an entirely different level."

It's not like we're all characters in a Dynasty Warriors game, where any character worth getting named can easily defeat over a thousand enemies within 15 minutes by running around and swinging their weapon like a loon without taking so much as a scratch.

FE Warriors notwithstanding.

Say'ri shakes her head. "Be that as it may, you are my only hope to unite the Resistance and have a fighting chance against the empire." Then she gets down on her knees and bows to Chrom. "Help me, Prince Chrom! I beg of you!"

Frederick frowns in thought. "Milord?"

Chrom crosses his arms and closes his eyes to think. "This is no easy thing you ask of me. I have my own causes: a halidom to save and a future to win. I know a great battle has been foretold, but is this it? How to know?" Chrom opens his eyes and nods. "Still I admire you courage… Perhaps your mission is the best way to achieve mine. So yes, Say'ri. I will join my cause with your own. And if I'm wrong, it's my life on the line."

"…As it should be." Chrom adds silently for himself.

The prince gets a few looks that range from quizzical (Say'ri) to concerned (everyone else).

"Now. What will it take to unite your people?" Chrom presses on.

Say'ri gets up from her kneeling. "Well, I do have one idea… Since ancient times, many of our people have worshipped Naga. More precisely, we worship the divine dragon's oracle, Lady Tiki. Though most know her only as the Voice. The Voice is trapped in her temple as Walhart's prisoner. But if she were freed…"

Robin perks up as she catches on. "The Resistance could unite around her. Where is the Voice being held?"

"There is a shrine built in the branches of the divine Mila Tree. She is confined there." Say'ri reveals.

Chrom nods resolutely. "Then we have our plan. As soon as we establish a base here in Valm, we set out for that tree."

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Main quest: Smoldering resistance  
** _While establishing a foothold on the Valmese continent, a Swordmaster named Say'ri informs that Walhart's empire isn't as unchallenged as it might've first seemed. Pockets of resistance have sprung up all over the continent – enough to match the empire's strength should they reunite. But with an overwhelming army at his command and the Resistance disorganized, it's only a matter of time before the Conqueror crushes the last obstacle and makes his rule over the continent absolute. Your best bet to unite the Resistance into a cohesive unit is to unite them under a banner that all can gather under; the Voice of Naga. Free the Voice, and the Resistance as a whole should (theoretically) side with you.  
_ **Objective:** _Defeat all Valmese soldiers. Don't let Say'ri die.  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
** **Rewards:** _You gained_ _15 000 EXP! You gained 15 000 gold!_

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

 **Say'ri:** We must round the continent? Why?

 **Flavia:** It's that, or we travel the main roads that are most likely packed with imperials. We'll be spotted and outnumbered within days.

*Camera shows the Shepherds climbing a mountain range*

 **Robin:** Now, if only we didn't have to climb this blasted mountain! Why are mountains so steep?!

 **Chrom:** That's the least of our concerns. Look.

*Grimleal pop up everywhere on an old fortress*

 **Grimleal:** All hail Master Grima!

 **Lucina:** So that's why the nearby villages are so empty. You fiends! How many lives have you slaughtered in the name of that monster?!

 **Grimleal:** How many cups of tea have you had in your life?

 **Inigo:** And that's my cue to swoop in, kill these crazy cultists, and impress the ladies.

 **Virion:** Ah, a fellow man of culture, I see.

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Inigo's bizarre adventure! Your next words will be: "I smell a JoJo's reference"!**

 **Jack:** I smell a- Hey, what's the big idea?!

 **Rose:** Wry.

* * *

 **Omake: The Book of honorable dudes, Preface**

"Hm? What's that book, Dad?" Rose asks Jack curiously.

The Reaper looks up from the pages he's reading to address his daughter. "Oh, this? A little something I picked up during my travels. I had no idea such a title even existed, but lo and behold, it turned out to be a diamond in the rough. Hub worlds like Traverse Town have some interesting stuff for sale."

Rose leans down to get a glimpse of the cover.

"The Book of honorable dudes?" the Dark Mage reads with a raised eyebrow.

Jack nods. "A book that any male should read from the day they come of age. I dare say the world would be a better place if they did. We'd have fewer jerks running about, for starters."

Rose gives her father a skeptic look. "It can't be _that_ influential, could it?"

Jack smiles, bookmarks the page he's at and hands the book to Rose. "Why don't you read it yourself? If anything, it should be a good indicator what to look for in a man if you ever want to get married."

"Not if you send him running for the hills first." Rose mutters and flips the cover open.

* * *

 _The term "dude" is, by its nature, a very loose definition that seeks to encompass the male population as a whole from the start of adolescence to an age in which a man is considered a geezer. Even then, there are recorded cases of men well in their 80's who have shown personality traits typically seen in a standard dude not even a third of their age. The reason this term is so loose and attempts to encompass so many males is quite simple; despite the label of "dude", the ones carrying it are individual people as well, and therefore have unique personalities that come with them (contrary to what others may claim)._

 _Defining what makes a "dude" is therefore by no means a simple task. Strictly speaking, the definition is largely up to the individual in question to decide on his own. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, including this one. People who are close to him can identify him as a dude based on his actions and personality even though he himself either denies it or is oblivious altogether. The opposite is a possible scenario as well, though tends to be more tragic for various reasons regarding the man's maturity. More on this in chapter 16: "What makes a man"._

 _Building on the fact that each dude is a living and unique individual at his core, it's a widely known fact that dudes come in all shapes and kinds, all with a moral compass adjusted according to their experiences in life. Just like normal people. Even so, it's acknowledged among males in many cultures that there is one thing that every man needs; honor._

 _Like the concept of dudes, the term "honor" is notoriously difficult to grasp, mainly because what is considered admirable, and should therefore be strived for, varies greatly depending on which culture in which this question is asked._

 _Despite these variances and disparities, decades of research and copious amounts of interviews with males universally recognized as exemplary dudes has allowed psychologists (of varying degrees of professional ability) to boil down what dudes in general would consider an acceptable and universal code of honor that they can call their own. The reasons for why this research was conducted in the first place are many and is further addressed in chapter 3: "How one woman's frustration with her boyfriend spurred the greatest undertaking in male psychological research since cracking the bro code"._

 _If you are reading this book, you are either a dude who wishes to learn the honorable ways for various reasons, or a female who wants to figure out how an honorable dude works. Regardless, we wish that the words written within these pages will help you understand dudes in general better while also inspiring you to become a better person. That is, after all, the main purpose of this book._

 _Sincerely, the Divine Board of Ascended Dudes, Bros and Men among men._

* * *

Rose looks up from the preface with a bewildered expression on her face. "Dad, what the heck did you pick up?"

Jack shrugs. "The contents pretty much spell out everything you need to know. It's a great way to teach the younger generation of men how to integrate themselves in society without turning themselves into faceless nobodies. No one wants to be a beta male."

"Ignoring the possibility to guiding a whole future generation with just a book, what part were you reading?"

Jack is about to respond when the ground briefly shakes and a pillar of smoke is seen in the distance.

"In the name of justice, hold it right there, villain!"

"Cynthia, stop! He's almost dead!"

Jack rubs his temples. "Oh, for the love of- That's it. Next lesson with Cynthia will be _entirely_ dedicated to teaching her restraint." As Jack heads on over to the site, he mutters under his breath. "What have I told that girl about blasting One for All at 100 % without the proper conditioning?"

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner:**

 **Stoned, Status condition  
** _Whatever got you in this state must've been some strong stuff, 'cause you are HIGH. You're in no condition to perform any complex tasks, let alone fight. The glassy-eyed empty look and unsteady posture would make you a prime target for enemy units anyway. Get a medic, and get that stuff flushed out of you, pronto!  
All actions in battle become random. Reaction time is increased by 120 %. All stats decrease by 10 %._

 **Grandmaster of Justice, Title  
** _This title was given to you by a child who admired you greatly and took her hero fantasy a bit too far. Nevertheless, it shows how much upstanding children look up to you. Wear your title with pride, and help the young ones grow up to follow the straight and narrow path.  
Increases CHAR by 10 % when interacting with children._

 **Dark Knight, Class  
** _This is a rare case of a soldier trying a bit of everything. The Dark Knight attempts to leave no possibility untouched by combining mounted combat, swordplay and magic in a single unit. As a result, these riding mages are mainly known for their surprising versatility. However, going by the phrase "jack of all trades, master of none", the Dark Knight often suffers from not excelling in any area at all. If anything, trying their hands at so many areas at once often forces them to invest a lot of their time in mastering the bare basics in each area at the expense of many other aspects. Having such a wide array of abilities to improve in a limited amount of time leads to a cumbersome arsenal to battle with. The versatility may be potent, but only if applied in the right way at the right time.  
Damage dealt by swords and magic of any element increases by 5 %. Attack speed is reduced by 10 %. This unit counts as mounted._

 **Master Seal, Consumable, Rare  
** _A metallic object containing an enchanted jewel in the middle. Whoever can tap into the power in the jewel gains a tremendous boost in potential and power. For this reason, this object is sought after by soldiers and mercenaries across the world and are literally worth their weight in gold for anyone practicing the martial arts. Fights spanning over entire villages have been fought with this precious object as the prize. That is, until a blacksmith worked together with a master Sage and managed to figure out how to mass produce these seals and make them more available for anyone who can afford the steep pricetag. The pair became rich. Very rich.  
Upon use, allows a character with a base class to ascend to an advanced class. Available classes varies depending on the base class. This item vanishes after use._

* * *

 **Now I'm awfully tempted to write a miniseries based on the Book of honorable dudes just for laughs. There are two reasons as for why I'm not going through with it. For one, I want to focus all my writing on GEA to minimize distractions. Second, I feel that I simply don't have enough material to write anything substantial at the moment. While this could change over time, how that would change remains to be seen.**

 **Let's see… Say'ri is a sword-wielding youth of noble blood, hailing (most likely) from the south of the Valmese continent. She seeks to unite an army to march to an empire to the north and defeat a big, beefy emperor clad in red armor.**

 **In FE Echoes, Alm is a sword-wielding youth of noble blood (though he doesn't know this at first), hailing from the southern end of the Valentian continent. He seeks to unite an army to march to an empire to the north and defeat a big, beefy emperor clad in red armor.**

 **Coincidence? I think** _ **not**_ **!**

 **Seriously, the Valm arc has so many parallels to the story of Gaiden that it's ridiculous. That's not to say that Gaiden had a bad story. For a game whose title literally translates to "side story" in Japanese, the writing in Gaiden can easily go toe-to-toe with the story of the other FE games. If anything, the Valm arc was a great way for the developers to reference Gaiden in subtle (and not so subtle) ways, and it's one of several reasons why I like the arc, despite its awkward placement in Awakening's story.**

 **That will be all. Until next time.**

 **VipeR out.**


	27. Chapter 25

**Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **For starters, I have a confession to make: I think I overestimated the length of this fic. We may actually be past the hallway mark in this story at this point. I still stand by my statement that things will only get crazier, though.**

 **Besides that, my life seems to be moving along. December has started, and the countdown to Christmas is pretty much in the back of my head until the date arrives. Weather's a bit inconsistent for an acknowledged winter month, though it's honestly nothing new in my experience.**

 **I blame climate changes, be they caused by man or nature.**

 **Ah, but I have kept you waiting long enough. enjoy the chapter.**

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _You're about to say; I've won! Die!_ – Inigo

* * *

 **Chapter 25**

 **Inigo's bizarre adventure!  
** **Your next words will be: I smell a JoJo's reference!**

I crouch into the beginning stance of the Snake. In front of me, Yarne goes into his own stance. Silence reigns between us, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind.

A single leaf leaves its branch and slowly falls to the ground.

That's when we both spring into action and clash with our forearms against each other. As we push, I reach forward with my free arm to grab onto Yarne's. The half-taguel angles his forearm to keep the lock while crouching and sends a sweep kick at my ankles. I abandon my attempt for a throw and instead jump over my student before I spin and come down with an axe kick. Yarne rolls to the side and shoots up with his fist ready for a punch straight at my face. I manage a crossarm block, though my crouching makes the blocking angle awkward. I grunt as I get pushed back from the blow and roll with it instead of trying to stand my ground. While I try to roll into a better position, Yarne is hot on my tail and tries lunging assault after assault while I'm down.

All right, then. If he won't give me any time to get into a better position, I might as well force an opening instead. Just need to observe his movements closely, find a pattern-

*Whoosh!*

-and move in a direction he's not expecting to dodge his attack.

Yarne's eyes widen as he sees me dodge his attack by doing a handstand. From there I smirk and deliver an upside-down kick to his chest. Then I spin on my hands, flip myself upright again, and go for the offensive.

The tables have turned this time, what with Yarne needing a precious moment to regain his breath after that kick, but also trying to defend against my relentless barrage of jabs aimed with deadly precision. I add a few feints, hooks and low kicks to keep him on his toes. With the speed I'm attacking at, I'm constantly staying one step ahead of him.

I eventually manage to nail Yarne with a palm strike in his solar plexus. The strike knocks the air out of his lungs and sends him skidding back a few paces. Seeing him struggle to breathe, I rush in for the finisher. Sorry, Yarne. Looks like your training these next few weeks will be even harder to make up for this.

Yarne barely gets his breath back when he sees me close in. He throws a punch at me in desperation, only for me to deflect it and proceed with a punch that will no doubt knock him out cold.

Yarne's eyes briefly flash silver.

"Ora!" *BAM!*

Last time I checked, threes don't grow root side up. I find myself unable to move, almost as if I'm stuck in some hard material. Also, OW! What in the world just hit me?!

Wait… Something tells me those thoughts came out in the wrong order.

"Master! Are you okay?" Yarne asks alarmed as he runs to me…upside down?

Oh, wait. _I'm_ the one upside down. At least the tree part makes sense now. Let's see what else I can dig up from what I just went through…

I hold up (Or is it down?) a finger. "Give me a moment."

I grunt as I pull myself out of whatever I'm stuck in. Just as I feel gravity take hold of me, I stop my fall with some Telekinesis and float right-side up. Now that I'm not busy being confused, I finally notice that my chest is hurting.

I idly rub the spot. "Yarne, what just happened?"

The half-taguel scratches his head confused. "Uh, I'm not sure myself. You were about to punch me in the face when my mind kind of went blank. All I can remember is that I just knew I could hit you faster, so I did."

I give my furry student a dry look. "You just _knew_? Something doesn't add up."

Yarne shrugs. "Your guess is as good as mine. If anything, I don't think my mind's ever felt as clear as in that moment. No thinking. Just action. It's like my body already knew what to do, so I just went with it."

I blink and rub my chin. Come to think about it, something _did_ happen to Yarne right before he delivered that punch. His eyes flashed silver. And _then_ the pain came.

A smile grows on my face. "Yarne… I think we might be getting closer to a breakthrough in your training."

That makes Yarne smile. "Great!" Then the smile is replaced with confusion. "So, uh… What's the breakthrough?"

"While I'm not certain, I believe I have a rough idea of what my future self tried to teach you. And if I'm correct, you managed to tap into an extraordinary potential, even if it was just for a moment. If you can master that potential, I could see you become the strongest fighter of your generation."

"Who, me?" Yarne asks surprised. "I mean, sure, I was always one of the heavy hitters, but some of our friends are monsters when they fight. Just take Nah for example. She once reduced a whole forest to cinders in less than ten minutes because she threw a fit."

I blink before I nod. "Okay, I guess I can imagine that. But that's not the point. Sure, you may not be the quickest of your generation. Or the smartest. Heck, you might not even have the most physical strength. But do you know what you may well have more than anyone, Yarne? Potential. The potential to transcend your own limitations and achieve feats thought impossible for us mortals."

Yarne sweatdrops. "That…sounds a bit over the top. Seriously?"

I give a knowing smile. "Like I said, it's only a hunch, but I dare say it's a good one. Of course, in order for you to tap into this potential of yours, you have to train even harder than before."

Yarne grins excited. "I've handled every kind of training you've thrown at me in the past, Master Jack. I'm ready for anything. Bring it on!"

I point my palm at my student. "Hold up. While I like your enthusiasm, this isn't your standard training exercise. What you're going to train isn't your speed, or your strength, or any of that."

Yarne's excited grin slowly deflates. "Huh? Then what are you going to train me in?"

"Instinct." I reply. "Reflexes honed through months, even years, of combat and practice. That's the key to bring out what you're truly capable of, Yarne. You might even say we're going to train you into getting in tune with your inner beast, in a manner of speaking."

Yarne crosses his arms. "Now I'm just confused."

I smile and walk away. "Then stop thinking about it and just go with the flow. That's your goal anyway."

 **Your relationship with Yarne has improved!**

* * *

Say'ri places a pin on a map over the Valmese continent.

"We are currently stationed near Valm Harbor, which is situated here on Valm's eastern coast. The divine Mila Tree sits near the middle of the northern part of the Valmese continent."

This is further emphasized on another pin put west of the one marking the harbor.

Basilio rubs his chin. "And as you said a few days ago, that's where we'll find this Voice of Naga, correct?"

Say'ri nods. "Aye. If we travel the main roads, we should arrive at the base of the tree within three weeks."

Robin frowns as she watches the map. "I wouldn't travel that route if I were you."

Everyone gathered in the war tent pauses at her assessment.

"Forgive me for asking, but for what reason, Lady Robin?" the Dynast Swordmaster asks with a raised eyebrow.

"While I have no doubt the Resistance have a few pockets of influence along the road, Walhart is the one who holds the main portion of the control over the land, correct?" Robin asks.

Flavia nods slowly. "That's the reasonable conclusion to be made. He rules this continent, after all."

Robin nods along and reaches into her robes to pull out a notebook.

I blink in mild surprise. "Hey, that notebook looks familiar. Didn't you write in that back when we milked that guy Nelson for information right after we found Severa?"

Say'ri scowls at the mention of that name. "Nelson. That is a name I'll not forget soon. While he was in service of the empire, he wreaked havoc on anyone who opposed him without any regard for his own men. An absolute menace that the Resistance struggled to even hold back. But how did you know about him? Last I heard, he was thrown out of service after it was discovered he had ambitions to overthrow the Conqueror, foolish though his idea may have been."

I shrug. "Yeah, turns out he fled to our end of the Long Sea after Walhart kicked him out. He set up a base on a lone island and plotted his uprising by enlisting local bandits and robbing the nearby towns of everything they had in the hopes of building an army strong enough to match the empire's. We passed through on our journey, learned of his schemes, and one of my students put him down in single combat. After that, we took him prisoner, had him reveal everything he knew about the imperial army, and sent him off to be put on trial for his crimes."

Say'ri blinks bemused. "You- How did you achieve that? A traitor to the Conqueror he may be, but I never expected such a man to willingly help anyone he considers a threat to his own goals."

I allow a _slightly_ sadistic smirk. "We had Henry put the fear of Naga into him. Don't know how he did it, but Nelson sang like a bird after that. Everything Robin has written down in that notebook is information that Nelson divulged after we finally got him to talk."

Chrom shudders as he thinks back on that day. "Don't remind me. Gods, the look of horror on Nelson's face when we got back was unlike anything I've ever seen. I don't know what Henry did, and frankly, I think I never want to know."

"Henry?" Say'ri asks confused. "Are you referring to that dark mage among your ranks? From what I saw, he has a cheerful, almost childish demeanor, which only belies his magical prowess."

I shake my head. "And I pray that's _all_ you'll ever find out about him. Henry's…odd. Even by my standards. Great to have on your side, but…odd."

"Well, odd mages aside, it looks like we can finally make use of the information we got through his help." Robin interjects as she flips through her notes. "If I cross reference the information Nelson provided us with the layout of the continent, I can deduce which roads are the most heavily patrolled, along with much more."

Flavia drops her fist in her palm. "Of course. Our exploits against Walhart have spread across the continent. You said so yourself, Say'ri."

"Stopping the invading vanguard, sinking their main fleet, seizing one of their main harbors…" Chrom lists off.

"If you've heard about what we've achieved, it's practically guaranteed that Walhart knows as well." I continue. "And since this battle ended a few days ago, news of it may reach his capital soon. If he knows where we are, he _will_ bring his entire army on us."

"Unless his patrols spot us first." Robin corrects. "And considering how important it is that we reach that tree and save the Voice, we can't afford to be spotted just yet. If we are, Walhart or one of his tacticians could read our intentions and move to intercept them."

Say'ri grimaces as the situation sinks in. "And, knowing him, the main roads will always be heavily patrolled and fortified, no matter the situation. It was foolish of me to assume we could reach the Mila Tree safely on the shortest path."

Flavia places a hand on her shoulder. "Better now than when it's too late. At least we can plan around that particular problem while we still have time."

Robin alternates between studying the map and her notes.

"Tell me, Say'ri. What possible paths are there to the Mila Tree?" she eventually asks.

Say'ri puts a hand to her chin as she hums in thought. Then she puts a finger on our current position and drags it across the map.

"The main portion of Valm is open fields. Cavalry can ride over most of the landscape almost unhindered. That is how Walhart managed to conquer the continent so swiftly and efficiently."

"In other words, we'll be at a disadvantage so long as we stick to open landscape." Robin deduces. "Are there any paths to the tree that don't involve open fields, or at least have little of them?"

Say'ri sharpens her gaze as she takes another look.

"There is one…" she mutters and traces a new path.

It starts from Valm Harbor, goes north and proceeds counterclockwise until Say'ri curves the path south to the pin marking the Mila Tree.

"The northern part of Valm mainly consists of mountain ranges and valleys." Say'ri elaborates. "Normal cavalry cannot fight effectively on the narrow pathways. While useful for defensive positions, Walhart could only conquer these parts after he had enlisted wyvern riders and pegasus knights into his ranks."

Robin nods. "Then that's where we'll go to the Mila Tree."

"That would be a risky maneuver as well." Say'ri points out. "Crossing these mountains is one thing. But taking them from the Conqueror might take too long. If we challenge the empire in the north, our progress would be too slow for us to even exit the mountains before Walhart mounts his forces and effectively traps us there."

My wife smirks. "Who said anything about seizing the territory? Our goal is reaching the Mila Tree. What lies in between us and that tree can wait. Instead, I propose we travel through the mountains and use the terrain as cover to slip past the empire's forces."

I pick up on my wife's plan. "Because if we can reach the Mile Tree undetected, the chances of meeting a massive army guarding it will be significantly smaller, thus making rescuing the Voice that much easier."

Robin snaps her notebook shut with a satisfied smile. "Exactly. With a bit of luck, the Conqueror won't even know what hit him."

Say'ri looks at Robin in clear disbelief. "Mercy… This- It might actually work. No one would even consider such a strategy, and yet you propose it like you had it planned all along."

I grin proudly. "That's my beloved Robin for you. She's the grandmaster-at-arms of Ylisse and the head tactician of our army for a reason."

Robin blushes as she puts the notebook back. "Oh please. Now you're just flattering me, Jack. Could you at least wait until we're alone before you start waxing poetic about my abilities?"

I smirk at Robin. "I would do that and much more when we're alone."

The blush intensifies. "Will you put a lid on it? Any more of that, and I won't be able to concentrate properly when I execute the plan."

"Still, a whole army marching across those mountains will be visible for anyone stationed there, no matter how poorly they do their duty." Flavia points out. "What's more, mountain paths are avoided by large armies for a reason, Robin."

Bassilio nods. "The narrow pathways means that crossing them will take a long time – too long for us to reach that tree in time. The valmese stationed in the mountains will spot our army sooner or later, and Walhart will find out faster than we can get away."

"Who said we'll be marching _the whole_ army across the mountains?" Robin counters.

The khans are about to reply when they pause.

"What?" is their reply.

Robin gives the barbarian rulers a dry look. "Don't think I'd do something as foolish as march several hundred thousand soldiers along with the whole convoy through a massive mountain range just because I want to avoid the high roads. Even I can see the folly in such a plan before I have time to wake up in the morning."

"Well, if you've got that part figured out, what do you propose we do to move the army?"

"We split them up in smaller bands." Robin replies.

The tent falls silent.

Chromo scratches his head. "Er, Robin? I think it's high time you explained to us in detail what your plan actually is. Not everyone's a master tactician, you know."

Robin nods and turns the attention back to the map of Valm. She reaches out her hand to me. "Jack, the chess pieces."

I rummage around in my bag before I pull out a foldable chess board, with the pieces held inside with leather hoops.

"…Why do you carry around a chess board?" Flavia asks bewildered.

"It's mine and Robin's favorite pastime together. Gotta do something to keep Robin's tactical prowess sharp." I explain. "Though it's mostly Robin trouncing me in the strategy game."

"Oh, don't be like that, dear." Robin tries to comfort me as she picks out chess pieces. "You've improved a bit these past few games. I need more than ten moves before I put you in checkmate now."

"That's because you're stalling on purpose in a halfhearted attempt to make me feel better." I counter dryly. "Don't think I haven't noticed. There's been several occasions when you're about to pick up a chess piece with absolute certainty, only for you to freeze a moment later and switch to another one."

Robin blushes with a sheepish smile. "Oh, um… You saw that, huh?"

"I noticed after the first few games. Those are the most predictable plays you ever make whenever we sit down for a game."

Robin clears her throat. "*Ahem* Hobbies with my husband aside, these are the troop movements I have in mind."

All eight white pawns at placed on Valm Harbor. Next, the black pawns are placed in various locations across the continent, with the highest density of them around where we know the landscape is mainly open. Lastly, the black king is placed near the northwestern edge of the continent while the white queen is placed at the pin marking the Mila Tree.

"Our objective is to reach the tree where Naga's Voice is held." Robin begins her explanation. "Through the notes I have taken before we arrived here, I have a rough idea of where the main portion of the empire's army is deployed. That's marked by the black pawns, with the black king marking Walhart's capital." My wife indicates the different pieces as she elaborates her strategy. "Our army is sizable, too big to move effectively down one path. What I therefore propose is that we split the army in smaller factions that all move throughout the empire."

This is where Robin picks up the white pawns one by one and slides them to different places on the map. Some of the pawns land next to their black counterparts.

"Of course, since we're moving through enemy territory, confrontation with the imperial forces is all but inevitable. So while remaining undetected and moving as smoothly as possible takes priority, all factions must be ready for battle at all times." Robin uses the white pawns to knock down the black pawn they stand close to before she moves the white chess piece further along the map. One by one, they all converge at the queen's position. "If everything goes according to plan, our forces will reunite at the Mila Tree, thus allowing us to move all our forces to where the Voice of Naga is held and making freeing her that much easier."

Then my wife picks out a white knight piece and places it at Valm Harbor. "Meanwhile, the Shepherds will move around the northern part of the continent. Since our group is smaller, it makes us more flexible in moving through the dangerous terrain." The knight moves along the northern part of the Valmese continent until it too reaches the Mila Tree. "If we coordinate our troops well enough, the whole army should converge at the Mila Tree at the same time, give or take a few days."

Flavia eyes the map critically. "If I remember correctly, we used a similar marching strategy back during the Mad King's war when we headed out to save Emmeryn, right? All to make sure at least one force made it to the Plegian capital while minimizing the risk of Gangrel's forces getting in the way."

Basilio scowls. "If it's a strategy we've used before, I can get back in the swing of things easily enough. Still, I'm not completely sold on the idea. For one, weren't you the one who stressed the importance of not getting spotted by any imperials, Robin? What's the point of all this sneaking if our troops will run into Walhart's forces anyway?"

Robin sighs in slight frustration. "Honestly, this is the best I could come up with on the fly. We want to reach the Mila Tree undetected, yes, but doing so with an army of our size is all but impossible unless we split up. The only other option I can think of is leaving the bulk of our forces here at Valm Harbor, but having that many soldiers in one place for an extended period of time is bound to cause some troubling backlash on us further down the line. Just think of all the resources needed to keep an army that big fed."

That last statement gives us all pause. Back when we were at Port Ferox, Flavia could just have convoys transport all the food needed to her troops while we were preparing for the voyage. But now? Now we're on foreign soil, with no established supply lines to call our own.

"The fact that our whole army is gathered here in one place actually puts us in a tough spot." Robin stresses. "Until we gain reliable means of supplying our forces, we're in a race against time to gain any sort of foothold against the empire."

"We can obtain such means from the Resistance." Say'ri points out. Her eyes glimmer in understanding. "And to accomplish that, we must first convince them to join our cause openly. And what better way than with the aid of the Voice of Naga?"

Robin nods. "Exactly. It's not the best laid out plan, but it's one that both helps us discern friend from foe, and also the swiftest way for us to gain the allies we so desperately need if we ever want a shot at winning this war."

The war tent falls silent.

"D-mn…" Basilio mutters impressed. "And here I thought your plans couldn't get more daring. Still, I won't deny it's our best shot at beating Walhart. Count me in."

"That only works if _I_ accept, oaf." Flavia points out. The reigning khan gives Robin a smile. "To clarify, I'm on board with this idea as well. Just had to show who's in charge of who in this army."

"You just said it to pull rank on me, you old bat." Basilio mutters annoyed.

"Care to say that to my sword, oaf?" Flavia growls dangerously.

"Sure! And I'll even let my axe do the talking."

I clear my throat. "While our dear barbarian rulers are busy almost murdering each other over a lover's spat-"

"We are NOT lovers!" both khans yell in perfect sync with veins pulsing on the foreheads.

"-how about we start planning how to divide our army in the most effective teams possible for reaching the Mila Tree?" I continue my suggestion.

Robin nods. "That sounds reasonable, yes. Say'ri, I'm going to need as much input as I can get from you, seeing as you're the one most familiar with the terrain our troops will march through."

The Swordmaster nods. "Of course. You may ask anything you wish to know."

My wife and Say'ri all but huddle around the map while pointing at various places on the parchment. Guess the rest of us have to sit this brainstorming session out.

It's at this moment that Lissa and Frederick walk into the tent.

"Hey, guys." Lissa greets. "What did I miss?"

I rub my chin. "We've established how we're going to move our army around the continent. Right now, Robin's busy trying to find the best paths to travel along while asking our local ally for input. Bottom line; be ready to move soon. We're on a tight schedule."

Frederick nods. "Understood. Perhaps I should make preparations for marching as soon as this meeting ends."

I raise an eyebrow. "Speaking of which, what were you two doing?"

Lissa smiles. "I took the time to explore the town with Severa and Lucina. I mean, we had some free time, and I don't spend enough of it with my nieces. It's almost comical how different they are. Lucina's constantly on edge and serious, but she's got zero fashion sense. Severa, on the other hand, seems almost lazy in comparison, but her eye for clothes is amazing."

Frederick sighs. "And I coincidentally joined the princesses. The main reason was because Cynthia insisted to join in, and she would not stop trying to convince me to follow along until I relented."

"She basically roped you in by guilt tripping you." I surmise.

The Great Knight grimaces. "A bit crudely put, but you are essentially correct."

I nod before I stiffen in surprise. Dear Mila, Cynthia actually managed to break Frederick's iron will… Here I thought she was already scary with One for All at her disposal, and now she pulls this out of her hat.

"Frederick? Your daughter frightens me." I admit.

"I believe you had a hand in what made Cynthia turn out the way she did." the Great Knight retorts.

"I can't speak for my future self and you know it." I counter sourly. "Seriously, don't blame me for the way your children turn out. I've hardly known them for any longer than you have. The only reason they act so familiar with me is because, from their perspective, I've known them for years. Can't say the same for my own point of view."

"But you seem to get along with them all from the get-go anyway." Lissa points out. "Excuse us if we find it a bit weird."

I shrug. "What can I say? I've been told before that I'm a good teacher. The fact that they are so friendly towards me from the start certainly helps smooth things along."

Lissa blinks and scratches her head. "Time travel is confusing."

Frederick and I nod sagely in sync. "Aptly put, milady." Frederick replies.

* * *

Robin focuses her gaze at the map of Valm in front of her as her eyes dart this way and that over the drawn parchment. "So, these are the main paths that are the fastest to travel, are they?"

Say'ri shakes her head. "Not the fastest, no. But they are the ones with the least chance of getting spotted, provided the traveling parties are not too big. Each path offers its own distinct advantage for slipping the empire's gaze. Some roads are too out of the way for patrols to search while still being perfectly traversable, some let you blend into the general populace with enough subtlety, and some are paths frequently traveled by the Resistance simply because the imperial forces do not know of them."

The various threads all going from Valm Harbor to the Mila Tree go through different paths across the landscape in an almost dizzying array unless you pay attention. Despite how the landscape is depicted on the continental map, Valm has a deceptively complex network of roads. Even with over a million soldiers at his disposal, Walhart would have a hard time keeping tabs of every single road at the same time while still having garrisons stationed at strategic locations.

This is the main basis for the entire traveling plan; exploit the gaps in Walhart's information network. After all, the most devastating blows are the ones you don't see coming. Every martial artist knows that.

Robin nods, eyes still sharp, and pulls out a thick binder labeled "Troop roster". She places the bundled stack of papers in a place away from prying eyes and starts to leaf through them together with Chrom, Say'ri and the khans.

The tent falls silent, save for the sound of paper being moved or the occasional whisper that escapes the brainstorming among the military leaders of our alliance.

Lissa stretches her arms above her head with a grunt. "Hng! If I knew we'd spend so much time doing nothing, I never would've come to the war tent at all."

I give the blonde princess a dry look. "Remind me why you came here then?"

"Well, _someone_ has to pick up the slack on the Ylissean side in case Chrom's down for the count, if only temporarily." Lissa explains with a huff. "If I'm left out of the loop from the get-go, our army would be all over the place in case I have to step up. I'm not as charismatic as Chrom, or a talented tactician like Robin. I'm just good at healing wounds and hitting stuff really hard with my hammer. If I'm to lead an army, I need to pick up on all the strategy stuff I can get by being with all the people at the top of the hierarchy. You know, have them rub off on me and all that."

I blink in surprise. "Wait, you're being serious? Wouldn't Frederick take command in case Chrom needs an out, what him being Chrom's lieutenant? Heck, what about Lucina? Last time I checked, she's Chrom's heiress, and she already has experience leading troops in battle."

Lissa rolls her eyes. "Actual princess, remember? I may not act like it, but my birth station comes with some big responsibilities. Like leading our army in war times if none of my other siblings are able. Frederick and Lucina may be more used to it than me, but the responsibility would fall on my shoulders regardless."

Frederick nods sagely. "Indeed. It is clearly stated in Ylissean law that the ruler of the halidom is to lead its forces in case war has been declared. The main reason why milord and I have been able to lead the Shepherds instead of Her Grace is because the Shepherds were founded as a militia independent of Ylisse's standing army. Lady Lucina may be milord's eldest daughter, but that places her current station a level below Lady Lissa's."

I blink bemused. "Man, this royal hierarchy is more complicated than I thought. And you guys never considered prioritizing military leaders on, I don't know, battlefield experience and other practical aspects?"

Lissa shrugs. "As far as I can tell, this stuff is usually dictated by a bunch of old crones who like the old system too much to even consider changing it."

"For what it is worth…" Frederick interjects. "…most people fit for leading an army are of noble birth anyway, and even then, mainly of the royal bloodline. People of common birth are typically instructed in a civilian craft or discipline while the nobles are expected to handle domestic matters of a more complex and comprehensive scale, or military matters. Nobles are selected as military officers simply because their birth stations offer the most military training. I myself am an example of this."

What do you know… The old feudal system actually had a somewhat sensible theoretical structure. Too bad the guys in charge kept abusing their stations and screwed the peasantries over for their own personal gain. In other words; sounds good in theory, but terrible in execution. And people in the higher tiers of society wonder why the common folk tend to rebel with violent tendencies. Corruption is just… Ugh!

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: Three hours later**_

After some in depth analysis of the Valmese terrain, deliberating between Say'ri, Chrom and Robin, the two khans finally breaking up their bickering to add their two gold pieces, more deliberating, scrapping of at least a dozen ideas, a few pots of tea for relaxation and one more round of deliberating, Robin finally managed to finalize a roster of each team that will march through the terrain, and which path each team will take. Even after she's gone in full detail of every single aspect of the lineup, it still boggles me how she managed to arrange all of that in her head. Needless to say, the binder needed to store all the information for the marching orders is gonna be _thick_.

"I suppose this is as well we can organize the parties, given the current circumstances." Robin concludes from her spot with the other leaders. "All in favor?"

Say'ri nods without hesitation. "Aye."

Chrom smiles. "I know better than to question your judgement in matters like these, Robin. Count me in."

Flavia has a pleased smile of her own. "I couldn't come up with anything better, even if I tried. How do you even keep track of all this in your head?"

Basilio grins. "I'm just happy you put my group on the path most likely to engage enemy troops. This'll be fun."

Robin gives the bald khan a dry look. "Remember, Khan Basilio; direct confrontation is only to be used-"

"As a last resort." Basilio finishes while waving off my wife's concerns. "Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time."

Robin sighs. "All right, then. Now to draft the marching orders. Gods, I'll be busy for the better part of a week at this rate."

I walk up to Robin and place a hand on her shoulder. "I'll help any way I can. Just tell me what you need me for."

Robin gives me a relieved smile. "Thank you. Though for now, it's best if you simply provide me with ink and paper so I can keep writing those orders without having to stop to get the materials myself."

I'm about to protest when I stop to think, shake my head, and sigh. "All right. I'll see you later in our tent."

The look Robin gives me shows that she knows I haven't dropped the matter at all. She knows me well.

* * *

Some time after supper, Robin and I are in our tent, with my wife seated at her desk while I've gotten a chair and table of my own to use. It's not long before a few of my clones enter the tent as well. The first one carries a thick stack of papers. The rest carries various supplies, mainly bottles containing ink.

Robin raises an eyebrow curiously. "I'm grateful for you supplying me with materials, Jack, but how will you help me beyond that?"

I give my wife a knowing smile and have the clone with the papers hand me a sheet. Next, one of the other clones places a bottle of ink on my table.

"You're about to find out, Robin. First, I need to know how you want the orders to be written. What unit is concerned, the path they're meant to travel, the works."

"I'm not sure whether to be curious or worried for what you're about to do." Robin mutters as she opens her notebook containing a summary of the war meeting earlier today.

As she reads out the orders for one of the Feroxi units, I nod and process the information.

"That's essentially it." Robin concludes after about a minute.

I nod. "All right. I should have all the knowledge I need."

Then I open the ink bottle and pour some of its contents on the paper.

Robin looks at me shocked. "Jack, what are you doing?!"

I grin madly and clap my hands together. "Revolutionizing the art of writing!"

I place a hand on the inked paper. Sparks erupt from the parchment. As they die down, the ink has shifted around. Instead of a giant blot, the black substance has shifted into portions that form letters, and the letters, in turn, form the exact words Robin read for the military orders.

I basically used alchemy to reinvent the typewriter.

I show my wife the paper with the Transmuted ink. "Well, what do you think?"

Robin stares at the paper bewildered. "How…?"

I grin. "Sometime when we met Nowi, I learned how to shift all kinds of substances pretty much however I want using alchemy, be it rock, the ground I'm standing on, or the ink on a sheet of paper. I can do almost anything with whatever I manipulate, so long as I only use the substance available."

It takes a few moments for my wife to digest my words. "Say… If the ink hasn't dried yet, can you still shift the words around until you get another message?"

"Sure. I could even do it if the ink has already dried, though that would be a bit trickier."

I Transmute the ink again. When the sparks die down, all the ink has shifted to form the words "To the best wife in the world".

Robin blushes. "Oh, now you're just flattering me."

"You say it like it's a bad thing." I retort and rearrange the ink to the original military order.

Robin huffs and looks through her notes again. "I never expected this to happen, but I'm happy it did. If you can help me write down all the orders I need, we'll be ready for marching far faster than anticipated."

I raise an eyebrow as I prepare another sheet. "You're taking this awfully well, considering all the other crazy stuff I pull off on an almost regular basis."

Robin gives me a dry look. "I've been married to you for nearly two years. As much as it pains me to admit it, I'm starting to get used to your brand of crazy."

"Hey, that's a good thing. As a tactician, you need to adapt to significant changes quickly. If you can handle my shenanigans faster than our enemies, that will give us an edge in battle."

Robin's look gets even dryer. "And I'm actually agreeing with you on this. What has the world come to?"

I shrug. "Better that than you going off the deep end because you can't handle the crazy. But enough about my questionable sanity. Those orders won't right themselves, will they?"

Robin shakes her head. "No, they won't. All right, the next unit in line is…"

* * *

 _ **The next morning**_

Wow. We actually did it. We manage to write every single marching order in a single night. Of course, Robin still needs to proofread them all, but she's so meticulous that she already got everything she wanted written down on paper last night. Hard part's pretty much over. They just need some sort of seal of approval, and everything's in place. A formality at this point, really.

As you might figure, my wife was ready to drop the moment the last order was written. Considering how late it was, I don't blame her. We both crashed into the bedroll right afterwards. Robin was out like a light before she even reached ground level, and I joined her soon afterwards.

Now I'm just enjoying the peace and quiet while my wife catches up on some much-needed sleep.

"Pardon me, sir Jack? Do you have a moment?" I hear Say'ri call outside the tent.

Robin begins to stir in my arms.

Oh no, she is _not_ getting woken up just yet! All right, clone swap time!

*Poof*

"Say'ri? What can I do for you?" I ask as I exit the tent.

"If it is no bother to you, may I ask for a spar? I have heard many stories about your prowess with a blade, and I wish to see it for myself. What is more, I will need all the practice I can get if I am to fight alongside you in this war."

I smile. "No need to be so formal, Say'ri. But if you insist, sure. I accept your challenge."

Say'ri smiles back. "My thanks. I have high hopes for this match."

Is this how dynasts express their gratitude? I think this'll take some time to get used to.

Say'ri and I soon find an open spot for a spar. The Swordmaster quickly picks out a training sword and walks to her spot. I soon follow with a training staff in hand.

This makes Say'ri raise an eyebrow confused. "Correct me if I am wrong, but that is a training staff, is it not?"

I nod. "Yeah. I'll spar with you wielding this."

The disappointment is practically palpable on Say'ri's face. "Forgive me if I come off as rude, but I believe I specifically requested a match where we both wield swords."

"I think you wouldn't want that, Say'ri." I reply. "There are a few reasons for this. The most obvious one is that far from all imperials wield swords. Just focusing all your training in facing sword wielding opponents will leave you woefully unprepared against opponents wielding other weapons. Besides, lances usually give sword wielders such as yourself the most trouble, so this should serve as some valuable preparation until you face a lance wielder in real combat."

Say'ri purses her lips before she relents with a nod. "And the other reasons?" she asks further.

I scratch my cheek. "Well… There's also the matter of what happens when I use anything as sharp as a training sword. Long story short, yours would be cut in half at the first clash."

Say'ri blinks bemused. "These training weapons are dulled and crafted from wood. They cannot cut as easily as you claim."

"That's what I thought too – until I had a spar with my lieutenant almost two years ago. Even before then, we both trained fiercely in swordplay. But when we had our first spar in more than nine months, we cut each other's training swords in half moments after the spar started."

"Well, maybe the training swords were just faulty?" Say'ri reasons.

"Again, that's what I thought too." I reply dryly. "So we tried with a new pair of training swords – and got the exact same result. Heck, a few days before we arrived in Valm, we tried sparring with broomsticks, just to make sure we wouldn't use anything that could be considered sharp. Not even a minute later, the blasted things split as we lost ourselves in the moment."

Say'ri looks at me in disbelief.

"*Sigh* Look, I know it sounds crazy. Heck, it took me and Lon'qu quite some time before it sank into our minds as well. The fact remains though that sparring with swords is out of the question for me unless I can find a weapon that is specifically designed to _not_ cut. Hence, I use this training staff instead. Polearms aren't used for slashing. They're used for thrusting and…maybe…swinging." I snap my gaze at the training weapon in my hand as if it contains the secrets of the universe.

"Is…something the matter?" Say'ri asks confused at my change in mood.

*Smack!*

"I'm such an idiot." I mumble against the palm planted on my face. "Why didn't I think of this before? Lon'qu himself requested that I spar with him using other weapons. Our spars would've been so much more productive if I just went with this from the start… Stupid, stupid, stupid…"

"Well, perhaps it is a good thing I suggested this spar?" Say'ri suggests. "It would seem we can both gain something useful out of this after all."

I sigh and get in a ready stance. "You're right. While I'm comfortable wielding just about any kind of polearm, the one I use works a bit differently from how conventional spears and lances work. If anything, this could let me use polearms in a…new…way…"

*Smack!*

"I'm such an idiot – _again_!" I yell exasperated against my palm. "How could I miss something so obvious? The answer's been staring me in the face for months, for crying out loud!"

Say'ri stares at me with a lost look. "Ah… Perhaps I should wait a bit until you have sorted out your thoughts?"

I wave my hand at the Swordmaster. "No, no, it's okay. I just had an idea that I intend to test out as soon as I get the time. But before that, I _did_ agree to a spar with you." I twirl my practice staff a few times before I settle in a ready stance again. "Ready when you are. Come at me!"

Say'ri nods and sharpens her gaze. There's only a brief moment of silence before she dashes at me with her training sword reared back. Judging from the angle she holds it, she's skilled at hiding her intentions of where her swing will come from.

"Hah!" *Thwack!*

I block her opening strike with little difficulty. But instead of losing her balance, Say'ri goes with her momentum and spins in place to strike from the other side with surprising agility. I take a step back and block her next swing as well, but as I keep blocking, I also find myself retreating.

Looks like this is her general approach to single combat. Attack relentlessly to refuse her opponent any time to retaliate and simply keep up the pressure until she forces an opening. Certainly an effective tactic for a Swordmaster to employ. Makes full use of their speed and skill with the blade.

On the other hand, that only works so long as they can keep their opponent on the defensive.

As Say'ri keeps attacking, I observe her movements for any kind of pattern or tell in her offense. I soon manage to spot something. It's a small detail, but the way she tilts her weapon before the swing hints at where the blade will swing next.

Thank goodness Sora was such a competitive sparring partner back at the Destiny Islands. Sure helped me realize a few things that can be applied to sword fighting.

As Say'ri comes in for her next swing, I shift my hold on my training staff and swipe the butt end upwards as her training sword comes in from the side. The move sends Say'ri's swing wide and leaves her momentarily unbalanced. That's when I twist my training staff so it sticks up inside her guard. A swift pull with my leg stretched out, and Say'ri quickly finds herself on the ground with one end of my training staff poking her on the chest.

"I win." I declare factually.

Say'ri shakes her head. "Goodness, I did _not_ expect a move like that."

I shrug and offer her my hand. "That's one of the many things you need to look out for when fighting someone armed with a lance or spear. While their options may seem limited at first, a polearm can be wielded in a large number of ways. The more experienced the wielder, the greater the variation of moves they can use. Add the longer reach that polearms usually have compared to swords, and you have yourself a tricky opponent unless you can catch them off-guard and slip in along their weapon."

Say'ri accepts my hand and is soon back on her feet. "This has been a most enlightening experience, sir Jack. Thank you for this spar."

I nod. "To be fair, you helped me find some inspiration for a few things as well, so we both benefitted greatly from it in the end." Then I frown in thought. "Say, was there any particular reason why you wanted this spar to be a swordfight? I mean, you're already experienced in wielding a sword, and I'd imagine you have plenty of experience facing other sword wielders as well."

Say'ri nods, though I also note a subtle flinch on her shoulders. "Perhaps so, but fighting another sword wielder would also help me see swordplay from another angle, one I may not have considered before."

My frown deepens. "That can't be the entire reason, can it?" I shake my head. "Look, Say'ri, if you feel I'm prying too much, tell me to stop. Just tell me; This all has to do with your brother, doesn't it?"

Say'ri goes momentarily stiff. "I- Whatever made you think that?"

I give the Swordmaster a dry look. "You know, if you want to hide your intentions, you need to do something about the way you freeze up whenever someone calls you out. Back on topic, though. Back when we first met you, you said that you would cut him down, same as any imperial. But there's more to it than that, isn't there? You're not just ready to cut Yen'fay down – you _want_ to face him on the battlefield."

Say'ri gulps nervously before she sighs. "Are my intentions truly that obvious?"

"Your behavior kind of gave it away. Considering you two are family – or at least were considered that way – I can tell that this is personal."

Say'ri grits her teeth. "What my brother- No, what Yen'fay did was unforgivable! He surrendered after only one battle against the Conqueror. After that, Chon'sin was overrun by imperial troops, led by Walhart himself. Lands were swallowed up in the wave of soldiers. Any who resisted – be they man, woman or child – was put to the sword. And worst of all…" A tear slips out of Say'ri's eye. "…the place I once called home was burned to the ground, serving as the funeral pyre for my parents, who already lay dead inside. And what did Yen'fay do when all of this happened? Nothing. He merely stood by and let it happen. And when it was all over, he pledged loyalty to the Conqueror."

Say'ri's eyes open with fury burning in them, even as the tears keep flowing. "Had my brother stood his ground against the Conqueror, he would at least have kept his honor. But he even threw that aside like the coward he is! I wish for the freedom of my home, aye, but I will not rest until Yen'fay answers for his betrayal!"

Seeing Say'ri fired up like this, there's only one thing I can do for her.

*Ka-tonk*

Whack her over the head.

The Swordmaster holds her head in pain. "Gah! What in the world was that for?!"

"I won't belittle your reasons for fighting. If anything, they're a lot like my own for taking up arms in this war." I reply. I harden my gaze at Say'ri. "But before you go any further, ask yourself this, Say'ri; What good does a sword wielded with hatred do for anyone, let alone yourself?"

"Why does it matter how I wield my sword?!" Say'ri snaps at me. "So long as it cuts down my enemy, I ask for nothing more!"

I raise an eyebrow. "Really?" I take a few steps back, twirl my training staff, settle in a stance and make a come-hither motion. "Then by all means, show me how it feels to be on the receiving end of your wrath. Show me what you intend to do to Yen'fay."

Say'ri looks at me stunned before her whole face morphs into an angry snarl and she charges me with the clear intent to put me down for at least a whole week.

Except none of her swings connect at all. What few of them manage to get close are easily blocked or deflected.

"Curses!" the Swordmaster shouts as her swings grow increasingly desperate. "Stand still already!"

I duck under a diagonal swing and strike the side of her knee. This makes Say'ri briefly lose her balance, and that's the opening I need to strike the training sword out of her hand and shove a knife hand at her throat. Say'ri freezes and gasps at the sudden move. The area falls silent, save for her labored breaths from her intense exertion.

"Did you notice how badly you performed when you allowed your anger to cloud your mind?" I ask calmly. "This is what will happen to you if you allow that same anger to control you when you finally face your brother in battle. Your skill with a sword may be admirable, Say'ri, but none of that skill will help you unless your mind is clear enough for you to use it properly."

Say'ri falls backwards on her bottom, still breathing heavily and with sweat running down her brow.

"How…? What am I to do, then?" the Swordmaster asks me imploringly. "It is this very anger that has kept me determined to keep fighting, no matter how bleak the outcome may seem. If I were to throw it away now, what else would I have to push me forward?"

I shake my head. "I'm not telling you to toss it aside, Say'ri. You'd just end up deceiving yourself if you did. If anything, I believe your anger is justified. You have every reason to be angry for what's happened. The important part is what you do with that anger. The reason it helped you find the strength to push on is because you used it as a source of determination. But the moment you let it cloud your mind, you allowed your anger to control you instead of the other way around. When that happens, your battle is all but lost."

"But how? How am I to take hold of such anger?"

"It's a difficult task, to be sure. You need to sit down and think hard on a lot of things. Why you fight. Who you point your blade at. When you will put it away. What to ignore, lest it distracts you from your goal. The list could go on for a long time. My point is that you find a way to focus your anger at a clear goal, something that you know will move you forward. And once you have that focus, sharpen it, until it becomes as sharp as the sword you wield."

Say'ri looks at me dumbfounded before she finally lets her arms relax and she lies faceup on the ground.

"Focus my anger… Where do I even begin?" she asks seemingly herself and me at the same time.

I sit down beside her. "Give it the time it needs. Your battle against Yen'fay will have to wait until another day. Until then, you have time to prepare. Personally, I believe meditation is a good starting point. What better way to organize your thoughts than when you shut away outside distractions?"

Say'ri blinks a few times. "Wait, is that the reason why my instructors were so adamant about me learning the art of meditation when I was still a young girl?"

"Maybe. Of course, there could be a whole slew of spiritual aspects thrown in there as well, but there's no denying that meditation has helped me keeping my focus up in preparation for some of the most important battles in my life. It's easier to apply what you've learned during your training when your mind is free from distractions, after all."

I'd probably make an analogy of how concentrating sunlight through a magnifying glass can actually set stuff on fire if handled properly, but chances are that would just fly over Say'ri's head.

"I…have much to think about." Say'ri eventually concludes.

I nod. "You do that. As for me, I think I'd better help my team prepare for the journey to come."

"Sir Jack!"

I pause and turn back to Say'ri.

"Have you- Did anger ever cloud your mind to the point that you lost yourself?"

My mind goes back to two specific instances. The first was when Validar tried to turn Robin to the side of the Grimleal. The second was when I first realized that Rose is my daughter.

"I have been very close to that point." I admit. "And for the sake of those I love, I'm grateful that I never went beyond that. Who knows what could happen if you swing your sword in a blind rage when someone precious to you is standing too close?"

The horrified look on Say'ri's face shows that she's gotten the message.

I continue walking. "Until next time, Say'ri."

 **Your relationship with Say'ri has improved!**

* * *

Now that there's some downtime and my wife's not busy burying herself in work or getting all the rest she can get, there's a topic that I can address with her that simply had to wait last night.

The fact that neither me nor Lon'qu are in the same group as our team.

"I have seen your team in action, Jack, and they honestly astound me. Even with their commander absent, they can still function as a coherent unit." my wife explains. "Besides, I believe you and Lon'qu will do a lot more good with the rest of the Shepherds than with your team. It's going to be a dangerous trek through the mountains, and your ability to both fly and pull all manner of crazy stunts out of your sleeves could save our lives."

I raise an eyebrow. "And Lon'qu?"

Robin purses her lips. "This is honestly just a hunch, but I believe it's for the best if Lon'qu and Cherche spend more time together."

My other eyebrow joins its brother as an amused smile grows on my lips. "Wow. Never took you for the matchmaker, Robin."

My wife blushes. "It's not like that! It's just… I have seen how Lon'qu's changed since he met Cherche. While you were on that trip around Regna Ferox, Lon'qu talked to her more than any other woman since he joined the Shepherds. Cherche, in turn, grew more comfortable with our band through her relationship with Lon'qu. Those two help each other in their own way. To separate them now would leave both of them in a tricky spot. Lon'qu would be far away from the woman he's been most comfortable with since the day we met him. And Cherche won't be able to be near the Shepherd she's the most familiar with, barring Virion." Robin gives me a knowing smile. "Honestly, they remind me of us, in a way. When I had just joined the Shepherds, I was still trying to make sense of everything happening around me, most of all who I was. You, on the other hand, had just arrived in a completely different world, far away from everything you had known until then, and had put your life on the line twice through it all. And in the midst of all that turmoil, we found each other. And we both grew stronger as a result."

I give my wife a dry look. "And look where it got us. Head over heels in love with each other, married, promoted to the point that we're both major military figures in the halidom, and now we're fighting quite possibly the most powerful empire in the world with the aid of our future children. And through it all, I can tell the stress is getting to you, Robin. Why, last night, I could've sworn I saw the first sign of wrinkles under your left eye."

Robin smiles at me sweetly as she raises a hand covered in sparks. "Care to repeat that last part, Jack? You wouldn't suggest that I'm getting old, would you?" she asks me with a voice dripping with the purest of honey.

A chill runs up my spine. That's not Robin's I'm-so-happy-to-see-you voice. That's her you-have-ten-seconds-to-redeem-yourself-before-I-smite-you-with-the-wrath-of-Naga voice.

"N-no, of course not!" I reply while flailing my hands in front of me. "It's just- Well, you know…"

The sparks glow brighter and start lashing out from her fingertips. "I know _what_?"

Gulp.

"Well, stress is murder on your health in all manner of ways." I explain while silently and desperately praying to any deity out there that my wife won't unleash arcane hell on my sorry behind. "One of them is that you tend to age faster, and not in a good way. You've been run ragged for Naga knows how long. That's the reason why I offered the assistance through my clones in the first place."

The sparks slowly die down as Robin lowers her hand. Her smile has yet to change even the slightest. "I'll let you off the hook for now, Jack. And I _do_ appreciate everything you do for me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a march to manage."

With that, my wife turns around and heads for her task while she flips some hair over her shoulder.

I release the breath I didn't even know I was holding. And people believe _I'm_ a harbinger of death. They don't know the first thing about my wife.

The last time she spoke with that voice was back when we were engaged. Some minor noble tried to hit on Robin during one of the usual parties at the palace, while claiming that I was unacceptable company for my then-fiancé. I was about to challenge the dolled-up aristocrat when the air around Robin turned chilly as she kindly declined his offer. Despite the clear warning hanging in the air, the fool just wouldn't pick up on it.

One week later, the poor soul's entire career had been ended. Lands, estates, wealth, servants, titles, heck, even his silken undergarments. All of it had been stripped away, and by the time the guy himself noticed, it was already too late to stop the process. Anyone even remotely familiar with Robin could connect the dots and realize that she was the one behind the whole thing. However, no one could really accuse her, since she had also made herself an airtight alibi.

She didn't even have to leave her desk.

It's things like these that only makes her more alluring in my eyes. Perhaps Lon'qu's comments about my craziness hold more weight to them than even I'm aware of. Guess I simply have a thing for powerful women with personality. That would certainly explain why I fell in love with her in the first place.

"And that, Little Brother, is how you recognize that a man is whipped." Rose cheerfully points out to Morgan.

My son, in turn, nods while writing something down in a small notebook.

One of my eyebrows twitch. "Way to make fun of your old man, Rose."

"It's true, and you know it, Dad." my daughter counters. "We've already had this discussion before. It's no use denying it."

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. "You know what, screw this. I'll go check up on my team. They'll need to prepare for the marching that's ahead of them."

* * *

"And that's the plan." I conclude for Hawke.

The tall Dark Knight stares at me impassively (seriously, this guy's poker face is god tier, minimum). "This will be the first marching we will do without you to command us." he states factually.

I sigh and scratch my head. "I know. I'm not exactly thrilled about having you guys march through enemy territory without me being there for you, but I guess this is where all the training for when you have to act on your own judgement will be put to the test. Considering the hierarchy in our team, that means you'll be making most of the big decisions." I allow a faint smile. "Hey, with your track record, I at least have faith that you'll perform well. Not to talk down on Lon'qu, but I think you're the most accomplished leader of our team. That, on top of your battle prowess, is why I made you the third seat."

"Going by your logic, I fail to see why mine and the lieutenant's ranks are not swapped." Hawke points out.

"That's…mostly me acting more on instinct than pure logic." I admit. "I chose Lon'qu as my second-in-command not only because of his battle prowess, but also because of how much I trust him and because of how long I've known him – far longer than we've known each other. Make no mistake, Hawke. Lon'qu may not be as skilled as a military leader or tactician, but he can easily hold his own and work with others when the situation calls for it. That's what the whole point of this team was in the first place. I have faith in both of you, but in different ways."

Hawke stares at me with his unreadable expression.

"I see." he eventually says. "I seem to have finally found the answer to a question that I have asked myself for quite some time. For that, you have my thanks, Captain."

I raise an eyebrow. "That question being…?"

"My place in this team. From the day you recruited me, I never truly understood why you wanted me specifically in your team, let alone in a position lower than lieutenant. You already knew of my past record as a military commander in Regna Ferox, and yet that seemed to hold little weight in your decision to appoint ranks. I was even more confused when I once spoke with Lieutenant Lon'qu in private and he himself admitted that he originally did not want his current rank. Yet, hearing your reasoning for making him you second-in-command, I seem to finally understand you better, Captain Jack." For the first time I can ever remember, I see the faintest smile on Hawke's lips. "You truly are unlike any military commander I have ever met before. And I can say, with the utmost confidence, that I am honored to serve under you."

I blush and scratch my cheek. "Oh, stop. Now you're just embarrassing me. Besides, I've already told you, we're all a team. Military rank only really matters when strict organization is necessary among us. Outside of those situations, I treat everyone else in the team as equals rather than subordinates. And I expect everyone else to do the same. Seems like you're getting around to the notion as well, at long last."

"I have contemplated the idea ever since the day you formally introduced yourself and presented the idea to us all. While I admit that I was skeptic at first, I admit now that your leadership style has turned out effective in ways I never considered."

I nod. "Only works if everyone is at least moderately competent. Getting everyone to that part without anyone getting overshadowed was, by far, the hardest part. Boy, am I glad that worked out."

Hawke nods in agreement. "And thus, I too have faith that our team will be able to complete our objective, whether you or the Lieutenant are present or not, for I believe in our teammates, just as you do. I can assure you that I will lead us all to the designated meeting place safely."

I smile and pat the Dark Knight on the shoulder. "Thanks, Hawke. Now I can rest easy, knowing you've got things under control. Just for extra safety, though, I'll make sure to keep an eye on you while you march."

Hawke raises an eyebrow. "I thought you would leave this whole operation in my hands, and by extension, our team."

I wave off his concerns. "Relax. You probably won't even notice me if you don't know what signs to look for. Besides, this is an operation that includes more than just our team. I intend to do the same for every group traveling the Valmese continent all the way to the Mila Tree, and I have no plans on being spotted by any of those groups. It's a matter of precaution, considering the scale of the operation, and the stakes of this campaign."

Hawke stares at me blankly before he nods. "Very well. I shall keep your presence in mind. I shall prepare for our march immediately. Until we meet again, Captain Jack."

I nod back with a smile and a mock salute. "Godspeed to you, Hawke. See you at that giant tree."

Yep. Hawke and the other have this in the bag. They've trained hard for this, and they're ready. Every last one of them.

* * *

 _ **A few days into the march**_

Robin looks over my shoulder with a curious look. "What's that?"

"This…" I hold up a tablet made of Transmuted stone. "…is a sketch displaying how Harvest Moon is built."

Robin walks around and sits beside me. "That's nice and all, but why are you sitting with a sketch depicting your weapon in greater detail than any weapon I've ever seen?"

"Because Harvest Moon is far more elaborate than your run-of-the-mill sword." I explain. "You've already seen this multiple times, Robin. Even with all the weapons I can conjure with my mind, there was never a weapon that I could call my own – until I traveled the Outrealms and finally had Harvest Moon made. It's a weapon I'm proud of, to be sure, but since a while back, I've had this nagging feeling in the back of my head that this isn't everything I can do with it."

Robin gives me a look of disbelief. "Jack, from what I can see of this sketch, your main weapon is more complex than just about any contraption that can be found in a fort. How could you possibly want to do more with it?"

I give my wife an amused smirk. "When has that ever stopped me from trying to improve and move forward? I have seen worlds where the average civilian contraption is leagues more advanced than the most elaborate architecture in all of Ylisse. In terms of technology, Harvest Moon's structure is laughably primitive in comparison to some weapons I have seen in action."

When I first asked Ruby how she could afford all the parts to build Crescent Rose, the girl just curled up and cried while mumbling about saving up and sacrificing countless Cookie Fridays. The glare Yang shot me told me that I either backed off and offered her baby sister a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies as a peace offering, or I would end up in an Atlesian hospital with a medical bill that would make Qrow's combined bar tab across all of Remnant look like a five-year-old's IOU.

And that was just Ruby's weapon. Nora let me take a peek at Magnhild's blueprints. I couldn't make heads or tails of the blasted thing, even if I tried. I swear, her airheaded persona is just an act. I'm on to you, Valkyrie, and Ren won't be able to save you next time we meet!

Robin rubs her temples. "Clearly, I have underestimated the experience you have gained through your travels. So, what's your plan this time?"

I focus back on the stone tablet. "My original plan for Harvest Moon was to make a weapon that could incorporate my skills with both a sword and a polearm at the same time so I could make use of both and switch between them on the fly. That's the whole reason behind the (relatively) elaborate structure in the first place. The sword part works fine, but I've had my doubts regarding the scythe part. Sure, it does the whole "Reaper" thing justice, but calling it a polearm in a traditional sense is stretching it at best."

Robin gives me a dry look. "And since when do you do things the traditional way?"

I shrug. "I married you before I got underneath your clothes, didn't I?"

Robin's whole face turns red. "You call _that_ traditional?! Jack, had we gone all the way before our wedding, the scandals would be insufferable!"

"Shows what you know about what mankind is capable of." I reply coolly. "Would you believe me if I told you there are several countries in my own home world where it's completely acceptable for a man and a woman to be together like a married couple – bedroom activities included – without actually being married? And that's before we touch the subject of both parts of a relationship being of the same gender, and no one even bats an eyelash."

Robin gapes in disbelief. "Wha- How do they even-"

"For the sake of your mental stability, I'll just write it off as a vastly different culture and stop at that." I interrupt her. "You're a lot better off not knowing any details. Trust me."

Robin nods with her face so slack from the shock that I gently lift her chin with a finger. Seeing her shut her mouth in response to my gesture is equal parts amusing and cute.

Our tent falls silent for about a minute before my wife finally finds her voice again.

"So let me get this straight; You want to somehow change your weapon in a way that lets you use it as a more traditional polearm, in contrast to the way you can currently use it as a scythe?"

I nod. "That's the gist of this whole thing, yes."

"And how do you intend to do that?"

I tap the stone tablet a few times. "That's what I'm trying to figure out. I've memorized the individual parts that make up Harvest Moon and how they all fit together to make the shifting mechanism work, but it's currently built to only switch between two forms. If I want to add a third form, I have to change the structure inside in such a way that allows my weapon to shift into that form, while still being able to shift into the other two with the same ease as before, without the whole thing falling apart if put under even a moderate amount of stress. I essentially have to build in more stuff without adding anything physical to my weapon."

No wonder modern machine technology is so complicated. Cramming all the components into a limited amount of space is an absolute pain and a half in the neck. Again, the weapon technology of Remnant is just absurd.

Robin scrunches her face in thought. "Say…could you show me how you imagine what your weapon will look like if you succeed?"

"That should be easy enough."

Sparks dance along my arm before I grasp the orb forming in front of my palm. The light disperses to reveal the imagined third form.

Robin rubs her chin. "You know… This looks quite a bit like how your weapon typically looks like, only it's in- I don't know, in-between some things it can already do…"

My eyes widen in surprise at my wife's assessment.

"Wait… That might be it!"

I dismiss the prototype weapon in my hand and Transmute another stone tablet with a different design. I give it a critical eye before I shake my head.

"Close, but no dice. Hmm… But if I move that part over _here_ …"

One more Transmutation on the same tablet.

I blink at what I see in front of me. Robin looks as confused as before.

"This…" I mutter. "This could work. This might be the answer I've been looking for."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "Which means…?"

She yelps as I pull her onto my lap and finds herself face-to-face with my hungry grin.

"That you, my love, have just made my day a lot better, and I intend to show my gratitude in excess."

"Jack, wait! Not while we're- Mmmph!"

Just because Robin can melt my mind with a kiss doesn't mean I'm incapable of returning the favor. She's just overall better at it.

I separate our lips for a brief moment. "Relax. I promise I won't go too far. Just enough to make you sway on your feet by the time I'm done."

Even while taking deep breaths, the exasperated smile on my wife's face is unmistakable. "You beast… You won't take "no" for an answer, will you?"

"You could always try."

"…Do your worst."

"It will be my pleasure – as do I hope it will be yours."

* * *

"Do we _have to_ climb those mountains?" Lissa whimpers as she eyes the mountain range looming in the distance.

Frederick gives the blonde princess a reassuring smile. "There is no need for concern, milady. While we have indeed walked through a mountain range before, your physical condition is leagues better than last time."

Lissa rolls her eyes. "Yes, yes, I admit it, Frederick. Your fanatical fitness hour did _some_ good after all."

The Great Knight nods pleased. "I certainly hope so. Far be it for me to neglect the physical health of the people I have sworn my fealty to."

Chrom gives his younger sister an amused smile. "You'll be fine, Lissa. It's just a healthy stroll, just like that time-"

"Don't you dare get me started on that, Chrom!" Lissa snaps in her brother's face. "Not everyone's a stamina monster like you or Fredrick! Unless you've noticed, I'm mortal!"

Lucina raises an eyebrow. "Mountain climbing can't be that bad, can it, Aunt Lissa?"

Lissa rounds on her elder niece. "Lucina, you don't understand! As soon as you father starts climbing a mountain, he just. Doesn't. Stop! He'll drag us all the way to the summit without paying the rest of us any heed, and he doesn't even notice because Frederick keeps pace with him all the time and assures him everything's fine!"

Chrom clears his throat. "Ah, I _might_ have made that mistake at one point or another…"

Severa eyes the mountain range with a grimace as we keep marching. "I'm starting to have second thoughts about joining the mountain climbing group."

Lissa practically tackle hugs the redhead. "Severa, you understand my plight!"

As both princesses cry mock tears in each other's arms (and making sure Chrom takes note of it), Anna goes over the carts with a critical eye.

"Something bother Anna?" Gregor asks the red-haired merchant.

"Oh, just checking them to make sure they can handle the trip." Anna replies. "Mountain travel's rough, no matter what anyone says. Gotta make sure all this tuff makes it to the other side unharmed. I've got a good portion of my merchandise stashed in here."

"Ya stuffed yer trinkets in our convoy?!" Sully shouts exasperated. "What the h-ll made ya think that's a good idea?! The horses are gonna have a hard-enough time pullin' all this weight even if we went with the bare necessities!"

"Hey, I don't see you pour over the finance books of this army!" Anna fires back. "I have to keep track of the money we spend on this campaign. Do you have any idea how scary the higher-ups get if you screw up the numbers? I'm daring enough to rob a band of brigands blind on their home turf, but embellish my employers? _No_ thank you! Besides, I still have my own private business to take care of on the side."

Sully gives Anna a deadpan look. "Remind me why we brought ya aboard in the first place?"

Anna winks. "Because one of your buddies wanted a quartermaster. Besides, who can say "no" to a face as pretty as mine?"

"I can." the Paladin answers dryly. Then she smirks. "And unlike you, I'm married."

The glare Anna gives Sully could melt steel. "Rub it in, will you? Well, not like I'm interested in marrying any time soon."

Sully smirks and raises an eyebrow. "Oho? Is that a tremble in your voice I hear? Guess not even our resident money lover can escape the itch every woman has."

"Money scratches my itch just fine, thank you very much." Anna huffs and walks to the next cart.

"Anna in very bad mood." Gregor comments nervously from the side. "Why Sully insist on the aggravating?"

The Paladin shrugs. "Ya saw it to, didn't ya? She can deny it all she wants, but deep down, she's got it bad." The tomboyish redhead scowls. "Somebody better step up to the plate soon, or she'll miss out on somethin' big." Then she glances at Gregor. "You up for it, big guy?"

Gregor jolts at her question. "Oy! What make thinking Gregor fits bill?!"

Sully shrugs. "Hang around Nowi long enough, and ya might pick up on some 'a her habits."

Speaking of inspections…

I bring up my status screen. I can't remember the last time my stats increased by any means other than by spending points. It may well have to do with the fact that my stats are already so high that they can't go any higher on their own with the current competition. On the other hand, Walhart could very well have something terrifying up his armored sleeve. With all that said, I think it's better to be safe and sorry and spend some of my hard-earned points to increase my stats. For starters, I should increase the base value of STR, VIT and DEX to 100. If I understand my powers correctly, that should give me a few more skills to work with.

 **A new skill has become available due to your high strength! You gained "Guard Breaker"!  
A new skill has become available due to your high vitality! You gained "Second chance"!  
A new skill has become available due to your high dexterity! You gained "Master's touch"!**

Yep. I can work with this. Bring it on, imperials!

* * *

"*Huff, huff* Why do mountains…have to…be so steep?" Robin asks while gasping for air with every step she takes.

Olivia falls in step with my wife and pulls out a leather flask from her pack. "Here, have some water."

Robin accepts the flask with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Olivia. You're a life saver."

Olivia looks away with her hands behind her back and a shy smile on her face. "Oh, hardly. I just flail around and pretend to dance, mostly. Anyway, I've started looking for new ways to be useful."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "News ways? Olivia, your dancing is spectacular! It never fails to pick me up."

"Hear, hear." the rest of us chip in around the conversing pair.

A blush spreads along the Dancer's cheeks. "Ha! I dance like a ham someone rolled down the stairs. Just thinking of people watching me makes me cringe…"

"My dear, there should be limits even to your modesty." Virion interjects from the side. "Even after all the time you have spent dancing for us both on and off the battlefield, the only thing that could possibly match your dancing prowess is your inability to take the praise for what it is."

Olivia fidgets as she walks. "Oh, stop. I know you're trying your best to encourage me, Virion, but the thought of someone else evaluating my performance just terrifies me."

The Bow Knight sighs. "Ah, what I would not give for you to see one of your performances for yourself. Maybe that would silence your self-doubts once and for all. As much as I love you – and I truly do – even I find it vexing how your low self-esteem keeps hindering you from accepting someone appreciating your strengths." The Bow Knight huffs. "Speaking of strengths, how in the world can you climb this steep mountain path with such ease, my love? I know my physical prowess on foot is not ideal, what with me relying on my dear Innes to carry me on the battlefield, and yet, even the most resilient foot soldier would find this path a challenge to travel."

That makes the rest of us do a double take on Olivia. Even after we've spent the better part of two hours walking the winding road up this mountain, the Dancer's hardly breaking a sweat. In contrast, Noire looks like she's a few steps shy of Tracing a cane and use it as a walking stick.

Might need to up her physical training in the near future.

Olivia's shy smile gives way for a more relaxed one. "Oh, this isn't so hard. When you've practiced dancing for as long as I have, you learn to be light on your feet. No need to push down on the ground so hard when you need to move your foot barely a moment later."

"And yet, you downplay your own abilities, darling." Maribelle interjects as she sidles up next to Olivia. "You might need a few more lessons in confidence next time we have an opportunity."

Olivia's face changes from relaxed to terrified. "Please don't. The last time I had to approach a stranger, I nearly flew into hysterics."

Maribelle rubs her temples. "Ah, yes. I clearly remember that…setback. However, momentous obstacle or not, we cannot have you shrink in on yourself all the time. I will help you out of your shell one way or another, and no one will convince me otherwise."

Virion eyes the Valkyrie skeptically. "While I appreciate what you are trying to do for my wife, I have my doubts regarding this…shock therapy…something you have been implementing these past few weeks. Whenever you try, my beloved Olivia spends the next hour crying in my arms."

"Perhaps you're just trying from the wrong end." I suggest to the conversing group. "Instead of throwing Olivia headfirst into situations she's uncomfortable with, why not start small and increase the intensity slightly for each new session instead?"

Maribelle sighs. "Considering our track record up until this point, I may have to relent. Very well, starting from today, I will try a…gentler approach." Then she scowls and points her parasol at me. "And how long do you intend to continue this inane means of marching, Jack? Moving along us the way you are is not only unbecoming of a soldier, captain or not, but it is becoming infuriating!"

What Maribelle is referring to is me hovering alongside the Shepherds.

While lying faceup. With my hands behind my head, and a carefree look on my face. It looks more like I'm napping than marching, further proven by the fact that my feet aren't touching the ground.

Combining Telekinesis with wind magic in general and Air shoes in particular has its uses. This case certainly beats walking up a mountain.

"Not my fault you're nowhere near good enough with wind magic to pull this off." I reply uncaring.

"One day, Jack…" Maribelle growls. "One day…"

I lazily turn my head to look the Valkyrie in the eyes. "And when that day comes, you'll have grown and matured enough to realize how petty all of this is. You're a lot wiser than this, Maribelle. It's the main reason why I believe you'll make a fine magistrate one day."

That finally makes Maribelle stop her moody fit.

"Hey, Say'ri. There's a mountain village nearby here, isn't there?" Chrom asks our (sort of) neighborhood native.

The Swordmaster nods. "Aye. It is one of the reasons why I wished we take this path in particular. These mountains are populated in quite a few places since ancient times, but this village in particular lies near a path that is easier to travel than most, all things considered. It should make for a good stop to rest our troops before we resume our march."

"Finally." Lissa groans. "If I don't get to rest my feet soon, _someone_ will be made unhappy."

"Aw, don't be like that, Lissa." Henry tells her cheerfully. "Mountain climbing isn't that bad once you figure out a few tricks."

Lissa gives the Dark Mage a sour look. "Yeah. Like riding a bear."

So, Henry just randomly found a bear living in the woods near the foot of the mountain range and started up a conversation. A few grunts, growls and a pat on the head later, the bear let him climb up on its back. Henry's been riding the big forest animal ever since. No one's dared to ask him how he did it. The bear gets grumpy if anyone else gets too close.

* * *

 **Silence…**

That's what meets us when we finally reach the mountain village. Signs of damage on the structures can be seen all over the village.

But, most haunting of all, there's not a single person in sight. The whole village is devoid of people.

Chrom looks around the empty streets bewildered. "What in the world happened here?"

"This must be the work of an enemy Stand." Rose mutters, only to shake her head moments later. "No, wait. Wrong series."

Chrom turns to the rest of us. "There might be some clues to what happened. Shepherds! Search the village!"

I make a few dozen Shadow clones and have them all turn into mice or small birds before they scatter. The others go their separate ways soon after.

"This is most concerning." Say'ri assesses as she inspects a doorframe covered with slash marks. "Something violent happened in this village not too long ago, judging from how fresh the damage is. But how could this happen? The villages in these mountains possess little to nothing of great value for any band of outlaws to steal. Yet, the amount of blood littering the streets is remarkably small."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "Why would the amount of blood matter?"

"Do you not find it strange?" Say'ri asks. "How can there be so many signs of recent violence in this place, but no blood? Had the culprits' aim simply been murder, there would have been bloodstains everywhere. Yet, the bloodstains we see are few and far in-between."

That's when the memory of one of my clones hit me. "Chrom, one of my copies found a survivor."

Chrom immediately turns to me with a determined scowl. "Lead the way, Jack. Robin, Say'ri, Gather the others."

A few minutes later, most of us are gathered outside a small toll shed. The shed is in about as poor of a state as the rest of the buildings here, but one thing sticks out like a tree on a savanna.

"NO! LEAVE ME ALONE! I BEG OF YOU!"

The clearly spooked village maiden inside, screaming and begging for her life.

Lucina glances at the rest of us. "Something tells me she will not greet us kindly anytime soon."

"I've got this." Nowi declares as she walks up to the door and opens it. "Hey, don't worry. we're just-" *Whack!* "Ow!" *Smack!* "Stop that!"

Nowi's progress meets an unexpected stop as the maiden within swings at her with a broom. The terrified look in her eyes is unmistakable.

"NO! STOP! DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!"

That, and her clearly hysterical voice.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Hey, I told you to stop!" Nowi shouts indignant. As the beating continues, a tic mark appears on her forehead. "I said **stop!** "

The village maiden fall backwards on her butt as Nowi transforms into a dragon. As the transformed manakete stares the villager down, the young woman trembles in place.

"No… Oh gods, it's even worse than last time. Grandfather… Somebody… Please help…"

And that's when Nowi reverts back to a girl, though she's still pouting. "Finally decided to stop abusing a poor little girl, did you? That broom hurt."

The village maiden blinks in shock. "H-Huh? A girl? W-what's the meaning of this? Who are you people?"

"Please, we come in peace." Chrom tries to sooth her as he steps forward.

However, as the village maiden notices Falchion, she curls herself up in a ball. "No! Please! I'll do anything! Just spare me!"

That makes everyone pause. Whatever happened in this village, she definitely saw it, and she's too spooked to tell us. Specifically, she gets spooked by the sight of a weapon.

"I'll handle this." Lissa tells as us she kneels down and hugs the village maiden. "Shh… It's okay. We're here to help. You can rest easy."

Judging from how her trembling is lessening by the second, it's working. The village maiden looks up at Lissa with her eyes trembling and breathing ragged.

"You- You're not like the ones who were here before."

Lissa raises an eyebrow, but ultimately puts it aside and settles for calming down the distraught woman instead. It takes a few minutes, but she eventually calms down to the point that it looks like she won't go PTSD on us again.

"I know this might be painful for you…" Lissa speaks up gently. "…but we have no idea what's going on in this village. What could've turned it into this ghostly state?"

The village maiden's pupils shrink as her trembling resumes. Unlike last time, she clings to Lissa as some sort of emotional anchor.

"It- Everything happened so fast." the terrified woman elaborates with a trembling voice and tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "It was just a normal day in our peaceful village. No. This region hasn't been peaceful for months… We were just ignoring the warning signs. That is, until _they_ came here."

Robin blinks bemused. ""They"?"

"Marauders. Brigands. No, they were something else. Cloaked in purple coats, they stormed into our village and attacked anyone and everyone, be they man, woman or child. They broke into homes, tore apart fences and stalls. They didn't care for the animals and just let them run away in the confusion instead. But just when we thought they would kill us all, they just tied everyone up instead and led them out of the village like prisoners. The few that resisted were killed in front of everyone else – brutally." Her eyes grow horrified. "Oh, gods… I can still hear the screams. It wasn't just a beating. They mutilated those poor people until nothing was whole on their bodies anymore, long after their cries had ceased. My grandfather hid me in this place while everyone was still running about. Even so, I could see everything happen clearly from within my hiding place. Not long after he hid me, he yelled at the attackers to come after him. Grandfather sacrificed his life to lead them away from me." The village maiden clings to Lissa as her tears fall freely. "Grandfather… Why…?"

Say'ri's hold on the Windcleaver tightens. "This offense will _not_ go unpunished!"

Chrom looks at the Swordmaster in surprise. "Say'ri?"

"I know not who these perpetrators are, but I refuse to leave their crimes unanswered. So long as wicked men like them roam the lands, true peace can never be achieved, nor can freedom become a reality."

Chrom gives a faint smile before he nods resolute. "Heh. You took the words right out of my mouth. Seems we'll be spending more time in the mountains than we planned."

Robin gives a subtle sigh. "I thought you'd say that, Chrom. Well, can't say I disagree. But first, we need to find out where they came from. Unless we get a starting point, we could search half the mountain range before we make any progress."

"You would…fight those outlaws?" the village maiden asks us with a hint of hope.

Lissa gives her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. We're strong."

The young villager swallows before she gets back on her feet. "Perhaps I may be of assistance, then. Before the attackers left, I managed to overhear one of them mentioning an old fort northwest of here. That might be their base."

"Ah, so that's what I spotted in the distance." Cherche muses.

Virion turns to the Wyvern Rider. "Oh? You have spotted the enemy's base already, my dear?"

Cherche nods. "That may be the case. While I searched the village from the sky on top of Minerva, I spotted a curious building standing on top of a different mountain roughly northwest of here. If I remember correctly, that old place once served as a stronghold of sorts in ancient times, dating at least a thousand years back."

The Bow Knight smirks. "And unless it has seen use during all those years, chances are it was abandoned down the annals of time. What better place for a band of brigands to make their base than an abandoned stronghold?"

Chrom nods along. "Sounds as good a place to start searching than anywhere else. Shepherds! We're bringing the fight to the attackers this time! Be ready for hostage situations!"

"Uh, Captain Chrom?" Ricken asks as we march from the village. "I don't think we've ever trained hostage situations, mostly because the bandits back home hardly ever settled for taking any. They'd just take whatever they wanted, burned the town to the ground, and ran back to their bases."

Chrom rubs his chin. "That's a good point… Diplomacy's not my strong suit, even after all the training Emm's tried to place me in to make negotiations go smoother."

Lucina scowls. "Something tells me these fiends have no intentions of negotiating anyway. We do not even know why they attacked this village in the first place."

"Guess we'll learn more when we find them, then."

"We have to climb _more_ mountains?!" Severa yells exasperated as we travel another trail and look out over the landscape.

Cynthia looks at the redhead confused. "Well, yeah. That's how things go when you travel through a mountain range, Severa. It's one mountain after the next."

Severa puts her face in her hands. "Uuuuugh! I officially HATE mountain climbing!"

I pat my student on the back hard enough to push her forward. "Consider this endurance training, then. You'll grow some strong legs from all this walking."

Severa points at me accusingly. "I don't want to hear that from a jerk who can just _fly_ all the way!"

I give her a dry look in return. "What, like right now?"

That makes Severa pause. Thing is, I let my feet touch the ground back when we first arrived in the mountain village, and I've been walking ever since.

"Jack-sensei, sometimes I just want to punch you."

I grin and walk ahead of Severa. "Then you'd better train until you can land that hit. Have fun, Severa."

Even as we travel the mountain roads, I hear Severa scream for my blood while Lucina does her best to stop her sister from mauling me barehanded. Just because I have little love for trolls doesn't mean I never indulge in their guilty pleasure myself from time to time. I'm hypocritical like that. And, to be fair, anger makes for one heck of a motivator when training. Easy adrenaline boost and all that. Perfect for Severa's physical conditioning. I _do_ have to fulfill my duty as a teacher, after all. I simply do it in a way that I find amusing.

* * *

 _ **A few mountain trails later**_

"Are we there yet…?" Vaike asks with some desperation laced with exhaustion.

No one deigns to answer his question. Kjelle, for her part, facepalms and pretends she doesn't know the man. Sully settles for comforting her daughter, telling her how the blond axe wielder has been like that even before they married. As it turns out, Vaike's increased strength may have come with somewhat greater stamina, but all of that gets nullified in our current setting because he has to move all that extra muscle mass around while climbing mountains. Traveling with a body frame like his for extended periods of time can sap the stamina something fierce for just about anyone.

As for why Kjelle and Sully are handling themselves better; well, they're always training in one form or another. Anytime I train my students, I use Kjelle as the standard of what I expect of them (with the parameters adjusted accordingly for those who use magic to keep things fair). Reactions have been mixed. Lucina looked at the Knight apprehensively. Yarne and Nah were about to join her when they made eye contact. From that moment, they've been trying their hardest to make that standard seem subpar. Cynthia gave a megawatt grin and went One for All on the nearest training dummy. Five seconds later, the training dummy was better off as kindling for that evening's campfire.

"Good news, Vaike." Chrom calls back to the Berserker as he moves a branch out of the way. "It seems we _have_ arrived."

Beyond the foliage, a massive, rectangular stone building occupies much of the open landscape in front of us. Aside from the massive front entrance, there seems to be a few pathways built upon it, indicating that the building has at least two stories. Oddly enough, there seem to be chains hanging from the ceiling, mostly visible through the openings provided by said open pathways above.

While this could certainly pass as a stronghold, there's one more thing that indicates that we've arrived at the right place.

"People garbed in purple robes meandering about." Laurent observes with his glasses flashing briefly. "That matches the description the village maiden provided us with earlier."

Chrom draws Falchion. "Guess there's no need to beat around the bush, then. Shepherds! Prepare for battle!"

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: A man for flowers**  
 _While crossing the mountains along the northern part of Valm, you learn of a group of outlaws who raided and kidnapped the people living in a nearby mountain village. Aside from the odd behavior compared to how ruffians usually operate, the mere fact that a mass kidnapping with a side of murder happened a while ago is something you simply cannot ignore. And even if you did, Chrom never does. Find the mysterious kidnappers and put an end to their terrorizing the townsfolk._  
 **Objective:** _Defeat all of the mysterious outlaws._  
 **Rewards:** _10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold_

* * *

As we march out of the foliage, I notice something strange. The males among our group suddenly seem to have more muscles, as well as more definition to their muscle tone. The females seem to be notably taller. Everyone's features change to sharp, angular faces with permanent scowls etched on them. Wait, _my_ face suddenly looks like that too.

Rose is the next to notice. She immediately points up in the sky as everything around her seemingly inverts in color.

 **Poke!**

"What the heck, Author?! Stop changing the graphics just to make another one of those stupid references! We've got enough of those in this chapter as is!"

And just like that, everything returns to normal.

Everyone falls silent in the confusion.

Nowi blinks bemused. "Whoa. That felt weird. Almost like I had grown into a physical adult for a moment…"

I sigh and draw Harvest Moon. "This day just keeps getting more and more bizarre. I'd rather we just put an end to this and be done with it."

While everyone agrees, there one thing that gives us pause.

"Aaaah!"

The high-pitched scream of someone who is undoubtably a man, coming from within the structure.

A Mercenary with light-blue hair and surprisingly handsome features skids around a corner by the entrance and hightails it out of the building.

* * *

 **Inigo Lvl 35 Class: Mercenary**

* * *

"Nobody said anything about the place being infested by monsters! No way I'm fighting in there!" the young man shouts.

Huh. So this is where that guy's been hanging around.

"Inigo?!" Lucina shouts shocked.

The young man in question is about to book it out of the area when he pauses and looks in our direction.

"Lucina? Guys? How'd you get here?"

Then he shakes his head and dons a mask of confidence, complete with a wink and sparkles around his face.

"No, pardon me. Of course you would be here. That's our beautiful and daring leader, all right."

Severa rolls her eyes. "Oh, joy. He's just as much of a shameless flirt as last time we saw him. And I had finally grown used to not hearing the guy hit on anything remotely female within a ten-league radius."

Lucina shakes her head. "Leave that for later, Severa. Inigo, what are you even doing here? More importantly, have you learned anything about what is happening in this place?"

Inigo's eyes widen in alarm. "Guh! I forgot! The people around here are all Grimleal! They're using this place to summon beasts and raise an army of them."

"Beasts? What kind of beasts?" Chrom asks.

Inigo points into the building. "That kind."

That's when we hear steps approaching. But they don't sound human. And a moment later, we find out why.

Bokoblins. Moblins. Lizalfos. All of them of varying kinds.

"What the- What're THOSE creatures doing here?!" I shout in shock.

Lucina turns to me. "You know of those, Master Jack?"

I nod and ready a wind spell. "Oh, I know of them all right. The only silver lining in this mess is that those aren't the worst creatures I've fought before – far from it. But last time I checked, they can't be summoned unless some kind of blood ritual is conducted."

"Well, well, well. To think there was someone from the outside who knew about our little…experiment." an arrogant voice drawls.

The Hyrulean monsters step aside to let an Assassin walk forward with confidence practically dripping from his every move. One of his distinct features is the lip piercing in the form of a ring.

* * *

 **Jamil Lvl 44 Class: Assassin**

* * *

I scowl at the obvious leader of this pack. "I know more about those creatures than you ever have. And considering the number of people here that I can tell are on your side, I find it hard to believe that you had enough people to sacrifice to summon all of these, not if you only arrived recently."

Jamil sends me a condescending smile. "Hmph. And you claim to know more than me. Fool. Who said anything about sacrificing our own to summon these creatures?"

"That's the other thing." Inigo explains as he draws the Steel Sword on his back. "The Grimleal have been kidnapping people in the nearby villages and brought them here as sacrifices for their blood rituals. It was only thanks to a fair maiden who escaped their raids that I managed to find this place."

Now that we all take a closer look, we notice something hanging from several of the chains inside the building.

Humans. But none of them are alive. They're all corpses, bled dry and left to rot where they hang under the ceiling.

Lissa's face turns green. "Oh, gods… That's horrible."

A deranged grin splits Jamil's face as he spreads out his arms. "Ah, but their pain is but fleeting in comparison to how great their sacrifice is for Master Grima. Soon, this whole continent shall be under our rule, and then none will be able to oppose our master or our cause."

Lucina glares at the Grimleal with barely contained fury. "Even now, you fiends commit all manner of unspeakable acts in the name of that monster. How many lives have you sacrificed to summon all these beasts?!"

Jamil shrugs uncaring. "How many cups of tea have you had in your life, little girl?"

That's the straw that breaks the camel's back. Lucina draws Parallel Falchion and charges the cultists head-on with a furious war cry.

 **BGM: Brobot battle, Super Paper Mario music**

A Berserker charges Lucina to meet her head-on. Strong for her size or no, that Berserker's packing some serious strength if the Imposing Axe he's wielding is any indication. And, judging from his grin, he thinks along the same line.

"Night, night!"

 **Crack!**

The Imposing Axe sinks slightly into the rocky ground from the swing and even makes a dust cloud.

The Berserker makes a confused sound as he notices the lack of blood and entrails.

*Shing!* "Guah!"

The axe wielder collapses forward moments later with Lucina standing with her back to him, Eye of the exalt at full blaze and a glare to match.

Meanwhile, the beasts from Hyrule have finally decided to join the fray alongside their human masters. While their combat skill may be lower than that of a trained soldier, their sheer numbers and above average strength can make up for it.

A pair of Moblins charge Lucina with a Steel Axe each in hand.

*Clang!* "Just in time…"

Their combined swings don't even make Kjelle budge as she places herself between the monsters and Lucina. The Moblins blink in surprise before they rear back their axes for another swing.

"Distraction kills." *Brrzt!*

They only have enough time to raise their weapons before Laurent hits both of them with precise Elthunder spells. As the Moblins are busy twitching from the spell, Kjelle rears back her lance and slices both of them with a wide swing.

A group of Bokoblins ride on a horse each that they got form…somewhere. Judging by their coloring, they're most likely wild. As they ride around the battlefield, they try to harass us with arrows.

"You call that horseback combat? You guys don't even qualify as average!" Stahl shouts as he commands his horse into a frontal assault.

The Bokoblin fire a salvo of arrows at Stahl, only to realize their folly as the green Great Knight barrels right through the attack thanks to his heavy armor. Moments later, the Bokoblin are sent flying off their mounts from a swing of Stahl's Armorslayer.

* * *

*Fwoom!*

"This beast is more tiresome to fight than I thought." Panne growls as she dodges the flames spewed by a Fire Lizalfos. Any time when the taguel tries to keep her distance, the red reptile closes the gap within seconds and tries to shred her to pieces with its Tri-Boomerang. And if Panne retaliates at close range, the Fire Lizalfos literally opens fire and tries to turn her into bunny roast.

"You're telling-"

 **Freeze!**

*Krk…krish!* "-me! I have a hard enough-"

 **Freeze!**

*Krk…krish!* "-time moving in this fight!" Nowi yells while an Ice Lizalfos constantly interrupts her with a well-placed ball of ice that freezes her instantly, only for the manakete to break free moments later.

 **Freeze!**

*Krk…krish!* "Will you cut that out?! I can't talk properly if you keep freezing me like that?!

Panne and Nowi soon find themselves back-to-back.

"This is getting us nowhere." Panne observes as their elemental adversaries approach from either side.

Nowi frowns before a glimmer sparkles in her eye. "Hey, Panne? You can handle cold well, right?"

Panne nods tentatively. "Better than those searing flames, yes."

Nowi grins before she grabs Panne's forearm. "In that case; switch!"

"What are you- Whoa!"

Nowi reverses their positions before she runs straight at the Fire Lizalfos. The red monster wastes no time in covering Nowi in flames.

*Flash!*

But instead of turning Nowi into a pile of ashes, the manakete runs straight into the flames, transforms, and barrels the Fire Lizalfos over through sheer weight and momentum.

" **You want fire? Taste the flames of a real dragon!** "

*Fwoom!*

Fire immunity or not, it seems not even the Fire Lizalfos can tank the flames of a manakete. That, or Lizalfos in general count as draconic creatures. Gotta love Wyrmsbane.

On the other side, Panne has transformed as well and weaves left and right while dashing towards the Ice Lizalfos. The pale-blue reptile hurls ice ball after ice ball at Panne, only for the taguel to dodge the freeze radius with her quick movements and completely ignoring the cold residual air thanks to her fur. Moments later, she tears into the Ice Lizalfos like a savage predator.

* * *

Sumia curves around an Arcfire spell from a Dark Knight and then has her pegasus climb hard to avoid the follow-up swing form a General's lance. As the brunette Dark Flier reaches a safe altitude, she opens her own Elthunder tome and starts blasting the General with arcane lightning form above. Her barrage reaches an abrupt end as an opposing Dark Flier tries to impale her on a Killer Lance. Sumia makes it out of the surprise attack unscathed, but finds some of her hair missing.

"Again?!" the Dark Flier yells exasperated. "Why does my hair always suffer whenever there's a close call?! That's it, you're going down!"

Sumia pulls out a Silver Lance of her own and twirls it a few turns before she commands her pegasus to charge. The Grimleal Dark Flier smirks and commands her mount into a dive. Sumia follows suit, only to find a pair of Griffon Riders joining in the aerial battle.

*Screech!*

Fortunately for Sumia, Cherche's taken to the skies as well. The Griffon Riders are forced to concentrate on Cherche instead, else Minerva would roast their mounts with her fiery breath.

Cherche readies her Killer Axe with a smile that promises pain. "Shall we?"

The Griffon Riders share a look before they nod and command their mounts to climb. Cherche frowns and has Minerva hover in place while waiting for their approach.

"Cherche, look out!" Sumia shouts in alarm.

Cherche follows where Sumia's voice came from and spots the Arcwind spell headed her way. The Wyvern Rider commands Minerva to make a steep dive, allowing her to dodge the wind spell.

"Not this time. I've learned my lesson." Cherche mutters with an annoyed glare. And that's when the Griffon Riders come flying down at her with their mounts diving at breakneck speeds.

"Coming through!" *Shink!*

One of the Griffon Riders gets thrown off his mount as Sumia times their descent well enough to flank the attack and impale one of the Griffons. With nothing holding him up anymore, the Griffon Rider crashes right onto the unforgiving ground.

That doesn't stop the other Griffon Rider from continuing his attack dive on Cherche, though.

"Such an easy target." *Thunk!*

A headshot from Virion, on the other hand, will. As the second flier falls to the ground lifeless, Cherce glances towards the ground to see the Bow Knight give himself a pleased smile. At least, he smiles until the Dark Knight reminds everyone he's still around and tries to incinerate Virion with another Arcfire spell. It's a good thing Innes reacts quickly and manages to move out of the literal line of fire. As the Dark Knight keeps casting fire spells, Virion counters with the occasional arrow while keeping an eye out for any more sneak attacks.

Ironically, the next sneak attack comes from Olivia, who managed to sneak around the Dark Knight and got the drop on the spellcasting rider by jumping on his mount. He barely has time to yelp in surprise before Olivia slits his throat with a clean cut from her dagger.

Cherche shakes her head in fond exasperation. "As much of a showoff as I remember. But at least he can back up his claims with his archery this time around while also having a capable partner by his side."

Then she glares behind Sumia. "All right, my turn, then."

The remaining Dark Flier looks at the nearby Shepherds nervously before she turns and flies away.

"Oh no, you don't!" Cherche shouts as she commands Minerva into pursuit. What the Dark Flier's mount may have in maneuverability, Minerva makes up for with sheer speed. As Cherche slowly gains ground, she pulls out a Hand Axe, takes aim, and hurls the weapon. Though not a clean hit, the flying axe manages to clip the Dark Flier's side and disrupts her concentration long enough for Cherche to catch up. Seeing no other way out, the Dark Flier grits her teeth and readies herself for single combat. Cherche closes in with her Killer Axe raised high. The Dark Flier responds with a thrust to keep distance, only for Cherche to lean her head at the last moment and swing down with her axe. In response, the Dark Flier pulls on the reins and has her pegasus rear up its front hooves. Cherche gets a face full of hooves before she manages to back off. She commands Minerva into a dive before the Dark Flier can capitalize on the surprise maneuver and impale her through the chest. The Dark Flier follows suit, only for Cherche to make a hard turn and swing from the side. The Dark Flier responds with a corkscrew and keeps diving until she makes a sharp climb and settles for wider swings at the Wyvern Rider. Minerva swings her tail at the pegasus to stop the attack, then rights herself to let Cherche bring down her axe. The Dark Flier manages to block Cherche's swing with visible effort, but still holds strong. But that's when she notices Cherche smirk – and Minerva's mouth open with the bottom of her maw glowing yellow.

"It has been a pleasure!"

*Fwoom!*

The Dark Flier screams in agony from the point-blank blast of Minerva's fire breath. The blinding heat leaves her completely open when Cherche comes down and finally lands a clean hit on her shoulder and through her heart. As the Dark Flier falls lifelessly into the valley below, Minerva rears back and lets out a triumphant victory cry with the sunset painting a majestic backdrop.

Cherche smiles at her longtime friend fondly. "As much as a showoff as Duke Virion. And I would have you no other way, Minerva."

* * *

A Trickster draws a slim Silver Sword and points it at Severa with a flourish.

"Hah! I advise you keep your distance, girl. You are no match for moi, Chariot, the Silver Fencer."

One of Severa's eyebrows twitches. "Great… I'm stuck with the weirdo. Just make it quick. I have enough crazy to handle on a daily basis already, and you're just salt on the open wound."

The Trickster closes the distance between them in a flash, unleashing a relentless barrage of swift stabs.

"Come on! Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on!"

"Don't you have anything better to say?!" Severa yells while frantically blocking the sharp blade.

The redhead spies an opening and ducks low before she channels fire through Laevateinn and unleashes a heavy swing. The Trickster backflips out of dodge and eyes Severa's burning sword curiously.

"Fire, huh? Neat trick." The Trickster retakes his stance smirking. "Too bad for you I can even cut fire with my sword. Before long, you will fall to your own power."

The mouthy cultist renews his assault. Much to Severa's shock, the attacks come even faster this time, to the point that she finds herself cut in several places, despite her best efforts in blocking the attacks. Severa clicks her tongue and casts an Elfire spell right on the ground. The explosion of fire magic catches her opponent off-guard and forces him to back off.

"What was that about cutting fire?" Severa asks from within a circle of flames.

The Trickster grins. "This!"

Another quick step-in later, and he swipes at Severa's flames. They don't just flicker in the direction of the swing. Some of them even stick to the slime blade, much like on Laevateinn.

"What the- Eek!"

Severa stumbles back in shock as her own flames get swung back at her. Adding to the speed of the assault, the red-haired princess finds herself completely on the defensive.

"This is why I told you to keep your distance, girl!" the Trickster taunts her.

He feints a high slash, only to change it to a kick in Severa's gut that forces her to stab her sword in the ground to stay on her feet. Right afterwards, the Trickster swings his sword down hard and launches the attached flames in a blazing hot arc at Severa.

*Fwoom!* "Ungh!"

"And thus, you fall to your own power." the Trickster declares haughtily.

Severa smirks from within the flames. "That's what you think."

The Trickster blinks. "Come again? Wait, why aren't the flames burning you?"

Severa's smirk turns into a grin. "You didn't think I learned how to conjure fire without gaining some manner of resistance to them, did you? Unlike your parlor tricks, my control over fire is the real deal. The best part? You're so busy walking with your nose in the air that you don't even notice what happens beneath you."

"Beneath-" That's when the Trickster notices the ground under his feet glow red. His eyes widen in shock. "What?! When did you- You channeled your flames into the ground when you stabbed your sword into the ground?!"

"Took you long enough. Have fun burning, loser!"

A small inferno erupts from the ground with the Trickster standing in the middle of it all. As the flames die down, they reveal that his clothes are practically charred black, his body is covered in third degree burns, and his sword is slightly melted. Oh, and he's dead.

Severa flips some hair behind her shoulder. "I was _almost_ scared."

* * *

"Hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop!"

Rose stands on a light-blue translucent cube with a core of lightning magic humming in its center and rolls it forward. Every time a side impacts the ground, the cube sends out a surge of lightning magic that stuns anyone who gets close enough. The grimleal are smart enough to keep their distance. The Hyrulean beasts, not so much. As Rose keeps up her clunky movement over the ground, she leaves a sizable group of twitching Bokoblins and Moblins in her wake.

Rose turns in my direction. "Hey, Dad! Think we could make it work better?"

"I'm on it!" I shout and jump in her direction.

Rose jumps off her cube, and I land on it moments later with my hands pointed outwards and Telekinesis locked on any enemy in a fifteen meter radius.

"Universal pull (but not really)!"

My telekinetic hold pulls grimleal and Hyrulean beasts alike to the cube. I jump off the magical construct, just as Rose finishes charging a Thunder spell with a malicious grin on her face.

"Get rekt, scrubs!"

It's just like when a spark falls on a pile of gunpowder. When the lightning orb hits the bigger lightning cube, the energies held within are unleashed all at once and explode like a concentrated thunderbolt. Anyone who got caught in my telekinetic hold earlier gets fried in an instant.

I land beside Rose and high-five her. "We should do that more often."

"Easy-peasy."

After a while, Rose blinks. "Hey, Dad? Since I got that last blow in, does that mean I get all the EXP?"

 **Rose has leveled up!**

Rose shrugs. "Oh. Well, I guess that answers that."

I glance to the side and notice Lucina locked in combat with a General. The heavily armored soldier manages to shrug off most of the blue-haired princess's attacks and has room to spare to retaliate, which puts Lucina in a tough spot, superior mobility notwithstanding.

"Better help her." I mutter and draw Harvest Moon.

The General deflects one of Lucina's stabs and unbalances her in the process. Before he can capitalize on the opening, I slip in-between and send his lance off-course with a rising slash before I grab Lucina and jump back to get some distance.

"You look like you could use some help." I tell Lucina as I get in a battle stance.

Lucina nods and settles in her own stance. "My thanks, Master. Ready?"

I grin. "Whenever you feel like it."

On an unseen signal, we both charge the General. The armored cultist swings his lance at me, only to swing air as I jump over the swing. I try to land an axe kick on his head, only to meet his shield instead. Meanwhile, Lucina flanks the General and aims a thrust at his side. The General pivots and flips his lance to thrust it backwards at Lucina. She manages to block, but gets sent back far enough for the General to focus on me instead. My armored foe swipes his shield sideways and transitions into a lance stab in the same move.

Good thing I know how to hover as I please. Dodging the stab is easy. The shield bash right afterwards, not so much.

*Wham!*

Huh. No damage, but he hit hard enough to send me back. This guy is obviously a cut above the rest of his comrades, considering how well he reacts to multiple attacks at once. But…there's a gap in pretty much any defense. Now to find his.

I dash in for another offensive. Predictably, the General blocks my first swing with his shield. At the same time, he deters Lucina from attacking from behind with a lance thrust backwards. I slip to his side and make a grab for his lance while it's still extended, but he shows remarkable reaction speed as he pulls his weapon back and tries to jam the edge of his shield into me. I bend backwards to dodge the blow, but find myself in an awkward position as his lance comes in for a powerful thrust. No choice, then.

I slap the ground for a Transmutation and move the ground I'm on away from the General and out of reach for his lance. Seeing as I'm further away, the General turns his attention back to Lucina and stops her attack cold in its tracks. Even though the General focuses on the princess, I can tell he still stays wary of me. I can work with that.

I dash in for another attempted attack, this time with Harvest Moon reared back for a thrust. But instead of running all the way into thrusting distance, I send out my attack much earlier than what would be expected, considering Harvest Moon's length.

That is, Harvest Moon's length in its _current_ form.

As I thrust forward, Harvest Moon's hilt elongates at high speeds. So fast, that the General gets the shock of his life when the bone-white blade not only reaches him, but sinks into his less armored side and finally draws first blood in this fight. All the while, Harvest Moon's blade remains locked in its straight position.

This is the solution Robin gave me the inspiration for. It's so simple, I can't believe it took me this long to figure out the solution to my problem. If I want to fight with a more traditional polearm, I'll just make sure Harvest Moon can become like one. So instead of having the elongation of the hilt and the angle shift on the blade be part of the same mechanism, I simply separated them so they can work independently. The result? I can now shift Harvest Moon into a naginata form – with an abnormally big blade at the end.

The unexpected blow finally makes the General stagger enough to give me and Lucina the opening we need to tear apart his defenses. First Lucina uses the distraction to disarm him of his lance. By the time she's done, I have already closed the distance and kicked the shield off his arm. Time to wrap this up.

* * *

 **Union Strike: Wombo Combo**

"Lucina!"

"Together!"

I grab one of the General's arms and pull him in for a snap kick right at his wound. The force behind the kick sends him stumbling towards Lucina, who unleashes a triple slash across his back before she pushes him back my way with a palm thrust.

I thrust at the General's head with the butt end of Harvest Moon, strike the back of his knees with the pole, and slash him across the chest with the blade. By this point, he's barely staying on his feet. That's when Lucina grabs hold of his other arm and slams Parallel Falchion's pommel into his face, kicks him away and pierces his armor with a well-timed Shield Breaker.

"Time to finish this." I declare.

I toss Harvest moon into the air and reinforce my arms before I pummel the General through his armor with enough force to dent it. Shoulder, solar plexus, abdomen, temple, forearm, gut, solar plexus again. Then I grab the General's arm and toss him over my shoulder with a battle cry – right in Lucina's direction.

The princess braces herself. " _I_ say when it ends!"

Right as the flying General makes contact, all momentum stops due to a perfectly executed parry from Lucina. The temporarily airborne armored cultist is helpless as Lucina's sword arm blurs in a myriad of stabs that chip away on his armor. Lucina shouts out her own battle cry as she finishes her barrage with a rising slash that sends the General even higher up. Then Lucina jumps up after him, sends him crashing to the ground with an overhead swing and finishes him off with a stab that goes right through his armor and his chest. That's right where his heart would be.

Dude. She just performed a modified version of the Ken Combo.

I catch Harvest Moon as it comes back down. "Nice move."

Lucina pulls Parallel Falchion out of the General's body and smiles at me. "Whatever it takes."

 **BGM ends**

* * *

Olivia ducks under a Berserker's axe swing and slashes at his legs. To her surprise, the Grimleal axe wielder stops his swing early and shoves the butt end at the Dancer. Olivia leans to the side and jumps away before the follow-up can reach her. As she lands, she hears the whinny of a familiar horse. A quick glance back reveals Virion riding in their direction with an arrow notched and ready.

As the Berserker gets ready to charge right over Olivia, she backflips over the swing and out of the way for Virion to line up his shot.

*Thunk!*

The Berserker grunts surprised from the shot. By the time he yanks out the arrow from his shoulder, Olivia has already landed on Innes's back and is hitching a ride on her husband's mount. Virion commands his trusty steed into a circular maneuver while firing more arrows at the Berserker. The axe wielder is ready this time and either blocks or outright dodges the projectiles, but Virion fires them in such a way that he more or less keeps the axe wielder rooted to one spot. As the Bow Knight closes in again, the Berserker readies his axe to chop Innes's legs off in one clean swing. That's when Olivia jumps off the horse and comes down with an overhead slash. Their weapons clash, with the Berserker standing strong even with all the momentum Olivia gained with the fall. That's when Olivia pulls out her dagger and jams it in his forearm.

"Gah! You wench!" the Berserker shouts in pain as he shoves away Olivia and pulls out the dagger.

And then the sound of pounding hooves reaches his ears. Virion has already switched out his bow for a Steel Sword and aims it right at the Grimleal.

"Shall I make you famous?" *Shink!*

The entire weight of a rider on a horse running at full speed strikes the Berserker on a surface area concentrated on the tip of a sword. Needless to say, the Steel Sword sinks into his chest effortlessly. The impact is hard enough to knock the Berserker off his feet and off Virion's sword. He's dead before he even hits the ground.

Virion flicks some blood off his sword and turns to his wife. "Well, that certainly went smoothly. Let us hope this battle ends the same way."

"Look out! Behind you!" Inigo shouts from a bit of distance away.

Virion reacts to the warning and instinctively tries to move his body in a way to hopefully dodge whatever is headed for him.

*Thunk!* "Ungh!"

While it prevented the arrow flying at him to hit anything vital, it still managed to hit him in the shoulder. The Bow Knight falls off his horse moments later.

"Virion!" Olivia shouts in alarm as she runs to her husband.

Jamil smirks from his spot near the entrance to his temporary hideout. "It's useless. That arrow, as well as all my other weapons, are laced with poison." The Assassin indicates the ring in his lip as his smirk turns into a victorious grin. "Unless he takes the antidote stored in my lip ring within the next hour, his death will be as certain as it will be painful."

Inigo's eyes widen in horror at the Assassin's declaration. The horrified expression soon morphs into rage as the young Mercenary clenches his fists until they shake and turn white. "No. He will _not_ fall to an arrow again! I won't allow it!"

Inigo takes _one_ step forward.

Jamil smirks amused. "Hoh~? You're approaching me? Even when knowing that but a scratch from my weapons will spell certain doom, you would willingly come closer?"

"I can't mete out the justice you deserve if I don't get close enough." Inigo growls as he brandishes his Steel Sword in one hand while his left is covered in a faint golden glow with sparks dancing over the limb. At the same time, his breathing becomes…deeper. More focused.

Jamil puts away his bow and replaces it with his own Silver Sword. "Ho hoh. Then, by all means, come as close as you want."

* * *

I jump over a Black Lizalfos's tail swipe and shift Harvest Moon into scythe form before I slice the bipedal lizard in half. Moments later, I lean to the side to dodge the tongue of another. I grab hold of the appendage (Gah! Slimy!) and yank on it to pull the surprised Lizalfos to me before I impale the beast on my scythe, shift my weapon back to a sword, pull out and decapitate it.

As I watch over the battlefield, I note that the number of beasts from Hyrule seems to be increasing.

"Chrom, this isn't working." I tell the prince bluntly. "These cultists seem to be able to summon those creatures faster than we can kill them."

Chrom grunts as he blocks a Moblin wielding a massive two-handed sword before he overpowers the beast and cuts it down. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

I look around in the hopes of finding some sort of clue. If those monsters are summoned from somewhere, there should be a place where their density is naturally at its highest – a place that they all spawn from.

Wait, of course. The giant building. What better place to summon these creatures than the massive building that serves as the Grimleal's temporary base of operations on this continent? If we can get inside, we can disrupt whatever they're doing to summon the Hyrulean beasts and free any captives who are still alive. Still, with more creatures coming out of the woodworks at a steady pace, breaking through would be challenging at best.

Well, as the old siege tactic says; if you can't find a suitable entrance, make one.

Decision made, I dash around the building with Gale step until I manage to round a corner and stare what should probably be the northern wall.

*Poof*

The clone at my side grins. "A hole in the wall? Should be easy enough."

I nod and grab hold of him. "Ready or not, we're about to renovate this place. Have fun."

With that, I wind up for a toss and add some extra wind magic on top of Reinforcement for good measure.

"Doriyah!"

My clone flies at pretty much terminal velocity. At this speed, a Rasengan should be able to punch a hole through the thick stone structure.

My clone claps his hands with an evil grin. "RODOH ROLLA DA!"

*Poof*

 **Crash!**

A drop of sweat forms on the back of my head. Well, I _expected_ him to use Rasengan on the wall. Seems like he settled for turning into a steam roller instead before impact. While impressive that my transformed clone is firmly stuck in the outer wall, there's no hole that can be used as an entrance.

"MUDAA!"

 **KA-BOOM!**

Ah, so he settled for the explosive variant. The drop of sweat on my head doubles in size. While my clone's stunt did indeed have the desired effect in making a giant hole, and thus an entrance into the interior of the ancient stronghold, the fact that I chucked a clone in the first place to achieve this result just seems so outlandish to me. In short, a highly unconventional battering ram.

On the other hand, this might make for an interesting tactic. Making clones isn't as draining to me as it used to be, so chucking clones that transform into giant exploding steam rollers mid-flight might be a great way of handling large crowds of cannon fodder. If nothing else, the shout of one of Dio's signature moves could become a battle cry that will damage the enemy side's morale simply by uttering it.

Better yet, I could transform my clones into arrows, hand them to Noire, have her fire them from her bow to effectively triple their numbers, and _then_ have them transform into giant exploding steamrollers. Though something tells me Robin would expressly forbid me from using such a tactic in battle due to the massive amounts of collateral damage caused, even if used outside of civilization. Contrary to what I might state in my crazier moments, my wife has made it abundantly clear on multiple occasions that, yes, there _is_ such a thing as overkill.

I could argue that she's being a spoilsport, but that would just result in her banishing me to the equivalent of sleeping on the proverbial couch. Not worth it. Ever.

*Boom. Boom.*

My musings over inventing this world's first potential WMDs are cut short as I feel the ground shake in an odd way.

*Boom. Boom.*

It's not an earthquake. The shaking is far to spread out in frequency for that. In fact, I think the shaking is getting stronger.

*Boom! Boom!*

No, it definitely is.

And that's when I notice a massive shadow appear in the hole my clone just blasted into existence. A large, three-fingered hand grasps the edge before the body it belongs to crouches a bit and peeks out of the hole I just made. A single monstrous eye shifts this way and that to scan the battle happening outside.

My eyebrow twitches in disbelief. "You _cannot_ be serious…"

Of all the things the Grimleal could bring here…they summoned a freaking _Hynox_?!

"Jack?" Chrom asks worriedly as he notices the giant one-eyed monster. "What is that?"

"Four words, Chrom." I reply tersely. "Aim for the eye!"

The Hynox steps out into the open and sets its eye on us. As it approaches, I notice its posture getting lower.

Wait, it's not crouching. It's building up speed for a dash!

"Take cover!" I shout as I grab Lucina and jump away from the cyclopean creature's path. The Hynox continues even after the miss and rams right into a boulder. The boulder gets sent on a brief flight in the air before it crashes back down.

Lucina blanches at the result of the tackle. "How in the world are we supposed to take something that monstrous down?"

I give my student a dry look. "Oh, come now, Lucina. If you can't defeat something like the big guy over there, you'll stand no chance against the Fell dragon. If anything, these creatures are fairly simpleminded and dimwitted.

Though, judging from the way the Hynox glares at me, it's safe to assume that it at least understands human speech and knows that I just insulted its intelligence.

The thought is further reinforced as it charges me and, instead of a tackle, jumps into the air and comes down butt first.

Oh, H-LL NO! I have _no_ intention of being sat on by that hideous thing!

*BOOM!*

I slide back from my dodge while keeping a wary eye on the Hynox. Unlike its in-game counterpart, this big lug is a lot more active while on the offensive. The best way to put it down really is a clean hit in its eye and then a merciless pummeling while it's busy holding its precious ocular organ in pain. Which means we have to consult someone who's good with bows. Considering Virion's busy being somewhere else, that leaves two candidates; Gaius and Noire. The former would be more ideal in this case, since his ammo is conventional and not of the explosive variant (though that might help a bit in its own way).

"Hey, Gaius! You think you can land a shot in that thing's eye?!" I shout to the Assassin.

Gaius shifts the lollipop in his mouth. "Should be easy enough. Just need a moment to line up a good shot. Big guy's a bit too mobile with his head for my tastes."

I nod. "You heard him! Find a way to distract the beast so that it keeps its face in one place!"

Our cavalry takes the initiative and ride around the Hinox in circles. Their superior mobility keeps the giant confused and undecisive of who to target first. After a while, the giant creature gives up and raises both its hands in the air.

My eyes widen in alarm. "Get away! Those slaps are stronger than they look!"

The Hinox slaps its hands on the ground every which way, producing small shockwaves with each impact. One gets too close to Stahl and sends both him and his horse flying a bit, complete with a rough landing. The Hinox decides to pick off the Great Knight while he's down and raises a fist into the air.

That's when Frederick rides in and swings his Savage Lynel Crusher to intercept the fist.

*BOOM!*

The lieutenant of the Shepherds grunts as the impact blows both him and the Hinox back.

As the Hinox tries to regain its balance, Gaius rushes in, runs along its belly and jumps off the Hinox's face. He already has an arrow trained on the beast's eye by the time he reaches the apex of his jump.

"So long, sucker." *Thunk!*

The Hinox roars in agony as the impact of the shot sends it crashing to the ground. As the giant beast writhes in pain over the clean hit on its most sensitive area, two overlaying purple rune circles bordering on black swirl to life underneath it.

"I can handle this myself." Tharja growls at Henry.

"Aw, don't hog all the fun." Henry pouts. Said pout turns into an excited grin. "Hey, how about we both unleash whatever we had planned for the big guy? That sounds like fun, doesn't it?"

Tharja raises an eyebrow before she chuckles. "Oh, why not? Just make sure it's entertaining."

The glow from both rune circles gets stronger. From one, pitch-black hands rise up and grab hold of the Hinox before they pull it into the circle itself. Moments later, ethereal woodland critters of all shapes and sizes jump out from the second one and gnaw away at the thrashing Hinox, who just realized that it has more pressing matters than its aching eye.

Tharja raises an eyebrow as she glances at her fellow practitioner in dark magic.

Henry's smile remains unchanged. "You'd be surprised what you can learn about the food chain if you grow up in the forest long enough. Nature's cruel by, well, nature."

The Hinox manages to shake off most of the mana-based critters and rips apart the shadowy arms dragging it down before it frantically tries to escape whatever awaits beyond the rune circles. Its resistance is so strong that even Tharja's and Henry's magic combined is still not enough to put it down. It takes some struggling, but the Hinox manages to get back on its feet and takes a shaky step out of the overlaying rune circles.

Henry starts to sweat as his normally cheerful expression turns into a nervous grimace. "Ngh! Need a little help, guys!"

"I've got it!" Lissa shouts and heads straight for the struggling Hinox.

The beast takes note of the approaching War Cleric and prepares to smash her in one hit.

*Boom!*

"Ngh! Rrrgh!"

Except the blow gets intercepted when Nah places herself between in the path of the Hinox's fist and catches with her hands. The ground craters under her feet, and she clearly struggles under the pressure, but she managed to stop the attack nonetheless.

And that's when Lissa finally reaches the leg outside the rune circle, rears back Betty and swings _hard_.

 **Crunch!**

If the sound wasn't telling enough, the way the Hinox's relatively thin leg bends from the impact of Lissa's massive Hammer shows how messed up its knee just got. The Hinox barely has time to roar in pain before it once again hits the ground with a massive thud.

Henry fiddles a bit with a tiny rune circle in front of his hands. "Gimme a sec… And done!"

The bigger rune circle that he conjured at the Hinox's previous location moves until it sits right where the Hinox lies right now.

Tharja looks at the cheerful Dark Mage in shock. "Did you just change the coordinates for a rune circle while it's active?! That's not even supposed to be possible!"

Henry shrugs as the ethereal critters resume tearing the Hinox to shreds. "Meh. Didn't know then, don't care now. I just do it."

Tharja cancels her own spell. "You just- There's a reason why moving an activated rune circle is considered impossible, you fool! It acts as a boundary to limit how far the mana powering a spell can flow. It makes rune circles complex and delicate by nature! Just disrupting the structure of one will have the whole spell collapse into itself before it unleashes a massive explosion that could affect the nearby area in who knows how many ways!"

Henry scratches his chin while still keeping his familiar smile. "Oh, they can do that too? I never knew. I just figured; Hey, if I set the rune circle in the wrong place by accident, it'd just be a pain to remove it and make a new one from scratch. So I just pry it off whatever I drew it on and move it to another place. Kind of like you tack a note on a board, but then you move the note elsewhere by pulling out the tack first."

Tharja's eyebrow twitches. "That's not even how it works… That's it. When we're done here, we're having very long talk about rune crafting, and I won't take "no" for an answer."

Henry pouts. "Aw. And here I promised Lissa I'd show her how to mix some of my homemade herbal remedies."

Miriel's glasses flash in interest. "I was not aware you made remedies as part of your practice."

Henry shrugs. "Hey, had to figure out _some_ way to cure whatever disease I caught while growing up. Unless you've noticed, forest critters aren't exactly the best at understanding the human body, so I had to experiment with whatever I could find before I learned what cures what. Lots of trial and error. Mostly error."

Lissa gapes at Henry's explanation. "Trial and- For all you know, you could've ingested something poisonous! How in the world are you still alive?!"

The Dark Mage smiles. "When you grow up with bears, you learn how to stomach most stuff. Except skunks. Skunks are nasty."

While our little group has this very interesting discussion regarding Henry's medical practice, his spell does its job in tearing the Hinox apart. The beast lets out one final cry of pain before it explodes in purple mist. Nothing is left by the time the mist clears.

I sigh in relief. That went as well as it could have, all things considered. Thankfully, it seems my friends are capable of taking on the stronger kinds of Hyrulean beasts that exist, should we run into them again.

Looks like we've taken care of most of the troublesome cultists and their beastly allies. All that's left should be their leader, and the rest should either surrender or scatter to the winds.

I rub my chin. "Come to think of it… Where did their leader go?"

"Up there!" Maribelle gasps and points in the direction of the stronghold.

Now that I pay attention, I can hear the faint sound of metal clashing against metal from somewhere around the entrance.

Wait, not the entrance. It's above.

I tilt my head further back and finally spot the source of the sounds. Inigo backflips into view before he takes another quick step backwards among some of the chains hanging near the arc that marks the entrance. Moments later, Jamil lunges in and swings his sword in a deadly flurry of slashes against the young Mercenary. It's only thanks to some quick thinking and even quicker reflexes that Inigo barely manages to keep the Assassin at bay. As things look though, it's only a matter of time before Jamil tears open a hole in Inigo's defense.

That hole shows itself as Jamil feints an overhead slash that immediately transitions into a snap kick into Inigo's chest. Jamil crouches low and lunges at Inigo like a panther. Inigo mounts a hasty block, only to have his sword knocked out of his hand.

While he stumbles backwards, he points at Jamil. "You're about to say; I've won! Die!"

Jamil springs into another deadly lunge at the now disarmed Mercenary. "I've won! Die!" the Assassin declares triumphantly. The realization that he just got predicted word for word makes him pause confused. "Huh?"

Inigo's frantic expression turns into a smirk as he thrusts his hand forward. "Gotcha! Hermit Purple!"

 **BGM:** **Stardust crusaders (short version), JoJo's bizarre adventure OST**

Purple thorn vines appear from Inigo's arm and rush out to the surprised Assassin. Within moments, Jamil finds himself ensnared in the ethereal plant, while a few of them also loop one of the nearby chains around his neck.

"Guh! What the- I can't move!" the Assassin exclaims in shock.

Inigo flips some hair out of his face. "Just as I planned. All I had to do was lure you to this spot and make you think you'd won. The moment you thought you had, you had already lost the battle." Inigo points at Jamil dramatically. "Your next words will be: No! That's impossible! There's no way you could've planned this from the start!"

Jamil snarls as he struggles against his bonds. "No! That's impossible! There's no way you could've planned this from the start! …Ah!"

 **Bam!**

Inigo winks with a massive grin on his face.

"Time to end this." the young Mercenary declares as his arm gets shrouded in a golden sparkling glow. "This is your last dance."

Inigo jumps towards Jamil's position and brings down his glowing arm. "Hamon: Overdrive!"

 **Ka-bram!**

The blow is strong enough to shatter the stone arch both fighters were fighting on. With no foothold left, Jamil screams as he plummets to the ground tied up. Inigo breaks his fall by pulling on the vines wrapped around his opponent. Because the chain was wrapped around Jamil's neck, the jolting motion snaps it in an instant while Inigo lands safely on the ground.

Inigo glances behind him as debris falls to the ground everywhere. "There's one reason why you lost today. One very simple reason." The young Mercenary calmly walks away. "You made a maiden cry on my watch."

The image of the hanged cultist becomes a silhouette in the setting sun.

 **Jamil:  
Hung by the neck  
Retired!**

 **Inigo has leveled up!**

 **BGM ends**

* * *

"That's the last of them. The hold is reclaimed." Chrom notes relieved.

Frederick nods. "The villagers will sleep better for our good works, milord."

"I would hope so." Say'ri interjects frowning. "Though the people here may not truly be at peace over what happened here until we can give them closure regarding their families and loved ones. At the very least, we should see if any of the captives are still alive. And the least we could do for the ones who have perished is to give them a proper burial."

Chrom sighs. "I suppose it's only fair. Though going through the entire hold alone is going to take a while."

"Then we had better start now, milord." Frederick suggests. "The sooner we can put this behind us, the better."

As we gather everyone to search through the Grimleal stronghold, we notice one of their members run away.

"Hey, shouldn't we chase after him? I mean, he took part in all of this as well, right?" Ricken asks.

"No need for that." Henry assures him. "I figured at least one of those guys would try to bail, so I prepared some of the trees in the woods with my Henry special number 3."

Lissa raises an eyebrow. ""Henry special number 3"? What's that?"

Henry's smile turns gleeful. "Bites the dust!"

*Ka-BOOM!*

A massive explosion originating from the woods we came from rocks the mountain top. The smoke cloud among the trees shows where the center of the blast was.

"Powerful enough to make the past hour of your life flash before your eyes before you're blown to kingdom come." Henry explains proudly.

Uh, and it seems the forest is on fire.

Laurent sighs. "Wonderful. Now we have a forest fire to extinguish as well. Let us see if I can still cast some good enough ice spells."

"I'll help." Rose offers. "I've got quite a lot of ways to douse flames with water and ice. This'll be over in a snap."

Laurent adjusts his glasses. "Let us hope that is the…case…"

The reason for his slowed down speech is made apparent as the flames die down at an extraordinary rate seemingly on their own. Nah walks out of the woods a minute later and pats her stomach with a satisfied smile.

"Phew. Been a while since I had a meal that big."

The half-manakete blinks as everyone gives her blank looks. "What?"

Yarne shakes his head. "Figures you would treat a forest fire like a giant serving of food."

Nah scowls. "For your information, that's no ordinary meal for me. It's more like an all-you-can-eat buffet with all the kinds of trees on fire. Different materials give the flames different flavors, you know."

Laurent rubs his temples. "Only you, Nah… Only you…"

That's when some fleshy stuff rains down from the sky. A closer inspection shows that the remains come from a human, most likely from the cultist who ran into Henry's trap. The hands land in front of the Dark Mage, which piques his interest.

"Hm? A pair of hands?" Henry bends down to pick them up. "These look pretty neat for a pair of disembodied body parts. Maybe I should start a collection- Ow ow ow ow!"

Lissa tugs at Henry's ear with a stern glare. "Henry, you will do no such thing. Put the hands down and leave them there. Now."

The Dark Mage obeys with a disappointed frown. "Aw…"

Ricken looks at the blonde princess in mild surprise. "What are you, his mother?"

"More like his voice of reason." Lissa corrects while rolling her eyes.

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: A man for flowers**  
 _In trying to stop the kidnapping of innocent villagers, you learned that the Grimleal have made attempts at setting up a base on Valm as well. Your actions today have put a halt to their operations, and all for the better. Considering said operations included summoning beasts from another world, it would be for the best if that were their only operation on the continent._  
 **Objective:** _Defeat all of the mysterious outlaws._  
 **Objective complete!  
Rewards: **_You gain_ _10 000 EXP! You gain 10 000 gold!_

* * *

 **BGM:** **Primrose, the Dancer, Octopath Traveler music**

"Virion, please stay strong." Olivia begs her husband.

The Bow Knight gives his wife a weak smile through all the sweating. "There should be no cause for concern, my dear Olivia. That man said that the antidote to the poison in my body is in the ring on his lip. So long as one of our comrades retrieve his body soon, getting the ring should be a simple task."

"Actually, that won't be necessary." Inigo corrects as he approaches the married couple. "I have the ring right here."

The Mercenary reaches into a pouch on his waist and pulls out a small ring, which he drops into Olivia's hands.

The Dancer's eyes widen in shock. "This is it! But…how did you get it? The man who wore the ring is all the way up there."

Inigo smiles. "What can I say? I have deft fingers and quite the sleight of hand. Right before I destroyed the stone arch, I snatched the ring by ripping it right off his lip. He was so busy fretting over his impending demise that he failed to even notice the pain."

Virion blinks at the Mercenary in disbelief before he smiles as well. "While a bit crude for my tastes, I will not deny that your method was effective." He grimaces as the sweat on his brow gets worse. "May we discuss this further _after_ I take the antidote? I am starting to have difficulties breathing."

Olivia fiddles with the ring a bit before she finds that one part can be screwed open like a small vial. She hands the opened ring to Virion, who accepts it and tilts the opening over the mouth. A single drop of yellow liquid falls into the Bow Knight's mouth and is swallowed. The effects are instantaneous, as Virion's pale face regains its color and the sweating stops. The Bow Knight takes a deep breath and exhales with a satisfied hum. "Ah, much better. You have my most sincere thanks, young man. You have saved my life, and in doing so, spared my beloved Olivia the fate of becoming a widow today."

Inigo scratches the back of his head. "Oh, no need to thank me. I simply couldn't leave you to your fate in good conscience. Not when there's a matter I wish to discuss with you wife in particular. That _would_ be far more difficult, should you pass away here."

Olivia blinks. "Me? Whatever do you want to talk about?"

Inigo's expression slowly turns uncomfortable. "…Er, yes. You see… What I mean to say is… *Sigh* Goodness, this is much harder than chatting up other girls I've met." The Mercenary shakes his head. "I suppose it would be quickest to just show you this…"

Inigo pulls out another ring from his pouch. Unlike the last one, this ring has Olivia's eyes widen in shock.

"M-my ring? But…I'm wearing it! How did you…?"

Inigo grins. "Indeed. How does Inigo have your ring when there is only one in all the world? Unless it IS your ring and I brought it back from the future!"

"Wait, you mean, like Lucina…?"

Inigo nods. "Exactly. I knew my mother was a dancer, you see. So I've been scouting the land looking for all the dancers I could find. Not the worst job in the world, mind. Heh heh heh… But now I've finally found you, Mother! And my dancing is all the better for it!"

Olivia freezes. "You searched all the dancers you could find?"

The smile on Inigo's face goes from ear to ear. "And what wonderful company they provided, matched only by their alluring beauty."

 **BGM interrupted**

Olivia slumps forward and slowly turns towards Virion. The air around the Dancer is getting… _menacing_.

 **Menacing menacing menacing menacing menacing menacing menacing menacing menacing**

"You…"

 **Virion gained "Detect bloodlust"!**

The Bow Knight gulps in fear. "O-Olivia, dear?"

Faster than anyone can react, Olivia grabs her husband by the collar and shakes him like a ragdoll. "You turned our son into a skirt chasing womanizer! How could you?!"

"A-actually, you're the reason I developed the habit to talk so much to women, Mother." Inigo nervously points out.

Olivia drops Virion like a sack of potatoes due to her grip slacking. Then she faces her son with a horrified expression. "W-what? I did that to you?"

 **BGM continues**

Inigo scratches the back of his head. "You see, I was terribly shy as a child. So shy, in fact, that I could hardly speak with anyone my age without turning into a bumbling mess. You decided to help me out with that issue and told me that the best way to lose the shyness would be to learn to talk to women. So I did. It was so awkward at first, but the ladies never minded. And as the years passed, I became more and more accustomed to it. Father actually had very little to do with it."

"Oh… Now I'm having second thoughts. If only there was a better way to help you with your shyness. Wait a minute. You said that your dancing had gotten better. Do you dance, Inigo?"

Inigo shuffles his feet while trying to look avert his gaze. "Er, sort of, yes. That is to say, I try my best. But some people don't appreciate male dancers. Not that I care! I'm content to just shake my hips for the ladies."

Olivia gives her son an excited smile. "Oh, don't listen to them! I think it's wonderful. I'd…love to watch you dance sometime."

Inigo manages to blanch and blush at the same time. "N-no! Impossible! I'd be far too embarrassed for that! Besides, I'd rather watch you dance."

Olivia mimics his expression perfectly. "What?! N-no! I couldn't possibly!"

"I'm shyer than you are, Mother!" Inigo argues.

"You are not!" the Dancer retorts.

Awkward silence reigns between mother and son.

Chrom rubs his temples. "Good grief. They're birds of a feather."

 **To be continued (BGM ends)**

* * *

 **Inigo's character sheet**

 **Inigo Lvl 36 Class: Mercenary  
** _Olivia's son from the future. A young male dancer (a rarity in itself) who flirts with any woman he comes across as naturally as he breathes, even though the object of his affections rarely reciprocates, if ever. But behind this confident persona of a charmer hides a young man with a crippling shyness only matched by his own mother's. Under Jack's tutelage, he developed a skillset and certain personality traits similar to those of the Hamon wielding Stand user, Joseph Joestar. The uncrowned king of pulling a fast one.  
Born on August 7_ _th_ _._

 **Titles: Dancing Duelist (+ 8 % Evasion)  
Would-be Casanova (+ 10 % CHAR, -5 % INT)**

 **HP: 5 350 / 5 350  
MP: 2 400 / 2 400**

 **STR: 34 (33 * 1.03)  
VIT: 36.1 (35 * 1.03)  
DEX: 59.7 (58 * 1.03)  
INT: 22.8 (24*0.95)  
WIS: 20  
CHAR: 40 (36 * 1.1)  
LUCK: 16**

 **ITEMS:  
Steel Sword (Equipped)  
Concoction**

 **Skills:**

 **Sword mastery, Lvl 37 [88.0 %], Passive**

 _The sword is quite possibly the most well-known weapon in history, often being depicted as the weapon of choice by hero and villain alike or even as a symbol of power. While swords generally deal less damage than other weapons, they make up for it by being easier to wield. Increases attack speed and attack power by 185 % when attacking with a sword or dagger of any kind_

 **Hamon** , **Lvl 50 [18.0 %], Active, Cost: 75 MP per minute**  
 _Breathing technique is an important aspect in many forms of martial arts, but few put as much emphasis on this as Hamon, the art of the Ripple. Through intense training, the practitioner can channel the power of life itself to perform feats ranging from adding more power to their strikes to manipulating liquids in various ways. Most importantly, though, is that the power of the Ripple is the bane of every undead creature's existence. Getting hit with a strike infused with Hamon will damage their bodies as it they were hit with a concentrated blast of sunlight. So long as you can concentrate your breathing, the undead will always have a reason to fear you. And you get great lungs as well. Can't forget about that.  
_ _All attacks deal 25 % more damage. If the target is an undead, damage increases by an additional 250 %. Additional effects may apply depending on the situation.  
Integrated skills: Overdrive_

 **Overdrive, Lvl 32 [10 %], Active, Cost: 170 MP  
** _An advanced technique born from extensive training in the art of the Ripple. The user concentrates their breathing to focus the main portion of their Ripple into a single blow. While potent in general, the strike has enough power to disintegrate an undead in a single blow if a clean hit is achieved. Even more interesting is the fact that the user can decide what is struck with this technique and what shall be unaffected. A stone can easily be shattered from above, but a frog sitting on said stone can just as easily jump away afterwards without any injuries. Such is the power of a Hamon master.  
Base damage: Skill level of Hamon x 80. Element: none. Damage is unaffected by physical defense._

 **Hermit Purple, Lvl 68 [20.0 %], Active, Cost: 42 MP per minute  
** _A creature originally born from a soul belonging to a man that had grown savvy of the world and learned the arts of power in ripples. This manifestation of that man's soul has been passed on to a new bearer, ready to respond to its master's will once more. It vines dig through the soil of the earth to show the way forward. Its thorns will restrain any target with the authority of one who has learned the ways of the world. Knowledge is power – a fact that the Hermit knows better than anyone else.  
Summons vines made of the user's mana. The vines move according to the user's will.  
Maximum range: 13 meters.  
Bonus skill: Spirit map_

 **Bro, do U pose?, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _It is said that approximately 90 % of human communication is through body language. A person who masters this aspect can add weight to their words that no amount of wording could achieve. Also, striking a cool pose is just awesome. On the other hand, striking the wrong kind of pose just makes you look silly. It's all a matter of context, really.  
Has a 75 % chance of increasing the user's CHAR by 300 % when striking a pose. If this fails, user's CHAR decreases by 75 % instead. The change lasts for 1 minute._

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

*Camera shows an old temple surrounded by ruffians*

 **Ruffians:** We're gonna raid this temple, because we have nothing better to do!

 **Jack:** Yeesh. You would think we'd run out of these stereotypical random outlaws by this point.

 **Maribelle:** Grumble all you want later, Jack. I will _not_ stand by and watch idly as innocent people are slaughtered for some meager profit!

 **Brady:** Just let me on the frontlines so I can sock these punks in the face already! I'll make it quick!

 **Ricken:** I don't know… You don't exactly look like the guy who can swing a sword.

 **Brady:** Cut me some slack, Pa! I don't need a sword to send these brutes packin'!

 **Maribelle:** Nor will I need more than my parasol to teach you some manners.

 **Brady:** Wait… Ma, put away that parasol. Ma? Help!

Next time in Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Total defense sanctuary! (Not) all is fair in love and war!**

 **Jack:** Where's a card store when you need it? Just have them trigger Mirror Force, and we're done…

* * *

 **Omake: Deleted scenes Vol. 3 (Or: Even more JoJokes)**

The Shepherds march along the narrow mountain paths on their way to the stronghold of the marauders. The group is silent, save for the sound of footsteps and carts being drawn.

At least, until Gaius rummages around in his robes. "Man, this climb is more tiring than I thought. I need a boost bad."

The Assassin pulls out a bonbon and has it unwrapped in the blink of an eye.

Miriel gives Gaius a curious look. "I take it you will let that piece of candy slowly dissolve in your mouth to give you motivation on the road?"

Gaius smirks. "Try again, Specs. I've got a much faster method to get to the sugar inside."

The candy loving Shepherd places the treat on his lips and begins to roll his tongue all over it in a rapid fashion.

"Lero lero lero lero. Lero lero lero lero. Lero lero lero lero."

The other Shepherds, save for Tharja, look at Gaius in disbelief.

"I can't believe he'd go as far as develop a new technique just to enjoy his candy faster." Stahl mutters.

"Actually, I was involved when he came up with this one." Tharja points out. A very satisfied smile (by her standards) grows on her face. "He's had plenty of time over the course of our marriage to train his tongue in some…interesting ways. Ironically, it's the only time _I_ enjoy being the test subject."

Noire blinks confused. "He used his tongue on you, Mother? But why would he-" The Archer blanches as she connects the dots. "Oh gods… I did _not_ need to hear that part of my parents' love life!"

Noire hides her face in her hands in shame. As a result, the girl is completely clueless about her heading off the edge of the mountain trail until it's too late.

"Aaaah!"

Tharja runs to the edge alarmed. "Noire! No!"

That makes the whole group pause.

"Relax, Tharja. We made sure to set up proper safety precautions before we started filming the mountain scenes." Gaius reminds his wife. "Though we'll probably have to cut this anyway. You broke character there."

"So I actually care for my daughter in real life. Bite me!" the Sorcerer hisses. "Gods, I hate my on-screen persona!"

* * *

"With the poison inside your body, you will die within an hour unless you can get the antidote stored in my lip ring!" Jamil declares smugly before he charges at Virion, Olivia and Inigo for a more direct approach. "Do you! _Understand_?!"

"Yes, yes, yes…" Inigo replies dryly and facepalms. "Oh my gods…"

Jamil pauses before he points at Inigo annoyed. "D-mn it, you weren't supposed to actually answer me! Now we have to redo the scene!"

"Please… I beg of you… I can't take much more laxative getting pumped into my body to simulate the poisoning…" Virion groans from the ground.

Olivia pats her husband comfortingly. "It's all for the show-bis dear. It will be over soon."

* * *

The Hinox builds up speed for a dash and jumps into the air to land on Jack with its posterior. Jack dodges out of the way, which leads to the Hinox landing hard on the ground again.

 **BRAAAAP!**

Only for a loud farting noise to sound over the area.

The whole battlefield stops in shock.

And then Lissa doubles over laughing.

The Hinox blinks before it looks down to discover that it landed on a massive whoopee cushion. A closer look shows a label that reads "Property of Lissa".

Even Chrom is surprised by his younger sister's mischief. "Really, Lissa?"

"Worth it!" the blonde War Cleric gleefully shouts while running away from a very upset and embarrassed Hinox.

* * *

 **New skills:**

 **Guard breaker, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _The simplest way to bypass any kind of defense is to overwhelm it with sheer brute force. Sure, it's not a strategy available for anyone, but you are among the few who possess the strength needed to essentially act like a human wrecking ball. No need for tactics against enemies with heavy protection. Just punch your way through that armor and watch the disbelief mix with their pain moments before you send them flying.  
Physical attacks ignore up to 15 % of the target's defenses._

 **Second chance, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _No matter how hard you're hit, your tenacity practically forbids you from falling in battle. Though you may be pushed to the brink of death, you are still one step away, and that step makes all the difference. You only have one more shot at making it out alive. Take it! Just make sure you're not bleeding when this happens. Then you die anyway.  
Always survive a fatal hit with 1 HP remaining. This will not work if HP is already at 1._

 **Master's touch, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _It takes skill to hit an enemy where it hurts, but it takes a true master to land such hits with pinpoint accuracy with even a modicum of reliability. A fighter of such great prowess knows exactly where to aim, and can strike at that very spot. No matter the power, no matter the defenses, nothing can measure up to the skill that backs a master's touch.  
Increases critical hit rate by 15 %. This boost cannot be negated._

* * *

 **Jacks encyclopedic corner:**

 **Assassin, Class  
** _This is as close you can come if you want a ninja in this game. Assassins are employed in all manner of tasks that require stealth. Be it reconnaissance, sabotage, or straight up killing key targets by any means necessary, these soldiers of the dark stand ready to get the deed done. While not the physically strongest or most resilient opponents to fight against, Assassins make up for it with blinding speed and long-honed skill in all their abilities. An Assassin's greatest weapon is the element of surprise. Letting your guard down when facing down these stealthy killers is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. It could also be your last very easily.  
Increases attack speed and accuracy by 15 % when attacking with a sword, dagger or bow. All attacks have a 5 % chance of instantly killing the target. Probability of being spotted by enemy units decreases by 20 %. Magic of all elements deals 10 % less damage. All damage taken increases by 10 %._

 **Hinox, Monster  
** _An enormous one-eyed beast who spends most of its time sleeping. Don't let this lazy attitude fool you, though. Hinoxes possess strength in proportion to their body size, and they have no qualms using that strength to flatten you in any way they can think of. A common sight on a Hinox is a necklace around its neck. This homemade accessory often contains weapons that used to belong to unfortunate travelers or soldiers who drew the beast's ire and paid for it with their lives. Ironically, bows are a common part of these necklaces, which is perfect for anyone who wants to take a shot at its eye._

* * *

 **How many JoJo's references can you make in a single chapter? The answer is: Yes.**

 **Hold on, let me rephrase that:**

 **Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!**

 **YES!**

 **Ugh… Putting this bad boy together took a lot more effort than I thought it would. Sure, making all those JoJokes was fun, but writing everything was just tedious. Good thing that's over now. Take a deep breath and relax…**

 **As of this chapter, Jack's signature weapon has a third form now; a naginata. While simple in concept, this opens up for a few additional options that Jack can use in combat that were unavailable to him if he stuck to the scythe form, as has been explained in this chapter.**

 **Hamon is one of the weirder powers I have seen in pop culture. It has a wide range of uses aside from basically being the bane of every undead creature. For this reason, I had a hard time turning the whole thing into a comprehensible Game skill. Seriously, the stuff Hamon wielders in Battle Tendency pull off is just ridiculous. In other words, a bizarre power befitting a bizarre series.**

 **That will be all for now. Until next time.**

 **VipeR out.**


	28. Chapter 26

**Hah! Managed to get this thing out before the end of the year!**

 ***Ahem* I mean, a good day to you all, dear readers. This is CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **It's the end of 2019. Looking back, this is a year that's mainly been about me trying to grasp the full scope of annual happenings in the town I live in. Not a lot happens, mind you, but it's given me an idea of what to expect during each season. I actually have more thoughts regarding the year 2020, which is right around the corner.**

 **So much is anticipated for the year, from the next presidential election in the US (which is saying something, since I don't even live there) to the moment of truth according to just about every single scientist who cares even the slightest about the global climate. I, for one, am practically at the edge of my seat over what path of action the leaders of the world will choose in the coming year. Climate change is no joke (unlike what some loudmouthed individuals claim), which is only made more apparent by the fact that the repercussions are felt already. I don't want to live on a planet where the climate has been irrevocably devastated, just because the ones in power couldn't take enough action and responsibility to mobilize the resources of humanity and stop the disaster from happening.**

 **And if anyone out there wants to argue with me over whether climate change even is a thing, know that you won't find any conversational partner in me. My time's limited and I've got better stuff to do than arguing with some ignorant twit – like doing my everyday job and write a story that quite a lot of people have come to enjoy.**

 **But enough about that. The chapter awaits. Enjoy.**

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _No one_ _calls me weak and gets away with it._ – Brady

* * *

 **Chapter 26**

 **Total defense sanctuary!  
(Not) all is fair in love and war!**

Noire looks around in awe at the manifestation of my soul: my own version of Unlimited Blade Works. She takes in the sight of the vast lands. Her eyes scan the vast skies that end with a sunset in the horizon. But most importantly, she's completely captivated by the countless weapons sticking out of the ground. Weapons that I made from nothing but memory of the various forms of media that I took part of before the untimely end of my previous life, all given form through the power bestowed upon me, through means that still elude me, on the day I woke up in Ylisse and my life was changed forever through the meeting with a silver-haired Tactician.

"This is amazing…" the Archer whispers as she seems to have trouble on focusing on one weapon before another one catches her attention. "You have all these weapons stored inside your soul all the time, Jack-sensei?"

I shrug. "It's more like they're replicas shaped from my memory and magic. Considering where we are, what you see is little more than manifested figments of the human imagination, channeled through my own mind." A smile grows on my lips. "Though, for all intents and purposes, every single one of them works like the original, if with slightly lower potency in case the weapon is of divine make or something ever rarer. I'm good at this, but I'm not _that_ good."

Noire turns to me with her eyes practically glittering with admiration. "That doesn't matter. It's just… Look at all this. I thought the armory where I used to shut myself into when I was sad was filled with weapons. But this? It's like I walked into the realm of a god of blacksmithing."

I scratch the back of my head. "Oh, please. I hardly compare to a deity. I'm just a man who read way too many stories as a child and committed most of them to memory, including the pictures of whatever part of the story was revealed. *Sigh* Talk of the possible nature of my existence aside, I brought you in here for a reason, Noire."

Noire blinks. "You mean aside from an opportunity to admire your real arsenal of weapon?"

I give Noire a bemused stare before I recover and shake my head. "Well, it's along those lines, but still a different purpose. I brought you here for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"Being…?"

I smile. "Even if I technically was never there from day 1, I can tell that you've come a long way ever since I started training you, Noire. I have no doubt that what you've learned under my tutelage was difficult to even grasp at first, and I find it fair if there were countless times that you doubted if I even knew what I was doing. And yet, the way you fight shows that the gamble my future self took with you has no doubt payed off in spades. To my knowledge, you are the first dedicated Archer in the history of this world who integrates magic in your archery."

Noire nods. "It was difficult, alright. At first, I couldn't even wrap my head around what you had planned. The concept of imbuing an arrow with magic is an obscure branch of the arcane arts to begin with. But doing so on my own while still practicing archery? I can't even begin to fathom how one would even think up this kind of stuff."

Clearly, the girl is blissfully unaware of the Fate series in general and one Shirou Emiya in particular.

"Nevertheless, you pulled it off." I point out. "Even if I was never there in the beginning, I can confidently say that you have surpassed my expectations. So much so, that it has landed us in this current situation, with the opportunity I mentioned earlier." I sweep my arm sideways to indicate the vast number of weapons inside my soul. "I will bestow upon you a weapon from my own arsenal to add to your own. You're free to choose whichever one you want."

The way Noire's jaw drops indicates what an opportunity has presented itself for her. While I have no doubt that she has catalogued a fair number of weapons over the course of her life, most of them are of mundane make. They can be exceedingly rare, to be fair, but getting her hands on something of Unique rarity or above? That's a stretch.

Me, on the other hand? I have weapons of that rarity and above by the dozen in here, and that's the modest estimate.

Noire gulps with a mix of shock and hope. "A-any weapon?"

I nod. "Any weapon. Feel free to look as much as you want. Just know that once you've made your choice, that's it. No going back."

The meek Archer's surprise slowly turns to elation as she practically skips around while going over one weapon after the other. She hardly spends more than a few seconds on each before she shakes her head and puts it back, but the excited smile on her face remains unchanged.

Seriously, the girl behaves as if she were a little child who got to spend a full day inside Santa Claus's legendary workshop. Though, considering the contrast between what either of us have at hand, that analogy might be more accurate than I first thought.

Still, seeing such a pure and genuine smile on her face fills me with satisfaction, regardless of the reason why she wears it right now. I also find this justified after everything she's gone through in her life.

And herein lies the cruel irony. I passed down the abilities of quite possibly the mentally most broken character I know of to my mentally most broken student. And now I'm about to take her inherited abilities to even further heights with a weapon she may never have been able to even think of on her own.

"I'm cruel…" I mutter to myself. "To think I would bring joy to this sweet girl by giving her an instrument meant for fighting or even killing. I truly am a cruel and twisted man, regardless of what others say about me. And yet Noire may need it in the future, if not even the abilities I gave my future students were not enough to stop the Fell dragon. I can only hope that they find it in their hearts to forgive me by the time they realize what I did to them."

My musings are cut short as I notice that Noire has stopped. She has no weapon in her hand, but her eyes are transfixed on something.

My gaze follows the Archer as she makes her way in a specific direction. There's no skip in her step. Only…purpose. Looks like she found her weapon.

My eyes widen in shock as I note the weapon she stopped in front of. The girl looks at it from various angles with a curios expression before she grasps the hilt. Silence reigns for a few second before Noire nods and pulls it out of the ground with a grunt.

"Jack-sensei, I found it." Noire tells me as she walks back to me with the weapon in hand. "I don't know why, but it feels like this weapon…speaks to me."

I've done a remarkable fish impression ever since I realized what weapon Noire chose. But now that my mind has finally recovered from the shock, I can only react to the situation in the only appropriate manner.

I put my hand over my eyes. An amused grin splits my face. "Heh. Heh heh… Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Noire looks at me worried. "S-Sensei?"

"AH-HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAA!"

The weapon speaks to her, she said? Of all the weapons I have replicated, it was _that_ one in particular that caught her eye? And here I thought the situation couldn't get any more ironic. How wrong I was. How completely, utterly, absolutely wrong.

Noire fidgets nervously. "Um… Is there something wrong with this weapon? Maybe I should put it back and pick another one."

I wave my hand in front of me. "No, no, that's not it. It's just… Heh. I just never expected you to take that one."

"Oh. So it's okay then?"

I spread my arms smiling. "I'm a man of my word, Noire. I promised you one weapon, and one weapon you shall have. If you've made your choice, then go on. Claim what's rightfully yours."

Noire nods and closes her eyes. The weapon in her hands is covered in a faint azure glow as Noire Traces it.

The Archer soon opens her eyes wide in surprise. "Wow… I had no idea this weapon had such a history. I'm not even sure if I can wield it properly."

I snort. "Noire, your way of using weapons is even less conventional than mine. You transform weapons into ammo for your bow. I think you can bend the rules a bit in this case."

Noire fidgets a bit before she smiles. "Thank you, Sensei. I'll make sure I put this to good use."

I nod. "You do that. Oh, but just make sure to warn your allies before you use that one. Knowing you, the blast radius will be enormous. It should do a number on enemy strongholds, though."

Noire nods before she puts the weapon back into the ground.

"While we're here alone, there's something else I wished to speak with you about, Noire." I add.

Noire looks at me surprised and blushing. "A-alone?! But Sensei, you're married!"

I blink in bemusement before my own face heats up. "No, I didn't mean it like that! What in the world even made you think along those lines?!"

"B-but you said we're alone! And, well, no one can see us here, so I thought…well…"

I rub my temples. "You've been reading some of those risqué books with Severa, haven't you?"

Noire averts her gaze as she fidgets in place. "Maybe…?"

I shake my head. "No matter. That's not the point. There's something about you that's been bugging me for some time, Noire."

"Me? What about me? Did I mess something up? Please tell me I didn't mess up!"

I scratch my head. "Uh… How to put this? It's regarding the way you…act."

Noire blinks. "I don't think I follow, Jack-sensei."

"*Sigh* Guess there's no point in beating around the bush. Noire, be honest with me. The side of you that I see now…isn't the real you, is it?"

Noire recoils slightly. "Huh?! W-what do you mean?! I'm always like this!"

I frown. Yeah, I'm definitely on to something.

"I beg to differ. There are a few moments when another side of you emerges. Much like your mother, you have a bit of a dark side. One that just loves spreading chaos and destruction. You know, the whole "Blood and thunder" thing?"

Noire averts her gaze. "Oh, that. Well, Mother made me a talisman when I was younger, to help me bring out my power if need be. Said something about not needing a meek daughter. I always get a bit violent when I tap into the magic it's infused with."

I give the Archer a dry look. "Oh, you mean the talisman that you left in your mother's care the other day and have yet to retrieve? Which, might I add, was before your last violent episode?"

"Eep!"

"I knew it. That dark side of yours is a natural part of your psyche. Or, rather, it's the _most_ natural part of your psyche. That's the real you, isn't it, Noire?"

Noire scared expression slowly morphs into a dark visage of rage and violence. "So what if it is?! All every single person around me cares about is that I act like a sweet girl who wouldn't hurt a fly unless pushed far enough! And if they see my true self, they all just reject me! Like my family! Like my MOTHER!"

Sparks dance along Noire's hands as she Traces a Killer Bow in one hand and a Silver Lance in the other. Within moments, she's morphed the lance into a modified arrow and has it trained on me.

"I'm honestly not surprised." I remark calmly. "There's no way Tharja could treat you like a test animal for the majority of your childhood without at least _some_ resentment growing within you, blood ties or not."

"SILENCE!" the enraged Archer snarls. "What do you know about my suffering?! Do you know the agony of never knowing when you would next get dragged into that witch's workshop for some twisted research?! Do you know of the shame I felt every day for being violated by my very soul, even as every single person around me stood by, blissfully ignorant of my suffering?!"

*Boom!*

It's a good thing I know how to move fast, else it's only a matter of time before Noire turns me into a pin cushion. Or a morbid weapon's rack. Depends on the angle and her chosen weapons, really.

"Why don't you tell me all about it, then?" I ask as I weave around everything Noire fires at me.

"You want to know what I've gone through?!" Noire shouts as she readies an Armor Slayer right after she fired a Beast Killer. "All I wanted was for my mother to love me, same as any other mother I had seen in my life! But what did I get whenever I tried to spend time with her?! I was dismissed as a nuisance! She told me to either get ready for another experiment, or go play outside so I wouldn't disturb her!"

Poleaxe, Spear, Swordreaver, 3rd Kitetsu, Log. Wait, Log? I think she's getting desperate.

"And being the naïve fool I was, I only thought I caught her in a bad moment! And you know what?! I felt ashamed! Ashamed that I was some no-good daughter who could never please my own mother! I didn't dare show how I felt in front of the others! I couldn't bear it!"

Battle Axe, Runeblade, oh, that definitely looks like Gradivus.

"So I pretended to be someone else! I pretended to be a sweet, meek girl, just so people wouldn't reject me the way my mother did if I told them how I really felt! But deep down, the shame turned into something else! Resentment… I began to resent my mother for all the suffering she put me through! I resented the people around me who never did a thing to help me! And I resented myself for hiding my pain behind the false face of a sweet girl who didn't exist, just so they would never find out the truth! Do you know why?! Because if they found out the truth, they would reject me, same as my mother!"

Audhulma, Brave Lance, Armads… Okay, this is getting out of hand.

"But do you know what the worst part was?! Just as I thought I only held hatred for my own mother in my heart, she actually showed that she cared for me!" Noire snarls as she Traces the weapon I gave her.

Recognizing what will happen if she lets that magical missile fly, I zip in front of her and slam a palm into her bow arm from below. Noire releases her arrow moments later.

A deafening rumble roars all over my UBW as the massive pressure wave from the explosion presses down on us like a mountain. It takes all my strength just to remain standing. Noire, on the other hand, practically gets flattened on the ground from the force.

I breathe slowly with a drop of sweat running down my brow. To say that Noire went ballistic back there is an understatement. This might be both the longest and most intense episode of when the girl snapped.

Noire clenches her hand around the bow while she pushes herself up on shaking arms. I soon notice it's not just because she's starting to get tired. She's crying.

"The one time she showed how much she loved me was the day she gave up her own life to save mine. It was the only time she smiled at me. There was no malice. No sadistic curiosity. She looked at me the way I had wished she would all my life."

Noire finally shows me her face, with tears streaming down her face. "But I couldn't let go of everything else I felt for her. I still hated her. But every time I thought about it, the memory of that one smile would always show up in my mind. I felt so guilty. My mother loved me all along, and how did I respond? By hating everything about her. So I hid myself. I put that false, meek personality back on my face to hide my guilt and anger from the rest of the world."

I walk up to my crying student. "And so, that's how you fooled everyone around you – even yourself to an extent – that you really were a sweet, kindhearted girl with a dangerous side that you suppress for the sake of others. But you can't hide it all the time. When the pressure becomes too much, the cracks begin to show, and your true self emerges."

"I can't take it anymore!" Noire shouts desperately. "I hate lying to myself like this! That I'm someone I'm not. But…I'm scared. I'm scared that if I let myself be me…everyone I love and care about will run away." Noire grasps her head as her expression grows fearful. "I'll be all alone again… No one would accept me for who I am. Not even myself."

I crouch down and embrace Noire. "I do."

Everything falls silent.

"W-what…?"

"So what if you have a violent personality and anger issues? Frankly, you have every right to be angry, Noire. No child should ever have to suffer the injustice you grew up in."

"You… You don't think me a monster?"

"No. If anything, you're human, just like me. It's only natural to be angry for the reasons you revealed to me. I'd be more worried if you weren't angry at all, because that would mean your mind had been twisted beyond saving. You don't have to suppress your anger for the sake of others, Noire." I tighten my hug. "I just don't want that anger to control your life. There's so much else you could fill your life with. Things that will make you happier."

Noire shakes in my embrace before she returns it and cries. Gone is the anger, and instead, the pain at its root is revealed. Just like with Cordelia back during the Mad King's war, I remain quiet as Noire unloads her feelings. She needs this. Good Mila, she needed this bad.

As Noire's sobbing calms down, I lean back to look her in the eyes.

"I… *Sniff* I never thought anyone would ever accept me if I let them see how I truly felt." Noire tells me behind all the tears and the occasional dribble of snot.

I smile at her gently. "That's because you never tried until now. This is how you will know who truly matters for you to be with."

Noire leans forward until our foreheads touch. "Thank you, Sensei… Thank you…"

I sigh in good nature. "Look at me. I claim to be your teacher, yet after all this time, it's more like I treat you like my second daughter."

"*Sniff* It's okay… I always thought of you like a father figure myself. That's why I was so happy whenever I got to spend time with you."

I hope Gaius never catches wind of this. Something tells me he'd react to it poorly. Speaking of Noire's biological parents.

"Noire, I believe you should have a talk with your mother."

"Huh? Why?"

"It's one thing to tell me of what you had to go through. Even if I can't fully comprehend, I can still show you some compassion. But much of your pain comes from your experiences with your mother. If you really want closure on this matter, she's the one who needs to be told all of this."

"I fail to see why she would care." Noire mutters bitterly as she averts her gaze. "All my life, I've only ever seen her care for me once."

"But that means she _does_ care for you – in her own way." I retort. "*Sigh* I know Tharja's not the most compassionate person in the world, but I know that she can sympathize with others who know what it means to hurt. So here's my advice: Don't approach her as your daughter, but as a kindred spirit. You both grew up in harsh homes. Use that as common grounds. Then maybe, just maybe, you can build something meaningful together. I know it's not an ideal mother-daughter relationship, but I can't think of anything better."

Noire looks at me skeptically before she nods.

"All right. I'll… I'll try. And, Jack-sensei?"

"Yes?"

Noire leans in and kisses me on the cheek. As I touch where she kissed me with a bewildered expression, Noire has a radiant smile on her face.

"Thank you – for everything you've done for me."

* * *

 **Your relationship with Noire has advanced! Your relationship with Noire is now "Friends"!**

 **The bond you've nurtured has given birth to a new ability! You can now perform the Union Strike "The Pointy End" with Noire!**

* * *

I take a stroll through our latest camp site. Severa was more than ecstatic when we finally cleared the mountain range and traveled more comfortable ground. From here, it's a bit more marching to the west before we turn south to the Mila Tree.

Now, what to do to pass the time before supper? Maybe I should spend some time with my children? It's been a while since we had some quality time. A game of chess with Morgan, perhaps? Or maybe I should play ball with Rose?

It's not _that_ far of a stretch, considering the way she wields Kirby in battle. If Rose practices enough sports, I bet her fighting style will get some sick moves. There's quite a selection to choose from too; soccer, volleyball, basketball, bowling… And that's if I limit myself to sports when you strike the ball with just your body. If Rose can conjure some kind of magical tennis racket, that's a whole different story. Heck, why not a Homerun Bat while we're at it?

My musings are cut short as I notice the presence of our newest recruit; Inigo. What's he doing, loitering by a tent? More importantly; Why the women's bathing tent?

"Inigo? What are you doing here?" I ask confused.

"Shh!" the Mercenary replies alarmed. "Quiet, or we'll get caught."

I give the womanizer a dry look. "Correction: _You'll_ get caught. Whatever it is you're doing, I have no part in it. That being said, you never answered my question."

A pleased smile spreads on Inigo's face. "Well… I just happened to drop by the women's bathing tent while on a stroll. And I just so happened to find this hole in the bathing tent. And it _just so_ happens that one of the lovely ladies in our army is having a bath." To accentuate his point, Inigo leans in to spy through the small tear that I only now notice is indeed in the bathing tent's canvas.

The only reason why I'm not using Mind's eye to verify his last statement is because that would effectively make me an even worse peeper than him. Instead, I settle for giving the guy a pitying look.

"I'm practically weeping over how you spend your free time. Peeping on bathing women? Really?"

"There are few things in nature that can match the natural beauty that is the female physique, Jack-sensei." Inigo replies shamelessly before he resumes his peeping.

I roll my eyes. "You _do_ realize it's only a matter of time before this comes back to haunt you, do you not? I advise you to quit while you're ahead. You'll save yourself more suffering than you can imagine."

"Oho ho ho. Oh, how I love the way the steam from the bath covers the most intimate parts in a tantalizing way that tickles the imagination juuust right." Inigo mumbles to himself, completely ignorant to my advice. Then he pumps his fist while grinning at me. "Niiice!"

"Hey, Olivia? Got room for one more?" we hear Sully shout as she enters the bathing tent.

"Oh, sure. It's only the two of us, and there's plenty of space in the tub." we then hear Olivia reply. "The water's still warm, so I don't mind sharing."

"Very kind of ya. Man, a hot bath is just what I need to soothe my muscles after some hard training."

Whatever the bathing women converse about next is missed on me as I focus on grabbing Inigo, who's frozen stiff with a spooked look on his face, and drag him away as fast as I can while remaining stealthy.

* * *

I manage to find a clearing outside the camp site a few minutes later. I put Inigo in front of me and snap my fingers. The air around us shimmers for a moment. Thanks to my mastery of wind magic, I've managed to make a variety of different kinds of air bubbles. Two of those are for different kinds of thermal insulation, depending on the surrounding temperature. This variant, however, locks all sound inside the air bubble. After all, if I can stop the air molecules within a layer of air from vibrating, they can't transmit any sound. Basic physics, really.

As for how I came up with this variant… Well, there might've been a few times during our honeymoon when Robin and I got a bit loud. Ah, but what wonderful times we had.

"No one can hear us, Inigo." I tell my student. "Just let it all out. You'll be a lot better off that way."

Inigo twitches a bit before he slaps both his cheeks.

"OOOOH MY GOOOODS!"

I sigh. "I tried to warn you, Inigo, and now you pay the price."

Inigo falls to his knees. "But I just- I…"

"Now know better than to peep on a woman bathing." I finish bluntly. "I noticed you love flirting with women, but that was just low, by any standard."

My student remains on his knees unresponsive. Sigh. Good grief.

I grab Inigo by the elbow. "Come on. I can think of a few ways to distract you from your morbid thoughts long enough for you to recover and digest everything that's happened."

"H-how exactly?" the Mercenary asks weakly.

I grin. "What better way to distract such morbid thoughts, but a training regimen from Hell?"

Inigo looks at me in horror before he slumps forward. "I should've known. It's like you never left, Jack-sensei."

* * *

A bead of sweat runs down Inigo's brow as he carefully lifts one foot off the earthen spike it's balanced on and places it on top of another.

"You gotta do better than that, Inigo." I urge my student while balancing on another spike with one leg. "Speed up a bit, or I'll just strap a boulder on your back before we resume."

"Can you _not_ put such crazy threats on me while I risk impaling my foot during training?!" Inigo shouts back as he desperately tries to up his pace while keeping his focus.

Right after I got Inigo back on his feet, I used some alchemy to transform the clearing into a carpet of razor-sharp stone spikes and put him right in the middle of it. Right now, Inigo channels his Hamon through his feet to stay on top of the spikes instead of getting impaled through his foot. As soon as I deem him good enough with this exercise, I'll add some light sparring on top of it.

Thank you, Lisa-Lisa, for this wonderful training exercise.

On a related note, Hamon must be one of the most inconsistent powers I have ever heard of. Aside from the ability to annihilate the undead with ease, I've seen Hamon users do all sorts of crazy party tricks, like poking a finger into a glass of water, and then have the water retain the shape of the glass so long as you channel your energy correctly. Or why not turn some spaghetti into throwing needles to flick on some unsuspecting victim? And let's not forget channeling your Hamon through a corked bottle until the pressure launches the cork with the force of a riot gun. Seriously, the amount of stuff you can do with this power is just absurd, so long as you can come up with the concept.

And since Hamon is Inigo's greatest weapon against the Risen, it only makes sense in my book that he trains until he masters this power. Let's just hope it works on Grima. One Overdrive to the face, coming right up.

I joined in on this exercise to show Inigo that it's fully possible to do what I expect of him. In fact, I occasionally walk on the spikes with no apparent trouble whatsoever. I'm not channeling any Hamon energy, as I don't have that skill. I just use Telekinesis to levitate myself and touch the spikes with only a fraction of my weight.

Of course, Inigo doesn't need to know _that_.

Now that I take a closer look, it seems as if Inigo's getting comfortable walking on spikes.

"Looking good, Inigo. You're making good progress on your training." I praise my student.

Even as he focuses hard on the task at hand, Inigo smiles at me. "Thank you, Sensei. At this rate, I should master Hamon in no time."

"That's great." I reply with a happy smile. "That means we can take your training to the next level."

That makes Inigo's smile falter. "N-next level? What's that?"

My smile gains the _slightest_ hint of sadism. "This."

I spring over the spikes between us until I'm right in front of Inigo and throw a jab at him. Inigo manages to back away in time. And, amazingly enough, he's still keeping a steady flow on his Hamon, as evidenced by the fact that his feet have yet to be impaled.

"Whoa! What was that for?!" Inigo asks alarmed.

"Well, now. Looks like you're better than I thought." I answer without remorse.

"Don't change the subject, Jack-sensei! Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?! I could've lost a foot back there! Or worse, I could've died!"

"And how is that different from a real battle? Better yet, how is that different from fighting the Fell dragon's forces?" I counter as I hop between spikes tauntingly.

That gives Inigo pause. "Uh…"

I shrug. "Hey, you're unharmed as far as I'm concerned. More importantly, balancing on these spikes almost seems like second nature to you now. So why not take it up a notch with some sparring while we're on them?"

"You could've warned me _before_ you threw the first punch." Inigo growls as he draws his sword.

I waggle my finger mockingly as I Trace an Iron Lance. "Now, where would the fun be in that? Fun for me, that is."

Inigo blinks before he facepalms. "You're as much of a taskmaster as I remember."

"Funny. I remember Severa saying something along those lines back when I had my first spar with her since she joined the Shepherds. Guess I'm just that good." I muse.

"That wasn't a compliment!"

I shrug. "Meh. Doesn't matter. We've got training to do. Try to keep up, Inigo."

"Whoa! Wait, Sensei! I- Yikes!"

Inigo leans sideways to dodge my initial thrust. I shift my footing to change directions faster and chase him with sweeping swings. Inigo ducks and blocks the blows while concentrating hard just to avoid impaling his feet on the spikes. The sweat on his brow is all the evidence I need that he's pushing his focus to the max. And yet, Inigo does indeed keep up with my moves. At one point, he dodges a swipe at his ankles by backflipping. Even more shocking is that he lands on his free hand. The sparks that dance around his fingertips when they land on the spikes show that he had the good sense of channeling his Hamon in the same manner as his feet. He's upright within moments and actually ready to retaliate now.

I smile pleased. For all his worry before we started, he's holding up better than I had hoped. Guess future-me being a taskmaster has payed off big-time, even if Inigo refuses to acknowledge it.

"Let's see how you handle the tables turned on you!" Inigo challenges confidently as he skips over the spikes with ease and readies his Steel Sword for an attack.

I grin in response and ready my lance. To my pleasant surprise, Inigo's form is very fluid while still possessing a measure of firmness that fits him just right. The way the Mercenary swings his sword honestly reminds me a bit of a dancer's moves. Seem like he picked up on a few of Olivia's tricks while growing up. And, judging from the golden sparks dancing along the blade, he's channeling Hamon energy through his weapon while moving. I may not be an undead creature, but even I can tell the energy coursing through the blade makes his swings significantly more potent. Adding that on top of his fluid moves makes Inigo a deadly opponent unless you keep an open mind.

"Hermit Purple!"

"Wait, wha- Whoa!"

The ethereal vines of Inigo's Stand lash out at me right after I block on of his swings. The sudden move catches me in a bad moment, forcing me to retreat. Though I only make it a few spikes away before one vine snatches my ankle and pulls me off-balance.

*Ka-tink!*

I manage to avoid landing on the spikes by thrusting my Iron Lance in-between the spikes, thus turning my weapon into a temporary foothold until I find my footing again.

Inigo blinks surprised before he chuckles. "Ah, I thought I had you there. I bet Kjelle would be interested in learning that move."

I twirl my lance a few times and smirk. "That's a fine idea for a future training session. Back on topic though, I'm impressed how you combined your skills to catch me off-guard and make the most of the environment at the same time. A fluid sword style to keep me on my toes. Hamon to dissuade me from simply brute forcing my way through. And lastly, Hermit Purple to exploit an opening that is unavailable through normal means. You've clearly put a lot of practice into combining everything you know into a single, cohesive fighting style."

Inigo winks. "Why, thank you. I _do_ take great pride in the fruits of my training. But, I cannot claim that it is complete. Not until I can, at the very least, force you to get serious."

My smirk turns a bit predatory. "Oh? That's quite the ambition, Inigo. How about we put that to the test?"

What confidence Inigo may have had melts when he hears my challenge. "Er, maybe we should try this another time? I'm really pushing myself as is."

"And there are few better ways to improve than by pushing past your own limits!" I counter before I return on the offensive. "Have at you!"

Whatever objection Inigo may have against my methods are held back for the sake of fending off my renewed assault. A barrage of stabs is countered by frantic blocks combined with the vines of Hermit Purple preventing me from getting too zealous with my attack. While trying to stab Inigo, I notice that he tries to snag my lance with his Stand. In response, I let up on the attack a bit so I can focus on batting away the ethereal manifestation of the Mercenary's soul, lest he restrains my method of attack and turns the tables on me in an instant.

And it's within this opening that Inigo slips in faster than I expected him to move. How did he- Wait.

*Clang!*

Inigo changes his trajectory to soar over me before he lands on my other side and prepares for another attack run. As I turn around, I briefly spot one of Hermit Purple's vines untangle itself from a spike. I see. So he used the other vines to not only dissuade me from pressing the attack, but also to slip one behind me and anchor it to a spike in preparation for a surprise attack. Clever.

If I leave any opening for Inigo, who knows what he'll come up with next? Better put the pressure on him before he gets any more ideas, even without the danger of Hermit Purple. So I lunge back into the fray and go for a myriad of thrusts. Just as the Mercenary sends out his ethereal vines again, I jump over the counter and stab my lance straight down. Inigo jumps to the side and ensnares the shaft with his Stand, but that's when I get back down, tighten my hold on my weapon, and spin around to deliver a roundhouse kick to his side. The sudden move jolts Inigo sideways, but he's stopped cold as Hermit Purple gets pulled taut against my lance. I abandon my weapon in favor of simply closing the distance between us and hammer a punch straight in his face. The blow is hard enough to knock Inigo off his feet and sends him falling to the spikes unprotected. Just before impact, I grab one spike and Transmute the whole field into nothing but sand. Inigo lands on the dirty heap with a dull thud and a spooked look on his face.

"What? Did you really think I'd harm you permanently during _training_?" I ask my student with a hint of mockery.

Inigo takes a few moments to catch his breath before he sits up. "Honestly, for a moment I did. You always had a penchant for dangerous stuff, Sensei."

I give Inigo a dry look. "I may be a lowkey sadist, but actually harming the people I care about is a line that I absolutely refuse to cross. I take thinking otherwise as an insult."

Inigo chuckles and shakes his head. "Yeah, that's the teacher I know and admire."

I sit down beside Inigo. "You know, there's something I've been wondering about for a while regarding your generation. One of the more important things when you travel as a group is that each member has a role to fulfill. In your case, some are more obvious than others. Lucina being the leader is a no-brainer. And Kjelle most likely spends almost the whole battle on the frontlines as your collective shield. But some others I have had a hard time putting my finger on. You're one such case, Inigo."

Inigo winks and points his thumb at himself. "Well, allow me to reintroduce myself then, Jack-sensei. You're talking to the one and only Inigo, son of Olivia and Virion, male dancer, foremost admirer of the female beauty, and scout of the Justice Cabal."

I blink surprised. "Scout? You?"

Inigo summons his Stand again. "Like none other. Watch this."

Inigo slaps his hand on the sand. Sparks dance from his palm until it reveals that the sand has shifted to form shapes. Something feels familiar about those shapes.

"Wait a minute… That's how our camp site looks like when seen from above." I deduce after a while.

"That's right. My Hermit Purple lets me make a map over the nearby area, so long as I can focus on what exactly I want an overview of. But there's more. Tell me who you're thinking about now."

I'm actually not thinking about anybody. Okay, just think of the first person that comes to mind then.

"Rose."

"Thinking of your dear daughter, eh? Can't blame you. A real charmer, that one."

"Inigo, I swear. If you try to get fresh with my daughter, I _will_ actually try to harm you." I growl.

Inigo raises his hands placatingly. "Whoa, slow down! I didn't plan to! Just…voicing my opinion, is all."

I scowl for a few more moments (mainly to make him sweat) before I relent. "Fine. Anyway, Rose it is."

Inigo sighs in relief before he slaps the sand again. A bit of sand not included in the first map forms a small dot moving between what I'm assuming represents the tents.

"There we go. The moving dot on my map shows where Rose is. Though what she's doing is anyone's guess."

I rub my chin as I analyze the image before me. "This looks great for getting a good layout of an area you're about to approach, as well as finding a specific person's location. But that can't be all there is to this ability, could it?"

Inigo smiles. "You catch on quick. Now, instead of just focusing on just Rose, how about everyone from my generation?"

Another slap on the sand, another flash of sparks, and there are significantly more dots of sand on Inigo's map. Several of them are moving.

"They all look the same." I remark.

"Yeah, I still haven't figured out how to make each marker point out a specific person yet, if that's even possible." Inigo admits. "But that's not what I wanted to show you. The whole point was that I can search for everyone in the nearby area, so long as I can focus on that one category."

I try to figure out why he's so fond of this ability. Then the proverbial candle lights up above my head. "You can both find out the enemy's numbers as well as where they're stationed while still remaining at a safe distance from them. So long as you know who to look for, it's virtually impossible to get the drop on you, because you know exactly where they are."

Inigo's smile grows pleased. "Exactly. We were constantly on the run back in the future – gods, that sounds so weird – so knowing if there were Risen nearby was crucial to prevent them from getting the drop on us while we were vulnerable. And if we ever attempted to strike and seize a strategic point, I could just find out how many enemies were stationed and let Morgan and Laurent work on their tactics from there."

I blink surprised. "They were both tacticians?"

"That's right. They each have their approaches to battlefield tactics, but Lucina realized she needed both of their inputs to make the most of what little we could scrape together and come out on top." Inigo chuckles with a nostalgic look. "Still didn't prevent the two from occasionally butting heads. But it all worked out in the end."

"Well, color me impressed, Inigo. You're clearly a man of many talents, many of which you seem to have cultivated outside my instructions."

"Oh, please, I'm not _that_ amazing." Inigo counters bashfully. "I mean, sure, I have some skills, but I occasionally end up just looking like a bumbling fool at the worst possible moments."

I look at the dancer in disbelief. "I can see that self-confidence doesn't count among your stronger suits. Dear Naga, your resemblance to your mother in that regard is almost uncanny."

"I can't help it, okay?! Just thinking that I could mess up can throw me completely off my groove at times. Why else do you think I try so hard to smile and appear confident? If I lose my grip, bad things happen."

I place a hand on Inigo's shoulder. "We all mess up from time to time, Inigo. That's one of the main reasons why we work together. You're capable of feats no one else can replicate, just like there's someone else in the army capable of things beyond your ability. And if you mess up, the others will be there to pick up the slack for you, just like we expect you to do the same if we mess up."

"Still doesn't help me with my fears." Inigo mutters dejected.

"And it doesn't have to. You just have to trust in your allies, just like they trust in you. I know I do."

Inigo smiles at me. "I suppose I can work with that." Then he gets back on his feet and pats some dust off his clothes. "Well, this sure has been a productive session. But now, I need a bath, and then it's back to plan my next rendezvous with a lovely lady."

*Pow!*

Inigo holds his face in pain. "Ow! What the- What was that for? And did you have to aim for the face?!"

I stare at Inigo blandly with my fist still outstretched from my punch. "You really need to find a better way to cope with your crippling self-consciousness. The way you flirt with just about any member of the female population, only to get shot down faster than your father on a good day, is just painful to watch. The fact that you flirt with women even more than your father before he and Olivia married only solidifies my statement."

"Father was that bad?" Inigo asks while rubbing his aching face.

I smile amused. "You don't know half of it. Honestly, I think he was just desperate to find himself a wife. The rejections he went through were as comical for us as they were painful and embarrassing for him. I guess you got the rejection part from your father as well."

* * *

 **AN: I consider Virion to be Inigo's canon father because of how much both men flirt with women, as well as how often they both get rejected. While both cases can be considered stand-alone, thinking that it's a trait passed down from father to son just seems too good to pass up, as it would give Inigo a link to both his parents in a way that makes sense.**

* * *

"Maybe I should have a talk with him, then." Inigo muses. "See if he has some ways to overcome embarrassment."

I nod. "Oh, I'm sure he has a few ways. Men who are confident without being arrogant can be surprisingly rare – even more so if they can back up their claims. Your father fits both criteria, Inigo. You may have inherited a few less stellar traits from both your parents, but I think you've also inherited their strong points."

"Coming from you, that's good to hear. Well until next time, Jack-sensei."

Inigo walks back to camp while smoothing out some of his hair.

I shake my head fondly. "I honestly can't decide who takes the spot of top diva in Lucina's group. Him or Severa."

* * *

 **Your relationship with Inigo has improved!**

* * *

"Nah, this can't go on." I hear Robin say in a tired voice.

I turn around a tent to spot my wife talking to Nah. Judging from their expressions, they seem to have been at it for some time without making any headway.

"And I told you, I'm fine. If we don't have enough food in the army, no one can fight anyway." Nah retorts frowning.

"Am I missing something?" I ask as I approach the arguing pair. "What's this about food?"

Robin turns to me and sighs. "Jack? Maybe you can talk Nah out of this crazy habit."

Nah scowls. "It's not crazy! It's called "survival knowhow"!"

I look between them with a lost look. "Girls, you need to start from the beginning. I have no idea what's going on here."

Robin rubs her temples. "I just now learned that Nah has had roots and plants for meals rather than proper food. And not just since a few days. Apparently, this has gone on for years."

"And I keep telling Auntie Robin, I'm fine." Nah protests. "Just look at me. I'm as healthy as they come."

I pause at the revelation. "Whoa, whoa. Back up. What's this about you eating plants and roots for food, Nah?"

"Well, if there's a shortage of food, you need to know what can be safely eaten instead, right? Someone has to do it, and I've learned I can stomach quite a bit."

"And I keep telling her that doing so is not only pointless, but also dangerous for her health." Robin comments exasperated. "There's more than enough food to go around in camp. None of us have to go foraging for plants in nearby forests because of some shortage in provisions."

I scratch my head. "Nah, I get that you might have had to make do with whatever you could scrape together before you traveled back in time, but Robin's right. There's no point in you trying this survival thingy now. If anything, not eating properly will only stunt your growth. I think it's already harming you there."

"I just haven't reached my growth spurt yet, Uncle Jack!" Nah counters indignant. "Gods, why do people keep insisting that I'm short? Can't they see having manakete blood in your veins slows down your aging?"

"All the more reason for you to eat properly." I counter. "When you do hit your growth spurt, your body will need all the nutrients it can get, or else it won't have what it needs for you to make the most of that growth."

Nah shuffles her feet. "I… I knew that. It's just… It's kind of selfish for me to stuff my face just because I want to grow big."

I frown at Nah's reasoning. Something doesn't add up.

"Nah, what are you not telling us?" I ask sternly.

Nah stiffens. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"You've shared meals with us before, so you know we're not running out of food anytime soon. If anything, it would take a terrible military officer to neglect bringing along enough supplies to last at least a good deal into the campaign until the need for resupplying becomes relevant. You know this just as well as we do, and yet you still insist on eating…roots and plants?"

Nah remains silent. Whatever the issue is, she won't reveal it on her own.

Come to think of it, her body was pretty small, even when we first found her. Since she's around Rose's age, that means she's at the very least entering her late teens. Manakete blood or not, there's no way she would be this short and – dare I say it – skinny if she's been eating properly.

Wait a minute… _Has_ she been eating properly while growing up?

"Nah… This might be painful to dive into, but I need to know." I tell my niece as gently as I can. "After your parents passed away, were you properly taken care of?"

Nah's ears droop. "No… At least, I don't think so, now that I think back. When my parents died, I was sent to Father's home village. I tried to fit in, but my guardians always seemed wary of me. I had to learn how to make it on my own, including finding anything edible. Since I'm a dragon, I need a lot of food to survive, so I had to search hard."

Hearing that my niece might've been neglected by her guardians after she was orphaned makes me want to find some way to peer into her memories, just so I can figure out which soon-to-be-dead SOBs dared mistreat this adorable little child just because she's of a different race. No, deep breaths. That's not important right now. In fact, maybe I should leave that to Donnel and Nowi instead, since this is way more relevant to them than it is to me. There are more important things to attend to.

Such as making sure my adorable niece gets properly fed every day.

And I start it all with a hug.

"I'm sorry you had to go through those horrible years, Nah. I won't let you go hungry again on my watch. I promise."

"Y-you would do that for me, Uncle Jack?" Nah asks hopefully.

"Nah, anyone with even the smallest fraction of compassion would do the same." I release the hug and smile at her. "In fact, I'll whip up something for you right now, provided you can wait an hour or so."

"You can cook, Uncle Jack?"

I allow a confident smirk on my face. "I've been told during my travels that I make a mean quiche."

"It's true." Robin interjects. "There's been a few times when Jack made me dinner because I was so busy working that I lost the track of time. Oddly enough, his cooking is sometimes better than the palace staff's."

"Well, how about it, Nah?" I ask.

Nah looks away. "Um… You really don't have to just for my sake… I mean, that food could be used for so much else."

"All right, I've heard enough." I declare with no more room for argument. "I'm making you that meal, and you're going to like it. End of story."

Nah frowns. "There's a thing called "consent", you know that, Uncle Jack?"

I head towards the mess tent. "Didn't stop your mother from basically forcing me into becoming her playmate whenever she feels like it. Part of being a family, Nah. You'd better get used to it."

* * *

 _ **One hour later**_

I place the newly baked quiche in front of Nah, along with a pitcher of water to go with it.

"Here you go, Nah. Fresh from the kitchen. Enjoy."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "I thought you would need more time to get a fire started."

I shake my head. "Not really. I roped Severa into the baking process. I told her that it was to finetune her control over fire."

Nah gives me a flat look. "You seriously managed to trick her into that? There's no way she'd fall for such an obvious trick."

I smile. "No, but I _did_ convince her that men like a woman who can cook."

Robin blinks and puts a hand on her forehead. "*Sigh* You're not wrong…"

Nah eyes the baked meal skeptically for a bit before she picks up a piece and takes a bite.

And then she drops it in zero seconds flat. Good thing I caught it with Telekinesis before it reached the ground. No wasting food, people.

The half-manakete's body begins to shake. Tears pool in her eyes.

"Nah? What's the matter?" Robin asks concerned.

"It's…so delicious." Nah whispers between sniffles. "I never knew food could taste this good."

Tears stream freely down the half-manakete's cheeks as she eats the quiche with gusto. Nah stops halfway through her meal to wipe the tears that won't stop flowing.

"This is…the first time I can remember…that anyone would cook a meal *sniff* just for me."

I smile gently at my niece and pat her on the head. "All the more reason for you to savor every bite. Take your time, Nah. Eat properly from now on, and grow big."

Nah bites her lip and nods. Then she resumes eating her quiche, albeit at a slower pace this time. Even as she cries nonstop, I can see a smile of pure bliss behind all her munching.

* * *

 **Your relationship with Nah has improved!**

* * *

"Jack, I've come to a decision." Robin tells me after Nah has left to find her parents.

"Go on."

"I've decided to take up on Nowi's and Donnel's offer. I want to become Nah's godmother."

I raise an eyebrow. "Not that I object, but what brought this on?"

Robin frowns in the half-manakete's direction. "I never suspected that something as horrible as starvation was behind Nah's strange eating habits. No child deserves to grow up in that kind of hell. I want Nowi and Donnel to be able to raise Nah in this timeline – truly, I do. But if something were to happen to them, I cannot leave Nah to her fate in good conscience. Come what may, I _will_ be there for her."

I smile and bring my wife into a one-armed hug. "We both will. All right. As of today, Nah is officially part of our family."

Robin nods before her features relax. "All the more reason that we help Lucina and her friends in their mission."

I nod back. "Agreed – after we're done with this war."

* * *

We're all gathered for supper just an hour later. Of course, that's not stopping me from dragging Nah to the mess tent for another meal. It's not like she's full either. The faint growling in her stomach revealed that the poor girl was a lot hungrier than she let on. Good thing she's getting another proper meal before the end of the day.

While we're all seated and enjoy our meal, Cherche stands up with a bigger smile than I can remember that she's ever had.

"Everyone, I have an announcement." the Wyvern Rider tells us.

The mess tent falls silent in curiosity. Cherche walks over to the table where Lon'qu is sitting and pulls the uncomfortable looking Swordmaster up by the arm.

"Lon'qu proposed to me about half an hour before supper today." Cherche continues. "We're getting married!"

More silence…

And then the tent erupts in cheers. Miriel is the first to congratulate Cherche for the betrothal. Less than one pace away, Vaike slings an arm around Lon'qu's shoulders and gives his trademark congratulative speech, all while lightly punching Lon'qu in the gut. The contrast between the two parts of the couple is almost comical. Cherche's smiling like her birthday came early, while Lon'qu looks like he wants to be anywhere but here right now.

"I'm so happy for you and Lon'qu!" Nowi shouts while hugging Cherche from behind. "Come on, tell us! How did he propose? Did he get all fidgety before he went down on a knee? Oh, or did he pick you some flowers before he asked the big question?"

"None of the sort." Cherche replies while patting Nowi on the head. "It was a lot simpler than that. He simply walked straight up to me and took my hand."

"Whoa, whoa, back up!" Sully interjects in disbelief. "You're telling me Lon'qu – Mr. Edgy Mc don't-touch-me-woman – actually took your hand on his own free will?!"

"There's more." Cherche confirms cheerfully. "He had a hard time wrapping his head around me helping him with his fear of women. By the time I had made it clear I did it out of kindness, I found a ring in my hand."

At this point, Vaike has Lon'qu in a headlock (which is actually kind of painful, considering the size of Vaike's biceps). "Well, look at the smooth swordsman here! C'mon, tell us you had some grand speech all prepared for her, too!"

"I fail to see why I should divulge it for some loudmouth like you." Lon'qu grunts while trying to get breathing room in the headlock.

"Aw, don't be such a stick in the mud, Lon'qu. I bet there's a great story behind it all." Ricken replies.

A tic mark pulses on Lon'qu's forehead. "I already told you, I'm not-"

"He said that I healed the wounds in his heart and replaced them with love." Cherche interrupts blushing. "That it's the first time he could see a future where he's not alone."

"Aw, that's so sweet!" Sumia gushes with stars in her eyes. "Who knew he could be such a romantic?"

Gaius grins. "Real smooth, Edgy. Reeaal smooth."

"Shut it, or I'll introduce you to both of my swords." Lon'qu growls.

"This is a most joyous occasion, even in the middle of all this strife." Say'ri comments smiling. "If able, I would be honored to contribute to a wedding. Gods know my people are in need of some festivities to lift the grim mood that has settled over our lands these past few years."

"A wedding in Dynast fashion?" Cherche claps her hands together. "That sounds wonderful. Lon'qu and I would love that."

"Not exactly." Lon'qu mutters.

A murderous aura surrounds Cherche. "I said; Lon'qu and I would _love_ that. Wouldn't we, Lon'qu? Of course you do, or else Minerva might get upset."

Right on cue, the growling of the wyvern can be heard outside the mess tent.

Lon'qu breaks out in a cold sweat. "O-of course…"

Sully whistles. "Not even married, and you've already got 'im whipped? D-mn, that's impressive."

* * *

I walk into mine and Robin's tent about half an hour after supper to find her at her portable desk.

"Admit it. You had this all planned even before we set sail for Valm." I tell me wife.

Robin glances at me, gives a hint of a knowing smile and turns back to her notes. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Jack."

I scowl and levitate beside my wife in a sitting position. "You're not even trying to hide your guilt on this one. I thought you'd at least try that much."

Robin looks back up from her notes with her smile still in place. "Come now. Just look at them and tell me they don't fit together."

I give my wife a flat look. "And here I thought Cordelia and Sumia were the die-hard romantics. I don't object to Lon'qu finally growing used to a woman's presence – Naga knows he needed it bad – but to actually steer him into marriage? And with one of our recruits at that?"

Robin rolls her eyes in good nature. "Jack, just look at this army. Half the time, we act more like a matchmaking agency for each other. I can't think of anyone who's made it any longer than a few years here before they ended up engaged with another Shepherd."

"There's Lissa and Gregor." I point out.

"Yes, but if we consider the army as a whole, those two are exceptions more than the rule. It's almost comical how almost everyone found a spouse either within the army or, in Libra's case, with a person closely connected to it. Frankly, I think it was only a matter of time before the next marriage announcement. And since Lon'qu and Cherche had grown so comfortable with each other, I thought I could try to speed up the process a bit."

If possible, my look gets even flatter. "I know you're a master schemer on top of a lot of other great qualities, but I never expected you to apply that to romance."

"I have to broaden my horizons from time to time. If I stayed the way I am, it's only a matter of time before our children leave me in the dust."

"Not the point and you know it." I scratch my head. "*Sigh* You know what, I don't even mind what's happened. Form what I can tell, both Lon'qu and Cherche are happy with this arrangement. Might as well make the best out of the situation and support their relationship."

"And thus, I have won yet another argument." Robin declares smugly.

I rest my face in a hand and tilt to the point that I float sideways. "And once more I am reminded that you're actually a human being with petty tendencies."

"Of course I'm human, Jack. What do you take me for?"

"Something between a goddess and the very concept of beauty, with a staggering mind thrown into the mix."

Robin returns my flat look while blushing. "Your way of flattering me only gets more unconventional the longer we stay together."

I smirk. "Well, at least you have the insight to tell whenever I do flatter you. I'd punch myself if I realized I married an airhead."

"Jack, you flatter me almost all the time when it's just the two of us." Robin points out. "And sometimes when there are others around. It's not exactly difficult for me to tell when you do it."

I pout. "Aw, shoot. I'm getting predictable, huh? Guess I'd better step up my game."

"Don't." Robin sighs as she closes the notebook she's been reading. "While I enjoy the occasional battle of wits with you from time to time-"

"In which you beat me soundly at every step." I add.

"-I'd much rather be able to relax when it's just the two of us. I can't always be on top of my game."

At this point, I'm floating upside down. "Fine. I'll keep it simple while we're alone. At least you're capable of recognizing when you're at your limit."

Robin frowns. "You say that as if I've had problems with that."

"I can list at least half a dozen incidents since our honeymoon, that all prove my point. And that's just from the top of my head."

Robin's blush returns for a very different reason. "I'm that bad?"

"I keep telling you time and again, Robin; you're too responsible for your own good. It may be your single greatest flaw."

"Hey, I'll have you know I consider it a strength."

"*Sigh* And I would normally agree with you on that. But that's also what makes it so ironic, don't you think? One of your most notable strengths is also the one thing that could lead to your downfall the easiest. There's a reason why I worry for you so much."

"Other than the fact that you're doting to a fault around me all the time?"

"I'll have you know I consider that a strength." I huff.

"And so, the tables have turned." Robin points out smiling. "Quite interesting how similar we are on this point, don't you think?"

"Guess we've both rubbed off on each other over the years we've been together." I waggle my eyebrows suggestively as I float right-side up again. "In more ways than one."

Robin punches me lightly on the chest. "Pervert…"

"Only for you."

Robin glances between me and our bedroll. "You…won't act on it tonight, will you?"

I shrug. "I only do if you want it as much as I do. There's no point in it otherwise."

" _ **Oh, come on! You're**_ _ **this**_ _ **close to scoring with her!**_ _"_ Sparrow yells inside my mind.

 _*Whang!*_

" _Sparrow, leave my sex life alone."_

* * *

The increasingly green landscape indicates that we're getting closer to the point where we turn south for the Mila Tree. We should be just a few days of marching from the tree at this point.

Our marching goes almost like a machinery. Everyone has a dull expression on their faces from the monotonous walking, yet there's no denying the hint of wariness lurking beneath the surface. Should anyone be stupid enough to attack right now, they'd be on the receiving end of a myriad of weapons, spells, arrows and a handful of martial arts moves that may or may not include draconic fire. Among other things.

As we reach a fork in the road, we're about to take a turn towards the turning point south when Maribelle runs up to Chrom.

"My lord! We have to take the other road!" the Valkyrie exclaims with more urgency than is ever normal for her.

Chrom looks at her questioningly. "What's wrong, Maribelle?"

Maribelle calls L'Arachel to her side and jumps on the horse in a single graceful motion. "I cannot put my finger on why…but I get a foreboding feeling in that direction. Unless we hurry, many innocents will die! I just know it!"

"Maribelle? This isn't like you." Ricken comments concerned, though he too has already mounted his horse.

Maribelle shakes her head. "Were it just a trick of my own mind, Ricken. But no, this is something far stronger. Call it…a hunch."

Say'ri looks in the direction Maribelle wants to go. "If memory serves, the ancient ruins of a temple from the age of the gods stands at the end of that road. Even to this day there are followers of the selfsame gods who pray day and night."

Chrom frowns. "Not exactly an ideal life choice in case bandits decide to attack. If you're so sure about this feeling, Maribelle, we'd better act on it."

"I can only hope my fears are misplaced." Maribelle mutters before she urges her horse into gallop.

I crouch down. "Robin, hop on!"

Robin looks at me skeptically before she shrugs and climbs on my back. Time for a high-speed piggyback ride!

Several others follow her example and pair up with a partner who has a mount. While it may slow the rider down a bit, safety in numbers is rarely a bad idea.

Due to the short notice of the change of plans, our cavalry gets split up from the rest of the army rather quickly. Guess the others will have to catch up as fast as they can.

* * *

We spot the temple ruins about ten minutes after we set out. It's in pretty bad shape, what with the occasional hole in the walls and vegetation covering the outside. Still looks operational, though, if the lit lanterns outside the main gate is any indication.

But there's no one outside the walls.

Chrom jumps off Cordelia's pegasus and runs into the temple grounds, followed shortly by the rest who managed to keep up.

We find a crowd of frightened people inside the walls, all huddled together and either praying to whatever god may be worshipped here or tending to the wounded.

"Gods help us!" an elderly man among the crowd exclaims when he catches sight of us. "Have those defiling cutthroats made it here already?!"

Chrom slows down. "Wait, cutthroats? Are you telling me there are brigands with their sights set on this temple?"

The elder pauses before he sighs relieved. "Ah, so you are not among them. What a relief. And to answer your question, young man, yes, they came from the woods not far from here. We made to retreat to this temple, but only managed to do so because a few brave souls stayed behind to fight back against them. Though brave they may be, I fear all they accomplished was stalling those brigands for a short while before they met a dreadful end. I fear those defilers will reach the temple grounds any minute now."

Maribelle walks into the conversation. "Then let us help you, good sir. If there's one thing this world needs less of, it's wretched bandits."

"You- You would help us?" one of the villagers among the crowd asks hopeful. "Oh, the gods be praised! Then we might have hope to survive this disaster after all!"

"You had better prepare yourselves for a tiring battle, then." the elder adds. "These may be sacred temple grounds, but I fear the walls are in a shameful state of disrepair. Doubtless those bandits will try to slip through any crack they can find in the walls in their pursuit for anything they find of value."

Robin frowns. "Then we'd best find those gaps and plug them with our own forces. Cordelia, Sumia, Cherche, I'll need you three to scan the temple grounds and tell me where the biggest openings of this place are. I will also need your input whenever something significant occurs around or inside the walls so I can direct the others to wherever they're needed."

Then my wife faces the rest of us. "We're going to focus on defense, everyone. Prevent those bandits from entering the temple grounds above all else! We cannot allow the people in here to be harmed!"

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: Noble lineage**  
 _Even though the Conqueror has cemented his reign over the entire continent, not even his mighty empire is free from bandits roaming the lands and pillaging those who cannot fend for themselves. Greater goal or no, ignoring those bandits attacking a temple filled with innocent people is something no one in your group can ignore. The Shepherds will protect the sheep, even those not of their own fold. It should be noted that these bandits tend to be rather disorganized. If their leader falls, they will likely scatter._  
 **Objective:** _Defeat the leader of the bandits._  
 **Rewards:** _10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Don't let any villager die._ **  
Bonus reward:** _5 000 EXP, 10 000 gold, greatly increased standing with Ylisse, greatly increased standing with Regna Ferox._

* * *

We're about to head to our battle stations when we catch wind of some commotion coming from within the crowd.

"Will you punks just let me get outta there and bust their heads already?!"

"No! You'll get killed out there! What do you even hope to achieve if you can't even use a weapon?"

"I've got all the weapons I need right here, moron!"

"That's not a weapon! It's a gauntlet!"

What's with all the shouting? If they keep that volume up, they could give the approaching bandits a clue of their position. Considering said outlaws probably have Snipers armed with Longbows, that spell bad news for everyone.

And that's when a rough looking Priest with a scar over his left eye and copper-red hair pushes his way out of the crowd, much to said crowd's protest.

* * *

 **Brady Lvl 34 Class: Priest**

* * *

Well, now. Considering it was Maribelle who got us here in the first place, I'll chalk it up as the Valkyrie having just awakened her motherly instincts.

And now that I take a closer look, I notice that there's indeed a gauntlet on Brady's right hand. Even weirder is that he _only_ has the right gauntlet while the left is missing. The same level of weirdness can be seen through a slit on the front of his Priest's robes that runs all the way up to the top of his thighs. His left leg is protected by armor, but the same cannot be said for the right leg. Did the guy just pick up some random pieces of armor while fending off the Fell dragon's forces back in his timeline?

"Care to explain what a priest intends to do on the frontlines against a band of ruthless bandits?" Maribelle asks sternly as she approaches Brady.

"Well, I'll be…" the Priest mutters as he notices Maribelle's approach. "Haw haw haw! Didn't expect to find her here of all places."

Maribelle scowls. "Listen here, you mannerless cur! I'll not stand to be laughed at by a base scoundrel of your ilk!"

Brady sighs and nots. "…Yep. That clinches it. You must be Maribelle."

Maribelle pauses bemused before her scowl returns. "And just how do you know that?!" The Valkyrie points her parasol at him. "Do you leer at me from behind the shades of whatever den of iniquity you frequent?! Hmph! I bid you good day!"

As Maribelle flips some hair over her shoulder and turns to leave, Brady gives her an unreadable look. Then he sighs again.

"I guess you've always been like this." A faint smile grows on his lips. "And I wouldn't have ya any other way. Sorry ta say this, but you're stuck with me from now on."

Chrom approaches the Priest. "You mean to help us?"

Brady shrugs. "I'm a priest, ain't I? Healin' wounds is my job. 'Course, I know how to sock a few punks in the face if they get too close as well. And I've got a few other tricks up my sleeve – if these whinin' mooks would just let me get on the frontlines already!"

"What kinds of tricks are we talking about here?" I inquire curiously.

Brady smirks. "Well, there's a face I've been longing to see. I'll just show this, and ya might get the rest."

Brady leans his staff against his shoulder and claps his hands together. Then he crouches and slams his hands on the ground. Sparks fly from the ground around him as a pillar of the stone from the temple grounds rises up beside him.

I blink surprised. "Hold on a sec. That was alchemy."

"Sure was." Brady confirms. "Doin' stuff like this is like second nature to me. Come ta think about it, maybe I could repair the walls if I have time…"

I grab the Priest by the arm before he can go any further with that train of thought. "You're coming with me to my wife – now."

"Whoa, what're ya- Hey!"

* * *

Robin rubs her chin as the gears turn in her head. "This could be exactly what we need for this battle. Sully!"

"Right here."

"Take Brady with you and ride around the temple walls. If you find any crack or hole, drop him off and let him get to work on them."

"What am I, a mason?" Brady grumbles. "I ain't sittin' on my keister like some whiny brat while everyone else risk their lives fightin'. And don't even get me started on the whole "Ya ain't got a weapon" shtick! I've seen fighin' before. I can handle that kinda stuff. Honest!"

"Look, as admirable as your resolve to protect these people is, I have to stop you right there." Robin replies. "Whatever fighting prowess you may have, you will do a lot more good here behind the lines where you can safely heal anyone wounded. We all have our roles to carry out in this battle. Yours will be healing duty, right alongside Lissa, Maribelle and Libra."

"When Libra's done performing his rites, that is…" Chrom mutters.

A tic mark pulses on Robin's forehead. "Oh for- Libra! Can't your service of the divine wait until there are _no_ bandits trying to raid the temple?!"

The War Monk has the decency to look sheepish as he gets up from his kneeling position in front of the main altar.

"My apologies. The sight of this sacred place had me moved to reverence."

Robin shakes her head. "Just… Please just save it for after the battle. Look sharp, everyone! The enemy's almost here!"

Based on Cordelia's and Sumia's recon, the bandits mainly come from the north. Fortunately, that's the part of the temple walls that are completely intact, which gives us precious time to set up whatever we may need to fend off the outlaws. The bad part is that it still leaves us with three sides that need to be defended simultaneously. It only gets more annoying by the fact that the bandits apparently have some experience raiding these sorts of places already, seeing as they spread out from a safe distance before they get ready to storm from all sides at once instead of charging in blind and spread along the wall like some less competent bandits would do. Whelp, there goes Robin's Plan A; make barricades along the eastern and western entrances to stall the bandits out for as long as possible before we have archers and spell casters bombard them.

Which means we immediately switch to Plan B; use the entrances as choke points and beat them back while keeping an eye out in case any of them try to climb up the walls.

* * *

I'm currently stationed by the eastern temple exit alongside Severa, Yarne and Kjelle.

"So, how are we doing this?" I ask my students. "Aside from the whole "Let none of them inside", Robin gave us a lot of free reign."

"I'll take point." Kjelle replies immediately and places herself by the threshold. "I have plenty of experience holding choke points, so I know how to weather a storm."

"That's fine and all, Kjelle, but I think that won't work." Severa points out. "Not even you can completely block an entryway that wide."

She raises a good point. Even though we're at a side entrance, the temple gate is much wider than Kjelle herself, most likely because the entrance was built for carts or large crowds of people in mind. As good as Kjelle may be at holding down the fort, she's only one person.

"Hey, I can pick up the slack for her." Yarne offers confidently as he punches his knuckles together.

Kjelle raises an eyebrow. "I've seen what you can do in training, Yarne, but defending key points hasn't been your strong suit."

"No." the half taguel relents. "But beating down enemies before they reach such a point is. Just send me into the crowd, and I'll soften 'em up for the rest of you to pick 'em off."

I give my barehanded student a dry look. "You seriously throw yourself into the thick of battle where you're literally surrounded on all sides? How are you still alive after Naga-knows-how-many battles against hordes of Risen?"

"Actually, that could work." Kjelle interjects. "Yarne and I have used this tactic before to defend several places. Yarne keeps most of the enemy ranks busy, which reduces the number of foes I have to face down. Because the enemy is so busy getting in, Yarne doesn't have to face against the entirety of the army, so we effectively split the enemy forces to make things easier on our part."

"Whenever they've done that, our enemies have been stupid enough to fall for it, too." Severa adds. "It's such a stupid tactic, but it works wonders against hordes of enemies who can't think more than two thoughts. Guess a bunch of bandits would fit that category."

I draw Harvest Moon and prepare Reinforcement at a moment's notice. "For Yarne's sake, I hope this foe does. We'd better get ready to jump in in case things get hairy for either of them."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Severa mutters as she draws Laevateinn. "Keep an eye out for your comrades while fighting."

"Good thing you won't do any of it on your own, then." we hear Stahl add from behind us.

We turn around and spot the green Great Knight alongside Panne, Gaius and Libra.

"Do not think I will allow my son to throw himself into danger so needlessly." Panne admonishes us as the Beaststone around her neck glows.

The taguel goes down on all four as a dome of stone envelops her. It shatters moments later, showing that Panne has turned into her beast form.

" **I shall fight right alongside you in this battle, my son. It is time you learned how taguel defend their warren**."

Yarne grins. "Sounds good to me."

I glance at Stahl. "And what about you, Stahl?"

Stahl positions himself right alongside Kjelle. "Well, two heads are better than one, right? You look like you could use a hand, Kjelle."

The blonde Knight nods. "My thanks. This should make holding the entrance easier."

"Leave the stragglers to me." Gaius tells us before he climbs up the wall to the arch over the gate. "Should be easy enough to pick off anyone who manages to give you the slip. I even got some assistance on the other side."

I look around the top of the wall. "Huh? But I don't see anyone."

"I said; I am right here!" a disembodied set of clothing shouts from where Gaius indicates.

Wait, that can't be right… Who had the bright idea to leave their clothes hanging over the-

"Yikes! Kellam?! When did you get here?!" I shout startled. "And when did you get promoted to an Assassin?"

"I've been with you the whole time. And I was promoted three weeks ago, but the only ones who witnessed it were Miriel and Laurent." the near invisible man answers with notable irritation.

I scratch the back of my head. "Oh… Sorry about that. I just- I don't know. Guess it just went right over my head."

"As well as the rest of everyone else, for that matter." Kellam grumbles.

Severa blinks shocked before she rubs her temples. "Sheesh. No wonder Laurent kept sneaking up on us when we were children. He totally got that from his father."

I glance at my red-headed student. "Laurent had a habit of sneaking up on you?"

Kjelle shakes her head. "No. It was more like he was hard to miss, what with his unassuming demeanor and quiet voice. It frustrated him to no end until he learned to properly speak up."

"Made it impossible to play hide-and-seek with him, too." Yarne adds. "No matter where we searched, we all eventually gave up – every single time."

I'm about to comment when several flashing dots enter the edge of my mini map. All of them are red.

I scowl and walk past the temple gates. "Let's hope Kellam's ability to remain undetected proves useful in the coming onslaught. Look alive, people. They're here."

 **BGM:** **Bearer of hope, Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn music**

There are at least a dozen bandits coming in, and that's just the first wave. Here's hoping our resident beast kin can slow them down.

I summon a small vortex of wind around me. "Let's even the battlefield a little, eh, Severa?"

"Hmph. You don't have to tell me what I've already planned, Sensei." the Mercenary huffs as she summons a circle of flames around her feet.

Yarne and Panne dash headfirst at the incoming bandits. A pair of Heroes find themselves stuck fighting the taguel. The first one tries to split Panne's head with a Silver Axe, only to learn that a transformed taguel is very nimble on their feet. Panne sidesteps the blow and tackles the bandit to the ground. Then she jumps up and rolls into a spinning ball that shreds his front to bleeding chunks.

Yarne meanwhile jumps over a Silver Sword wielded by the other Hero and sends a hook at his face, only for the fist to meet the Hero's shield. The bandit rears back his sword to stab Yarne through the stomach. But that's when Yarne's feet touch the ground and the half-taguel sends a lightning fast jab that grazes the Hero's forehead, and ultimately deters the bandit from following through with his retaliation. Yarne steps in and hammers an uppercut into the underside of the shield, thus blowing the Hero's guard wide open. The Hero tries to strike back with his sword, but finds himself too slow as Yarne takes another step in, rams his shoulder in the bandit's chest and sends him flying with a snap kick to the face.

Panne jumps back from a Swordmaster's Killing Edge and circles the outlaw carefully. The sword wielding bandit zips to the left and charges for a flanking blow. That's when Panne makes a rapid pivot and sends a wave of dirt in his face. The Swordmaster barely has time to cry out in surprise before Panne bowls him over and pounces on the Warrior standing right behind him.

Meanwhile, the downed Swordmaster sits up and cradles his head from the shock. That's when he notices Yarne grab hold of his legs while grinning. The half-taguel slams his foe around on the ground like a ragdoll before he winds up a swing with his sights set on a Sniper.

*Insert "Yeet!" sound effect* *Wham!*

Right in the nick of time, too. That Sniper had his arrow trained on Sumia while she's scouting the battlefield and relaying the information to Robin. Instead of a clean hit on the Dark Flier, the arrow goes way off course while the Sniper gets in a tangled heap with his outlaw buddy. And then Frederick's horse runs them over for good measure.

But even as Panne and Yarne keep the bandits busy, a few slip past them and charge straight at our second line of defense; me and Severa. Too bad they're so far away that we have plenty of time to set up a countermeasure.

"Just guide your flames along my wind! I'll handle the directions!" I shout as I let my wind magic loose.

"Ugh, I get it already!" Severa yells as she pours the conjured fire into the funnels that I send out.

The mana saturated air ignites, showing where my wind magic has passed. I flick my free hand around and have the wind streams weave a pattern. Pointing my hand upwards causes the wind to ascend sharply. The accompanying flames follow suit, turning the intricate web of fire streams into several walls of fire that cross each other. The bandits that made a mad dash for the gates a second ago stop in their tracks and try not to get burnt to a crisp in the inferno.

But it's in that moment that Panne and Yarne are free to ambush them from behind and beat the living daylights out of them while they're trapped against the flame walls.

A snap of my finger dispels the wind, as well as the accompanying flames in the process. Our sights clear up to reveal that several bandits are beaten up while more still show burn injuries of varying degrees.

*Thunk, thunk!*

And the few who made it through the flames more or less unscathed fall victim to Gaius's and Kellam's arrows.

Severa stabs Laevateinn into the ground and leans against the sword. "And here I thought we'd have our work cut out for us. Those bandits were just lame."

And right on cue, more flashing dots appear along the edge of my mini map.

I give Severa a sour look. "Severa, a word of advice; _never_ declare your victory prematurely."

"And why's that?"

I point at where the next wave of bandits is coming from. "That's why."

About two dozen more bandits crest a hill to the east.

Severa's eyebrow twitches. "This is getting ridiculous. Since when are bandits this organized? They're _bandits_!"

"I agree with you on one matter. These bozos have to go." I reply as I walk towards the incoming wave. I glance behind me. "Hey. Stahl and Kjelle. Make sure to hold the gate no matter what, okay?"

The two protectors blink confused.

"Huh? But that's what Robin's been telling us to do the whole time." Stahl points out. "What's the point of repeating that?"

I return my gaze at the bandits and crouch in a battle stance. "Just had to make the gate's watched while we take out the trash."

* * *

 **Union Strike: Firestorm**

"Severa!"

"Hmph! Fine!"

Severa points Laevateinn backwards and blasts flames from the blade to propel herself forward, right alongside me. As we reach the bandits, I turn on a dime and kick a Swordmaster right into a Paladin. Severa arrives moments later and swings full force on a Hero's shield, bleeds the momentum by crouching low, blows his guard wide open with a rising slash and slams the butt end of Laevateinn into his chest.

I flip over a Berserker and kick off the back of his head to slice both a Sniper and his bow in half. Severa dances between lances and axes as she leaves a trail of burning slashes in her wake. I follow suit with Gale step and grab Severa's free hand to swing her around and change her direction mid-charge before we both separate and strike down more bandits. Three rounds of zipping around later, we skid to a stop in front of the bandits the same way we came from.

I replace Harvest Moon behind my back and thrust my free hand against the bandits. "They're toast."

I lock the remaining bandits in a telekinetic lock and pull them together at a focal point while building up a Rasenshuriken. Meanwhile, Severa conjures flames around Laevateinn's blade that grow hotter until they glow white.

I grin as I take aim. "I love the smell of barbeque in the morning."

Severa takes a stance. "Say good night!"

My student swings her sword moments after I toss my Rasenshuriken. A massive wave of flames erupt from the golden blade and forms into a snarling dragon serpent. My Rasenshuriken hits the lumped-together bunch of bandits like a truck. The flaming serpent, in turn, quickly catches up to my Rasenshuriken and grabs it in its jaws. The serpent twists and coils up in the air before it turns and heads downwards at breakneck speeds. Right as it reaches the ground, the flame beast clamps its jaws shut on the Rasenshuriken.

*Ka-BOOM!*

The Rasenshuriken detonates like a pack of dynamite. As the dome containing countless wind blades expands and shreds the bandits trapped within to pieces, the fire magic ignites the mana, adding to the destruction by burning everything that the wind blades cut. The only thing remaining as the dust settles are ashes.

I raise my hand for a high five. "I like your style."

Severa crosses her arms and turns away blushing. "Glory hog…"

"Hey, not cool…" I tell her flatly.

* * *

"Yarne! Look out!" we hear Panne shouting.

Yarne picks up on the warning and jumps back. Moments later, an arrow hits the ground where he just stood. And then another. And another. Then about a dozen Bow Knights emerge from the woods with even more Snipers standing by.

Severa throws her hands into the air. "Oh, _come_ _on_! How many of them are there?!"

I grab my student by the shoulder. "Think about that later. We need to pull back."

I zip back to the gate with Severa before she can protest. I'm about to set up the next wave of support when I note that the bandits got to Yarne faster than expected. Rats! Those Snipers specifically aimed for him! He's pinned down by arrows and is about to get overrun by a bunch of bloodthirsty Bow Knights. Better make this quick!

Wait, are his eyes glowing silver?

*Ka-bram!*

…

Yarne stands tall, completely unharmed while several Bow Knights lay knocked out across the field with some kind of dent on their armor or their faces. More importantly, there's a silver aura enveloping him.

"Wh-what just happened?" Kjelle asks bewildered. "Is that…really Yarne?"

One Observe gives me all the answers I need.

* * *

 **Ultra Instinct, Lvl 1 [0 %], Active, Cost: 100 MP per minute  
** _A technique so difficult to master, it is also known as the "state of the gods". By separating the consciousness form the body, the user can move independently of thought or feeling. Instead of conscious decisions, the user instead moves and fights using instincts and movements honed through years of grueling training and combat. This state basically shows the user's full potential, so long as they can keep themselves like this. Know, however, that operating at full capacity is also the fastest way of tiring yourself out. After all, no one can operate at maximum performance for too long without dire consequences.  
Reaction time is reduced by 90 %. Attack speed increases by 100 %. Damage dealt increases by 20 %. This skill has a cooldown for 5 minutes after deactivation. The user suffers from the status ailment "Exhausted" during this cooldown period. _

* * *

I grin proudly. "At long last. You've finally reached your true potential, Yarne."

Severa looks at me in shock. "Wait a minute. _You're_ the one who taught him that?!"

"I merely helped Yarne along the way. Other than providing the training, he reached this state through his own effort alone. I knew my future self was right in seeing what Yarne could be capable of if trained properly."

To demonstrate, the shocked bandits try to attack Yarne again. First come the Bow Knights.

*Bam!*

All knocked out in the blink of an eye. Next come the Berserkers.

*Bam!*

Yeeted into whichever direction Yarne decided on in a split-second. And one inanimate object happens to stand in each of those directions. Now they're inanimate objects tilting at various angles with a person stuck in each of them.

And lastly, the Snipers.

*Thwip, thwip, thwip!*

Yarne's arms move in a blur as he snatches every arrow out of the sky. Then the half-taguel flips the arrows and tosses them all at once. A mix of strangled shouts and surprised yelps shows how dead on his aim was.

* * *

 **Yarne has leveled up!**

* * *

"I suddenly feel very sorry for all those times I hit him on the head with a practice sword while he was blindfolded." Severa whimpers.

I pat my frightened student on the shoulder. "If he ever seems upset, come find me. I'll handle it."

Sevear hugs me tight. "I'm counting on you, you know? My life depends on this!"

I roll my eyes. "No need to be a drama queen, Severa. Yarne's not the vindictive type, unlike someone else I happen to know."

A tic mark appears on the redhead's forehead. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

I'm about to reply when I hear the whinny of a horse coming from above. I turn around and spot Cordelia flying towards us with an urgent look on her face.

"Jack, we're getting overwhelmed at the west gate! Robin sent me here to get backup!"

I frown in concern. Robin wouldn't request backup on such short notice unless something bad happened very fast. More importantly, this means we'll be spread thinner than any of us would prefer.

"Jack, go! We've got things handled here!" Stahl urges me from his position.

Kjelle nods. "He's right. Lady Robin ordered all three gates to be guarded in this battle. If any one of them fall, we all fail." The Knight smirks. "Besides, I think it's only a matter of time before we're done over here."

What makes them so sure-

"DaaRYAAAAH!" *BOOM!*

Oh, right. Yarne's putting his new skill to the test, and those unfortunate bandits were just appointed as his first vici- I mean, practice dum- I mean, sparring partners. I meant to say sparring partners. Honest.

*Bam!* "-and do not think you will find any greater mercy when you are faced with the gods you had the gall to mock, you desecraters! My wrath is but a taste of the agony that awaits you beyond death!"

And while I would normally object to have Libra on the frontlines, I think he just unlocked his own version of Female Rage. Just look at the guy go on those bandits. I guess their plan on plundering the ancient temple awakened the War Monk's inner zealot. Or inner Hulk.

I nod and pull myself out of Severa's grip. "All right. Stay vigilant, guys. See you all later when this mess is cleaned up."

I run back into the temple grounds while Cordelia flies overhead.

I meet Robin back at the main building. "Anything I need to know, Robin?"

Robin grimaces while looking at the west gate. "Cordelia should've already informed you of the situation. Thing is, she got held up for a few minutes because of how relentless the attack is from there. I sent Sumia to get help from the southern gate as well, but she's yet to return."

I nod. "Got it. I'll head to the west gate immediately."

"Please hurry. I don't know if it's gotten worse since I sent Cordelia."

* * *

Turns out it's about as bad as Robin feared. Lon'qu leaps back and forth between four outlaws who have him boxed in. The only reason why Cherche can't help him is because of a Sniper who won't leave her alone. Miriel seems to move a bit sluggishly. The red stain on her right shoulder indicates that she must've gotten hit by an arrow earlier. Gregor and Anna manage to hold of a Hero and a Paladin with some impressive on-the-fly teamwork, which mainly consists of Anna providing distractions while Gregor bulldozes into whatever opening he can find. That's probably the main reason why the west gate still holds.

Olivia has a hard time weaving dance moves because of the General who seems dead set on skewering her on his lance. That's when Inigo jumps in and slams a Hamon infused fist into the General's side so hard that the armor dents.

Inigo points at the General smirking. "You're about to say; I'll get you for this, brat!"."

"I'll get you for this brat! Huh?"

"Gotcha!"

Inigo sends out Hermit Purple, ensnares the General's legs and yanks the feet out from under him. The General falls on his back with a loud thud and gets bombarded with lightning spells moments later, courtesy of Laurent.

All right, first order of business; Help Cherche.

A Swordmaster manages to get the drop on Cherche and grabs enough of her attention for the Sniper to get a clean shot in. The arrow only makes it halfway to the Wyvern Rider before I snatch it out of the air.

"Not on my watch!" *Shink!*

Harvest Moon sinks into the Sniper's chest. Then I rip my sword out of his body, spin and behead him in a single fluid motion. Then I zip in between Cherche and the Swordmaster and knock the bandit away.

"Go help Lon'qu! I'll handle this guy!" I tell the Wyvern Rider.

Cherche nods grateful before she urges Minerva in Lon'qu's direction.

The outlaw Swordmaster clicks his tongue and readies his Silver Sword. "You just _had to_ barge in when I finally got the chance to fight a pretty woman who actually fights back. I'll get you for that."

I shift Harvest Moon into its naginata form and settle in my own stance. "That pretty woman is already betrothed. Keep your hands off her, or you'll answer to her fiancé."

"Oh, yeah? And who's that?"

I hike my thumb in Lon'qu's direction. "That guy."

Cherche's intervention finally gives Lon'qu the breathing room he needs. My lieutenant takes a deep breath, flips both Killing Edges into reverse grips, and vanishes in a blur.

*Shing!*

Moments later, every single bandit in a three-meter radius around both him and Cherche fall to the ground covered in lethal cuts.

The enemy Swordmaster sweats nervously. "Uh… For the record, I didn't harm her, okay?"

I shrug. "Sure."

*Clang!*

"Still won't stop me from beating your sorry behind for attacking this temple, though." I add as I push against his sword.

"And what's it to you?" the Swordmaster grunts as he pushes back. "We're just trying to make a living here."

"At the expense of countless innocents? Your excuse isn't even good."

I break the weapon lock and unleash a flurry of thrusts at the Swordmaster. The sword wielding outlaw weaves and blocks the blows with surprisingly good results. One well-timed parry gives him the opening to thrust back against me. I pivot and crouch under the thrust before I shove the butt end of Harvest Moon into his chest, change my weapon into scythe form and ram the blade into his gut before I rip it out.

"You should've chosen a better occupation." I mutter before I run to find someone else to help.

Which would probably be Ricken. Poor guy is locked in a sword fight with a Paladin, and judging by the way he's sweating, Ricken's sword technique still needs work if he wants to fight on this level.

"I gotch' yer' back!" *Thunk!*

Well, looks like the archery coverage from our side works out. Except…that's no arrow. The size indicates that it's a freakin' ballista bolt. When did Robin have time to mount one on a temple wall, of all things?

Both Ricken and I look in the direction that the bolt came from. Donnel's standing on top of the wall waving cheerfully while holding an absurdly big bow in his other hand and an equally big quiver behind his back.

Seriously, I was just joking back when I thought Donnel would pick up a ballista as his ranged weapon. How in the world did he get his hands on a modified bow that can fire ammo of that scale?

"Well, it would seem the experimental weapon works as intended." Miriel comments, her shoulder now healed.

I look at the Sage surprised. "Wait, _you're_ the one who supplied Donnel with that monstrosity?"

Miriel adjusts her glasses. "Donnel told me that conventional bows were too light and brittle for his preference. After some deliberating with Laurent, we deduced that Donnel's overwhelming strength might make it difficult for him to get comfortable with ordinary bows. So we used a ballista as a base and modified it to be portable while still retaining its immense draw weight." A small smile grows of the Sage's lips. "One of our more successful endeavors, if I do say so myself."

"You've shot your last arrow!" an enemy Dark Knight shouts as he blasts and Arcfire spell in Donnel's direction.

Donnel stretches out his hand, grabs hold of the spell and stuffs it into a satchel at his hip.

Wait, WHAT?!

The Dark Knight gapes at the sheer absurdity of the situation before he gets pierced by a ballista bolt.

I'm at Donnel's side moments later. "Donnel, how the heck did you do that? You're not even that good with magic."

Donnel shrugs as he notches another ballista bolt. "Funny story there, Jack. I was just wanderin' 'round a market fer' some food shoppin' when a merchant showed me this here thing. Didn't look anythin' special until he put a whole pumpkin into the darn thing like it was an acorn. I was shocked, 'specially when he told me I could put jus' about anythin' in it."

"I'd normally call something like that a scam, but looks like it really _can_ store anything – even magic."

Donnel grins as he releases his ballista bolt. "That ain't even the best part. Watch this!"

The former farm boy sticks his hand into the satchel, pulls out a glowing red orb and chucks it at a General. The orb turns into the Arcfire spell from earlier and reduces the General to a pile of slag and cinders in a matter of seconds.

 **BGM ends**

"Pretty neat, huh?" Donnel asks proudly. When he gets no response, he turns to me concerned. "Uh, Jack? Ya okay there?"

I'm too busy mimicking a fish to respond. I don't know who that merchant was, but they just helped Donnel replicate the Villager's Pocket move. Ashera have mercy on us all…

* * *

 **AN: Villager's – and by extension Isabelle's – Pocket move is ridiculous. It can store just about any kind of item or projectile, ranging from a Deku nut to Wario's bike to Samus's Charge shot to Lucario's Aura Sphere – which is weaponized life force! The shenanigans a skilled Villager/Isabelle player can pull off are just insane. And more than likely to drive their opponent up the walls in frustration due to the infuriating way of how they can control the whole fight.**

* * *

Donnel pokes me on the head. "Hey, Jack. Ya still alive in there?"

I shake my head. "Yeah. I just- …Give me a moment."

"Ya better get over that moment fast. There's more of 'em comin' this way."

There sure is. And if that's not cause enough for concern, then the alert flashing across my vision does.

* * *

 **Warning! Warning! Boss level enemy approaching!**

 **Xalbador Lvl 45 Class: Hero**

* * *

There… So that's the jerk leading this pack of marauding outlaws. Something about the gods never hearing him when he grew up a starving boy, so he shows no mercy to anyone who worships a deity. A guy who justifies plundering using a petty grudge, pretty much.

I zip down to ground level again, right besides Ricken.

"Better buckle down, Ricken. This is when the real battle starts." I tell him.

"Really? What makes you think that?"

"Their leader is coming here. If we take him down, his lackeys should surrender."

Xalbador finally comes into view, looking as smug as any minor filler arc villain you could imagine. Remind me why this guy's class is Hero again?

Though what concerns me is the two dozen Snipers standing behind him – all equipped with Longbows.

"I tire of this fruitless fighting. I may as well cut my losses with a parting shot." the bandit leader declares and raises his hand. "Men! Take aim!"

The Snipers each notch an arrow and raise their bows. Hang on a second! They're not aiming for us. They're aiming for the temple! Better get ready for some time stopping shenanigans before I bring the fight to these cowards!

Or, I would, if it wasn't for the massive earthen wall that suddenly springs up from the ground and covers the whole west side of the temple. No arrow pierces the solid hide.

"What in the- What manner of sorcery is this?!" Xalbador yells.

Some sparks appear near the base of the earth wall before a rectangular shape appears and splits open to reveal Brady calmly walking out.

"Man, the people in the temple drive me nuts…" the Priest mutters. "First they tell me to stay back because its too dangerous, then they yell in panic the moment someone injured comes in here, and now they hope I can save 'em all. 'Fer cryin' out loud, make up yer d-mn minds already!"

Xalbador eyes Brady with a hint of curiosity mixed with disdain. "I remember you. Were you not the one who kept yelling about punching my face in before you retreated back to this very temple?"

"And I woulda' done that too if it wasn't for those meddlin' acolytes!" Brady snaps and shakes his armored fist in Xalbador's direction. "Ya better get outta here if ya know what's good for ya, or I'll sock ya in the face till yer face is a mess not even yer ma's gonna love!"

Xalbador blinks bemused before his cheeks puff up.

"Pfft! Hah! You? Mess up _my_ face? And how's a weakling like you going to accomplish that?"

The taunt gets followed up by all of Xalbador's remaining lackeys laughing at Brady. The Priest shakes in fury before he tosses his staff aside and walks towards the laughing bandits with an angry scowl that promises pain.

"No one calls me weakling, punk. Just fer that, yer gonna die."

"Hey, I think you should stay back and leave the fighting to us." Ricken tries to warn Brady. "I mean, you don't look like the kind of guy for that kind of task."

Brady rounds of the Dark Knight. "I ain't gonna hear that from some shorty who looks more at home in grade school than on the battlefield. 'Sides, I didn't bust my keister trainin' under Sensei, just so others will just push me back 'cause they think Priests can't fight. Aren't you already married to someone who could fight before she learned how to use tomes?"

Ricken pauses in surprise. "Wait… How do you know that? And when you said "Sensei"… Does that mean you're-"

"Sure am." the Priest cuts him off.

I raise an eyebrow. "Well, that all but confirms it. So, you think you're up for it? Your opponent's no amateur."

"That ain't a problem." Brady assures me before he cracks the knuckles on his bare hand and the scowl returns full force. "That bozo called me weak. _No one_ calls me weak and gets away with it. I'm about to end this punk's entire career."

 **BGM: The Finisher, Hajime no Ippo: Rising OST**

Xalbador brandishes his Tomahawk confidently. "If you're that eager to die, then be my guest!"

Bandit and healer charge each other, one with an axe, the other with an armored fist. Right before impact, Brady lowers his head and raises his armored fist.

*Clang!*

Brady pushes the back of his gauntlet against the shaft of the Tomahawk and stops the axe blade from hitting his head. At the same time, he rears back his other fist. Xalbador blocks the punch with his shield before he takes a step back to repeat his attack. But Brady responds with a quick instep and throws a right hook at the bandit leader.

Xalbador manages to lean his face enough for it to turn into a glancing blow. He shoves the shield between himself and Brady for some distance before he charges back into the fray shield-first. Brady slaps the ground and Transmutes an earth wall between them. Then he punches the wall and sends cubes of packed dirt at Xalbador. The Hero protects his upper body with his shield, but the legs suffer a few blows. Then Brady charges in for another punch, only to have that blocked as well.

"Neat trick." Xalbador comments smirking. "Too bad it's too weak, like you!"

Xalbador pushes back a bit before he springs backwards, causing Brady to lose his balance. Xalbador raises his axe to split Brady in two, but Brady slaps the ground again and makes a pillar of dirt elevate him back upright and out of range of the Tomahawk. Brady sways left and right before he zips to Xalbador's right and pivots before he kicks the bandit leader in the side. Xalbador grunts from the blow and retaliates with a sideways swing, only to find that the leg Brady kicked with is his armored one. Sparks fly as the axe fails to penetrate the greave, but the impact also causes Brady to spin out of balance. The Priest flips into a cartwheel to get back upright.

Xalbador tosses his Tomahawk at Brady. The Priest ducks low to dodge, but only realizes too late that it was just a ruse as he suddenly finds Xalbador right in front of him. Xalbador kicks Brady in the chin and grabs the dazed Priest by the collar before he headbutts him. Xalbador catches his Tomahawk on the return moments later and swings down over Brady's shoulder. The blood spray and Brady's cry of pain indicate a clean hit.

"You're finished! Die!" Xalbador shouts as he swings once more.

"Not happenin'!" Brady shouts back and slaps the ground.

A massive dust cloud obscures the battle from Brady's Transmutation, causing Xalbador to pause and look around.

"Where did that brat go…?" Xalbador mutters while looking around. He notices a shadow among the dust and leaps in victoriously. "There you are!" *Shing!*

Much to his surprise, what he split apart was just a dummy made of dirt.

Xalbador blinks in surprise. "Huh?"

"Over here, stupid!" *Wham!*

Brady's armored fist sinks into Xalbador's face hard enough to make the bandit leader see stars. He barely makes it one step back before Brady grabs the bandit by his pauldron and turns him face-to-face to deliver another haymaker to the face. The cracking sound and the blood indicates that Brady broke his nose with that one.

"You brat!" Xalbador shouts as he kicks Brady away and tosses his Tomahawk again.

Brady ducks under the throwing axe and charges in to deliver an elbow strike. Xalbador blocks, but does so in a way that it obscures his view of Brady. The Priest grins at the opening and claps his hands together before he puts them both on Xalbador's shield. Sparks fly as Brady Transmutes the bandit leader's metallic protection into a metallic straitjacket instead.

Xalbador gapes in shock. "Wh-what the? Hey, what did you do?!"

Brady rears his fist back. "I'd pray if I were you!"

With both his arms restrained, Xalbador is completely defenseless as Brady hammers punch after punch into his face, chest and side.

But that's when the Tomahawk returns. Seeing a chance, Xalbador kicks Brady away and manages to catch the Tomahawk with his teeth. He makes a desperate charge and swings the axe with his entire upper body.

Brady claps his hands together and strikes the Tomahawk with his palm. The moment the metallic instruments make contact, sparks briefly fly before the Tomahawk disintegrates. Xalbador gawks in shock.

Brady tackles the shocked bandit to the ground and holds him by the neck. The moment they reach the ground, Brady slams his free hand on the dirt. A spike of stone jets out from the ground and pierces Xalbador through the head, killing him on the spot.

* * *

 **Xalbador has been killed!**

 **Brady has leveled up!**

 **BGM ends**

* * *

Brady breathes heavily as he rolls off the dead bandit leader. I crouch down and help him sit up.

"Told ya…I got this…" the Priest wheezes.

"And armed with nothing but your wits, your skills and your fist at that." I add impressed. "Even though this is far from the first time I see a healer take down their opponent without a conventional weapon, it's always a spectacle to see."

"Yeah… Still got a ways to go, though. Shoulda won that fight without this wound. Hurts like crazy, too. Just my luck I haven't figured out how to use healing magic on myself." Brady groans.

I put Brady's arm over my shoulders and walk him to the temple. "Good thing we have several other competent healers with us. Come on, let's get you patched up."

"Ma won't be happy when she sees me in this state."

"I fear more for my own health by the time she realizes future-me trained you to fight." I comment with tears running down my face. "I'm too handsome to die to the parasol."

"Ya brought this upon yerself, Sensei. I'll pray fer your health."

"I could always dump you here and claim you died from your wounds, you know."

"Hey! Abandoning the wounded ain't allowed!"

"Unlike you, I never swore a Hippocratic oath." I point out.

"…Sometimes I can't tell whether yer tryin' to toughen me up or just kill me…"

There are no worries about bandits interrupting our bickering. They scattered the moment they saw their leader die. So much for being organized. Guess the imperial soldiers will clean up the stragglers as time goes. Walhart, you owe us one.

* * *

By the time I drop off Brady with our healers, I notice Yarne lean against a pillar like a sack of potatoes.

"Yarne? You okay over there?" I ask the half-taguel concerned.

"I'm fine…" Yarne groans tired. "Just…need rest."

"I don't know what Yarne did back there to become so powerful, but it's taken its toll on him." Stahl explains. "By the time the fighting stopped, he just collapsed. I worried we had lost him."

I sit down in front of Yarne and pat his shoulder. "Yarne, I can tell without any reservations that I'm proud of you. You have tapped into your full potential at long last."

Yarne gives me a dull look. "Wait… You're telling me… _that's_ what you tried…to teach me all along?"

I nod grinning. "That's right. And all that training that you've thrown yourself into has payed off in spades. You have learned all I wished to teach you. From this point onward, any skill and any strength you obtain or improve will be by your own effort. You've become a master in your own right, and someone I know I can depend on when the going gets tough."

Even while exhausted, Yarne grins back. "Got it. I'll forge my own legacy from here on out, as a taguel, and as your student. I owe it all to my parents and you, Master Jack."

We bump fists.

* * *

 **Your relationship with Yarne has advanced! Your relationship with Yarne is now "Friends"!**

 **The bond you've nurtured has given birth to a new ability! You can now perform the Union Strike "Beasts within" with Yarne!**

* * *

The elder who sought our help before the battle bows to Chrom. "Thank you! Oh, thank you… You've kept this sacred place safe and spared the lives of those within."

Chrom gives the elder an easy smile. "We just did what was right."

The elder shakes his head. "Would that everyone were so brave! If only there was a way for us to show our gratitude."

"Oh, that's easier than you think, good sir!" Anna interjects cheerfully. "See, I noticed that you have quite the treasury in this temple. Impressive, considering how run down it looks otherwise."

"Anna!" Libra rebukes the merchant – to no avail.

"So, if you open up that treasury and let me help myself with a trinket or two inside, I'd say we can call it all even."

"ANNA!"

Anna gives Libra a clueless look. "What? He's the one who made the offer."

The elder fidgets in place. "I did indeed. But to open the treasury would be akin to sacrilege. The objects stored within are no mere commodities, young lady. Those are offerings given to the goddess Mila, gathered and stored since centuries. As grateful as I am for you actions today, I fear not even your good deeds would warrant such drastic actions."

Anna's about to protest when a glow from the statue adorning the altar begins to glow.

" **Brave warriors who protected this sacred place. Come forth and stand before me.** " a voice echoes from the statue.

We all look among each other questioningly.

"Hey… You guys think that voice means us?" Stahl asks while scratching his head.

Chrom nods. "I don't see anyone else who fought to protect the temple. Come on. Let's gather everyone here."

It takes a few minutes before everyone is gathered in front of the altar.

" **I am a servant of the Earth Mother Mila. Though her spirit has passed on since centuries, she has entrusted me with some of her blessed power. This blessing is for anyone deemed worthy of ascending to a state of greater power. If you have yet to choose a path to follow, now is a time when you may choose.** "

Lissa scrunches up her face in confusion. "Okay…? And how does that translate to Normal?"

"My word!" the elder exclaims. "So the legends were true after all!"

Libra bows to the elder. "Esteemed head priest, what did those legends entail? And what exactly is this blessing that is offered to us?"

"According to legend, the gods of old had the power to let mere mortals ascend to greater states of power, should they be deemed worthy, just like this servant of the gods stated." The elder explains. "When war ravaged these lands, the blessings of the gods were seen as a sign of those worthy of leading the people both on and off the battlefield. The many shrines and statues that stand in the realm to this day were the gathering places where servants of the gods could pass on the blessed power to mortals."

"And such a blessing is being offered to us right now?"

The elder nods. "That would seem to be the case. It would seem my prayers were answered in a greater manner than I could have imagined."

"Hold on a minute! What about the treasure?!" Anna protests.

"What greater thanks than a blessing from the gods themselves?" the elder asks.

Anna is about to give the elder a piece of her mind when Libra shuts the merchant's mouth and puts her in a hold. "We are most honored and humbly accept whatever blessing the gods may bestow upon us, esteemed elder. If I may, I ask that it be bestowed with haste."

As if answering the War Monk's request, a pulse of blue light emanates from the statue. A blue glow settles over Cherche and Henry.

Cherche blinks bemused as she inspects the glow. "Hm? How curious."

"Hee hee. This stuff stick to me, no matter what I do." Henry cheerfully notes while he waves around an arm.

" **Rider of the scaled beast. Disciple of the arcanist. You have been deemed worthy of the Earth Mother's blessing. Come forth and take a knee, that I may bestow new power unto you.** "

Cherche glances at Henry. "Shall we?"

Henry shrugs. "Sounds fun. Let's do it."

The Wyvern Rider and Dark Mage take a knee in front of the statue. Ethereal feathers fall around them as the light seemingly concentrates over their kneeling forms.

" **Use this power for the benefit of those who have none of their own. Which path you chose is up to you. Go now, and may the gods ever be in your favor.** "

The light around Henry and Cherche becomes blinding for a moment. As it dies down, their outfits have changed.

 **Cherche's class has been changed to Wyvern Lord!**

 **Henry's class has been changed to Sorcerer!**

*Screech!*

We look behind us to see the air around Minerva sparkle with blue light. The Wyvern has some armor covering her body in a way that matches Cherche's new outfit.

"Do you like the new vestments, Minerva?" Cherche asks her partner. "I'd say they look wonderful on you."

Judging from Minerva's purring, she agrees.

"This robe looks so silly." Henry remarks as he inspects his new clothes. "Can I keep it, Lissa?"

The War Cleric rolls her eyes. "I'm not your mother, Henry. If you want to keep it, fine."

Henry's smile grows wider. "Yay!"

"But… But what about the treasure…?" Anna laments from the sidelines.

Gregor pats the redhead on the shoulder. I guess we'll leave the consolation to him.

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: Noble lineage**  
 _The defense of the ancient temple was a success! The bandits have been driven off, and the day is saved. Here's to hoping that whatever deity who watches over the temple leads guardians there to protect it in the future._  
 **Objective:** _Defeat the leader of the bandits._  
 **Objective cleared!  
Rewards: **_You gain_ _10 000 EXP! You gain 10 000 gold!  
_ **Bonus objective:** _Don't let any villager die._ **  
Bonus objective cleared!  
Bonus reward:** _You gain 5 000 EXP! You gain 10 000 gold! Your standing with Ylisse has increased greatly! Your standing with Regna Ferox has increased greatly!_

* * *

 **BGM:** **Dearly Beloved, Kingdom Hearts 2 music**

We're all packed and ready to head back to our journey towards the Mila Tree when Brady approaches Maribelle.

"Hey, Ma."

"What did you call me?" the Valkyrie asks stiffly.

"The name's Brady. I'm-"

"I'm sorry, but I only cure physical ailments. Broken bones and the like." Maribelle cuts him off without a second thought. "You're clearly a deeply troubled individual whose diseased mind is beyond my healing."

"Stop talking for a minute and look at this!" Brady shouts exasperated and pulls out a ring from his pouch.

Maribelle only needs a second to recognize the object in the Priest's hand. "That's…my ring! Then, that makes you…"

Brady smiles. "Right. Like I was trying to say, I'm-"

"A thief! A rapscallion! A common lowborn cutpurse!" Maribelle cuts him off once more. The Valkyrie draws her parasol and, despite the physical impossibility of it all, towers over Brady like a dark silhouette with red circles for eyes and an aura of doom enveloping her. "How dare you sneak in here and steal my prized possessions!"

Ricken has already taken cover in the woods. Guess he was the first to notice the signs of the titan awakening.

Brady takes a step back in fright before a tic mark pulses on his head. "Gawds! Stop interruptin' for a blessed second, and check yer ring!"

The towering figure of doom glances at its left hand. Lo and behold, the ring is right where it belongs. The figure shrinks back to its normal state in the shape of the Maribelle we all know.

"…Oh, it's still here." the blonde healer notes bemused.

Brady sighs exasperated. "That clear things up any, Ma?"

"Everything save how I gave birth to a common thug!" Maribelle laments.

Brady gives his mother a sour look. "Aw, come on, Ma! That's harsh! Sure, I'm not the prettiest guy around, but I'm no thug, and I AM your son." A faint smile replaces his previous expression. "…And it's good to see you."

"…How did I ever permit my child to grow up referring to me as "Ma"?" Maribelle cries in her hands.

Brady shrugs. "You gave up tryin' after a decade or so."

Maribelle practically flies into her son's face. "Well, can you at least ride? Have you read the classics? Do you play violin? Chess?!"

"Yeah, all of the above. You beat all'a that junk into me." Brady assures her. "On top'a that, Sensei crammed all sorts'a knowledge into my head and practically turned me into a scholar. I hate seein' another book as I am, but I can't stand bein' without one either."

Maribelle beams. "Glory be! My son is salvageable after all!"

Brady gawks at the reply. "Uh… Thanks?"

Maribelle pats him on the cheek. "Don't look so forlorn, dear. You've come a long way, but Mother's here now. _I'll_ take care of things from now on."

Brady slowly trembles. Tears spill out from his eyes, despite his best efforts to keep them at bay. "*Sniff* I missed you so much, Ma…"

Maribelle points her parasol at his face. "Don't even _think_ of crying! It does not befit one of your station!" Maribelle trembles as tears pool in her own eyes. "*Sniff* Plus, you'll set me off as well…"

Brady wipes his face on the sleeve of his robe. "Sorry, I just… I… Oh, Ma!"

"Oh, Brady! My baby boy!"

Mother and son embrace in tears – lots of tears.

Chrom watches the scene bemused. "Oh, brother…"

 **BGM ends**

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Brady's character sheet**

 **Brady Lvl 35 Class: Priest  
** _Maribelle's son from the future. Despite his rough exterior and mannerisms, he's a very sensitive person. And yet, he has a temper that easily matches his mother's. His training under Jack has further magnified this issue, as it has instilled Brady with a sense of pride over his combat prowess, despite his complete lack of aptitude wielding any sort of conventional weapon. He hates being called weak as a result. The training has helped him develop a skillset similar to that of the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric. Master of the meanest right hook.  
Born on February 22_ _nd_ _._

 **Titles:  
Daunting Priest (+ 10 % STR, - 3 % CHAR)  
Iron Fist (+ 10 % unarmed damage)**

 **HP: 4 400 / 4 400  
MP: 3 075 / 3 075**

 **STR: 23.6 (19 * 1.1 * 1.13)  
VIT: 20.3 (18 * 1.13)  
DEX: 11.3 (10 * 1.13)  
INT: 53  
WIS: 45  
CHAR: 19.4 (20 * 0.97)  
LUCK: 25**

 **ITEMS:  
Mend (Equipped)  
Gauntlet  
Greave  
Concoction**

 **Skills:**

 **Staff mastery, Lvl 53 [6.0 %], Passive  
** _The staff is the instrument of choice for anyone who wishes to practice the art of healing magic. But more than that, different staves give access to different spells. An accomplished staff wielder can support their allies in numerous ways. Just don't expect any significant combat prowess from anyone wielding this kind of object. Staves were never intended to be weaponized in the first place, nor do they have the structural integrity to be used as such unless the owner goes through great lengths to circumvent this inherent limitation. You're basically better off using a different kind of weapon instead.  
Increases HP restored by 185 % when casting healing magic while holding a staff. The range of healing spells increases by 2,5 meters._

 **Martial arts mastery, Lvl 40 [35.0 %], Passive  
** _There are those who train with a weapon until they can wield it like an extension of their body. Then there are those who train their body until they can wield it like a weapon. This skill falls into the latter category. While martial artists usually fight at a disadvantage in terms of range, they make up for it with techniques most weapon wielders could only dream of. Underestimating a foe due to their lack of weapons can be a fatal mistake. Passively increases STR, VIT and DEX by 13 %. Increases attack speed and attack power by 200 % when attacking unarmed._

 **A fist to the face, Lvl 62 [10 %], Active, Cost: 0 MP  
** _Sometimes, the most effective approach in battle is also the simplest. Why go through all the setup of some elaborate technique when you can just slug your opponent's ugly mug and call it a day? This skill is as simple as that; punch the target as hard as you can. If punched correctly, you could even cause a concussion, which will only make your opponent an even easier target.  
Base damage: 110 % of STR. Element: None. Has a chance of inflicting the status ailment "Dizzy" on the target._

 **Alchemic transmutation, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: Varies  
** _Nothing can be gained without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. This is the law of equivalent exchange, the fundamental principle of all alchemy. Your understanding of how matter is built and how it works is now at your fingertips. Thus, you can also reconstruct matter as you see fit, so long as the amount remains constant. Just make sure no one tries to entice you with a red stone. That only leads to trouble.  
Allows the caster to freely manipulate any matter they touch. The cost of this skill is proportional to the mass of the matter manipulated._

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter**

*Camera shows an enormous tree*

 **Say'ri:** At long last, the Divine Mila Tree.

 **Chrom:** So this is where the Voice of Naga is being held? Then let's find a way to the top.

*Imperial soldiers mobilize on the roots*

 **Cervantes:** On my honor as an imperial general; your marching ends here! None can surpass the might of my mustache!

 **Say'ri:** *Sigh* Not this fool again…

 **Cervantes:** So we meet again, my old nemesis. This time, my mustache hair is primed perfectly for my victory!

 **Say'ri:** For the last time; I do not care about your blasted mustache!

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **You shall not pass! Convergence by the divine tree.**

 **Tiki:** Would you mind keeping quiet down there? You are disturbing my nap.

 **Lissa:** I'm amazed she can hear us all the way from the top.

* * *

 **Omake: Literal weight**

"I'm telling you! "The Journey to the West" is _the_ classic to read if you ever want to pick up fictional literature!" Jack shouts at Morgan.

"Just because it's a series of books from your home world doesn't make it better, Father!" Morgan yells back in his face. "Admit it; you haven't even finished the first volume of "Tales of a bloodthirsty Falcon Knight"!"

"What are those two doing?" Robin asks Rose.

"Cynthia asked for some tips on what to read in her spare time, and both Dad and Morgan volunteered on helping her find the "perfect" story." the Dark Mage explains.

""Tales of a bloodthirsty Falcon Knight" is just a bunch of books describing how one female riding a pegasus goes off the deep end and kills everyone in sight!" Jack yells. "There's no symbolism! No build up in the plot! Just mindless violence put to words!"

"So what? The characters in "Journey to the west" can't do anything without that crazy monkey who's more of a loose ballista than a supposed sage!" Morgan counters. "He's not even the main character! At least "Tales of a bloodthirsty Falcon Knight" has a good cast of supporting characters."

Father and son butt heads.

"It doesn't matter how good the cast is if all they do is making sure the main character doesn't go on a random killing spree again. That crazy lady doesn't need fancy new weapons! She needs therapy!" Jack points out.

"You know what's even stupider, Father?" Morgan rebuts. "The whole premise for "The Journey to the West" is that the supposed deity who's at one with the whole universe can't deliver three measly baskets of scriptures to a land, for no reason! That's a bunch of horse dung, and you know it!"

As the quarrel continues, Robin shakes her head and approaches the bickering pair while she pulls out two tomes from the sleeves of her robes. Jack and Morgan are so into the argument that they fail to notice when Robin raises the tomes into the air and her face morphs into an angry snarl. They also fail to notice when she brings both tomes down on their heads.

"That's enough!" *WHAM!*

"Th- Thoron tome…" Jack groans before he falls face first to the ground, with a smoking dent the shape of the back of a book cover adorning the top of his head.

"H- Heavy…" Morgan groans as he joins his father on the ground with a matching dent.

"If you two are so determined that your story of choice is the better one, then offer both to Cynthia!" Robin admonishes them before she stomps off with an angry huff, trying to find a way to cool down.

"And that, my son, is part of the reason why the pen is mightier than the sword." Jack groans in pain.

"Now I know…why Mother keeps telling me her magic is stronger than her swordplay." Morgan remarks.

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **Hero, Class  
** _Fighters who have braved the battlefield time and again for the cause they represent. These well-rounded veterans make for reliable frontline fighters who weather attacks with their shields raised high and strike back in kind with sharp swords or heavy axes. Their versatility on the physical field is their forte, but keep in mind that their lack of excelling is a direct consequence of their build. And while they possess better resilience against magic than many other kinds of units, they still suffer heavily under the assault of seasoned spellcasters.  
Passively increases STR, VIT and DEX by 8 %. Attack power and attack speed increase by 10 % when attacking with a sword or an axe. Damage taken from physical attacks decreases by 4 %. Magic spells of any element do 9 % less damage. Damage taken from magic spells of any element increases by 3 %._

 **Dimensional pocket bag, Accessory, Very rare  
** _A mysterious satchel with an undefined amount of storage space. Despite its modest size, it has the capacity of storing anything – even a magic spell. Even weirder is that it can only hold one object at any given time, no matter its physical size. Please note that this is a dimensional pocket, not a pocket dimension. Learn the difference, you moron.  
Can store any one object. This item does not require an equipment slot._

 **Arrowspate, Bow, Base damage: 82, Uncommon  
** _Originally a ballista specifically designed to take down flying targets, this artillery weapon has been repurposed to act as a bow usable by infantry instead – in theory. The massive limbs and thick bowstring result in an immense draw weight that is only applicable if the wielder themselves has a lot of physical strength to begin with. For anyone lacking this amount of strength, this bow is too stiff to be of practical use. Normal arrows are also inadvisable to use as ammunition, as it prevents the wielder from using the full draw length of this bow. Instead, ballista bolts, who weigh far more than a conventional arrow on their own, are the recommended ammunition. Results upon hit are guaranteed.  
Requirement to wield: STR must be 85 at minimum._

 **Gauntlet, Armor, Uncommon  
** _A piece of armor used to protect the hand. Movable joints allow for maximum freedom of movement while wearing this armor, while still covering everything important. The hand is one of the human body's most complex parts, so protecting it in combat is very important. Oddly enough, the left counterpart is missing.  
Increases damage dealt by 5 % when attacking barehanded._

* * *

 **Brady's chapter is probably one of the more frustrating ones when compared to the other child paralogues. Sure, you can recruit the guy on the first turn, but keeping all five Villagers alive can be a pain when all the enemy units are dead set on targeting them. Doesn't help that they have Snipers with Longbows, too. Good thing you can just have Chrom or Maribelle give Brady a Rescue staff so he can teleport the Villagers out of harm's way (if you have Rescue staves to spare, that is). That's probably what makes him so useful in the very chapter where you recruit the guy.**

 **One thing that I like about Brady is how subtle his resemblance to Maribelle is. If you can look beyond the stark contrast in the mannerisms and speech patterns, you'll find that they're both highly sensitive individuals with volatile tempers and a love for tea. And then there's all the culture stuff that Maribelle spent years pounding into Brady's head. I'm just happy Brady didn't inherit Maribelle's parasol-fu. That might make him overpowered.**

 **Well, happy new year, everybody. Until next time.**

 **VipeR out.**


	29. Chapter 27

**Hello, dear readers. This is CrossVipeR 316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **I have something to confess; I have bought myself a Nintendo Switch. What game did I buy along with it? Fire Emblem Three houses!**

 **Huh… I can almost hear the crickets in the audience.**

 **On a more serious note, playing Three houses has turned out to be a lot of fun. I've only just started, and I already feel heavily invested in each and every one of my students, while still trying to get a grasp of what's going on. Side note; remembering all the notable houses listed in the library is a real pain. I'm certain there's a hefty amount of in-game politics between those houses as well. On the other hand, that does make the interactions between the students at the officers' academy all the more interesting, as it gives most, if not all, of them a backstory that's just begging to be fleshed out. In fact, I've had so much fun playing the game, even when I'm simply exploring the monastery, that I've found the need to manage my real-life time with a lot more care than before. And, of course, I've had to remind myself that I still have this story to write and publish within a timeframe that I have established for myself. That's how much I enjoy it.**

 **And if anyone's curious about which house I chose for my first playthrough, I chose the Blue Lions. For anyone objecting, relax. I intend to make at least one playthrough with each house so I can explore all of them. That's part of the reason why I chose to buy Three houses. The fact that you can choose one of three houses at the outset gives this game lots of replay value, and I'm therefore certain that I will get my money's worth.**

 **But enough about my newest favorite pastime. On to the chapter.**

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _Um, at least I make for a decent alarm, right?_ – Lissa

* * *

 **Chapter 27**

 **You shall not pass!  
Convergence by the divine tree!**

I raise a palm and block the straight punch Brady threw at me.

*Smack!*

Hmm. Good form. Makes the most of what strength he has. I'm about to retract my arm when the Priest grabs the wrist with his free hand and pulls me towards him. Brady pivots into the motion and positions himself sideways to send an elbow into my gut. I place my free hand in-between and manage to block that blow as well. Brady clicks his tongue as he struggles to push through, to no avail.

I smirk. "Hmm. Quite the impressive combination you've got there. Still…" I twist the arm in his grip to grab hold of the Priest's wrist instead. At the same time, I grab the elbow below. "…that's far from everything I taught you!"

I spin around and toss Brady. My student recovers quickly and lands in a skidding crouch.

"Still as crazy fast in close quarters as I remember, Sensei." Brady mutters. "But ya got one thing right. Ya taught me more than just sluggin' someone in the face!"

That's when I notice that Brady already has both hands on the ground. Sparks race through the dirt to my position. I quickly lean backwards and narrowly dodge a spike of dirt that shoots right through where my chest was moments ago.

"Oi, oi, that thing looks sharp! Are you trying to kill me?!" I shout surprised.

Brady grins. "It's called payback, Jack-sensei. This is for all the times ya punted me 'cross the trainin' fields!"

More spikes shoot out of the ground. I manage to dodge each one, but soon find myself surrounded by them. And then Brady rushes in for another punch. I block it with ease, but raise an eyebrow over him still grinning.

"Gotcha!"

Brady slaps his free hand on one of the spikes. My eyes widen in realization of what his plan is.

*Whoosh!*

Spikes jut out from the ones already fired out of the ground, all converging at one place. Specifically, my position. Or rather, the position I was in until a split-second ago. The only thing the spikes managed to skewer was the dust cloud I left behind after an emergency escape through Gale step upwards.

I land behind Brady and sigh in relief. "Phew. Man, that was close. A moment slower, and I would've ended up as Swiss cheese."

"And I thought I had ya for sure this time." Brady mutters disappointed.

"Gotta admit, that was a great move, Brady. Trap your enemy in a cage of spikes without them noticing before you use those spikes as a medium and skewer them from all sides? Scary."

Brady nods. "Yeah, took a while before I got the blasted thing right." Then he takes a fighting stance. "Ready for another round. Come on, Sensei!"

I wave a hand. "No, I think that's enough for today. You've clearly shown that you know your way around in a fight. Not to mention that you've demonstrated some impressive creativity in the heat of battle, as well as knowledge in how to apply your skills."

Brady blinks surprised before he cracks his neck. "Well, d-mn. And here I was all fired up to finally plant my fist in yer face. Guess I've still got a ways to go."

I pat some dust off my sleeves. "True, but I admit I never expected a Priest to fight as well as you did, on top of your skills in healing wounds. And that's coming from a guy who's part of the same army as two other healers who kicked all kinds of butt before they learned how to wield conventional weapons. Your use of alchemy in particular caught my eye."

Brady nods with a twitching eyebrow. "Yeah, and also the biggest reason why I wanna punch yer smug face in. Do you have any idea how many bruises you gave me when trainin' me in usin' alchemy in a fight?"

"Speaking of which…" I muse, uncaring of Brady's annoyance. "…did my future self ever explain why he taught you alchemy in the first place?"

Brady takes a deep breath and exhales, calming down in the process. "We…had to try a lotta stuff before it got to that point. You tried trainin' me in usin' all kinds'a weapons, but every time I tried, the stupid thing just flew outta my hand. One time, I beaned Kjelle in the head with a practice sword. She almost skewered me like a piece o' meat. The worst part? Ya let it happen, shoutin' that it made for good endurance and dodge trainin'."

I nod sagely. "Yeah, judging by what Severa and Inigo told of what they remember of me, that sounds like future-me, alright."

"Anyway, turns out I couldn't hold a weapon properly to save my life. Still can't." Brady grumbles. "And that's when you came up with this crazy idea. If I can't use any normal weapon, then I'll just make everythin' else my weapon instead. Confused the heck outta me until we got through the first dozen lessons."

I grin. "But in return, I'd say you're among the most versatile of my students. You've shown remarkable creativity in how you use alchemy, Brady. You've done well to come this far, with or without my guidance."

A hint of a smile shows on the Priest's face. "Thanks, Sensei. Didn't know if my skills were up to yer standards until the day I ran inta you again. It helped that Ma was all fer the decision ta teach me alchemy as well."

I blink in surprise. "Seriously? How in the world did I manage to convince Maribelle it would make for good training for you?"

"I had to learn way more than just movin' around rock and dirt if I really wanted to master alchemy in any form. Before you even hinted at how to use alchemy in practice, you made me hit the books – hard. "If you're gonna master alchemy, you hafta' know what yer transmutin' first." That's what you told me. And Ma? She was overjoyed seein' her son study hard. Never suspected a thing."

I rub my chin. "Which means you might have enough knowledge crammed in your head to go toe-to-toe with some of our scholars. I take it you've had some interesting discussions with Laurent?"

"Can that bull dung!" Brady snaps. "Ya have any idea how scary Laurent gets once he goes scholar on ya? The guy's crazy, I tell ya! He's got a good head on his shoulders, I ain't denyin' that, but there's no way in h-ll I'm swappin' knowledge with him. His ma? Maybe. But not Laurent. Nuh-uh."

I sweatdrop at Brady's answer. Come to think of it, it _has_ been a long time since I had a real talk with Laurent. Maybe I should sit down with him sometime soon.

"Any idea on how to advance your craft, then?" I ask.

Brady shrugs. "No clue. I'm busy as is practicin' healing magic and makin' sure the others don't break themselves down over stupid mistakes just because they can't take care of their d-mn bodies. Would it kill 'em ta read up some basic medicine? They can't expect me to always be there to take care o' their injuries."

I scratch my head. "You know, maybe you should give Laurent another chance. There are few others who can match his mind, and a knowledgeable and curious mind may be exactly what you need if you ever want to advance your alchemic knowledge in the future."

"Hey, my schedule's limited, you know?" Brady replies with a tic mark pulsing on his forehead. "I don't need more stuff crammin' what little space is left there. I have limits, Sensei."

I raise my hands in surrender. "Fair point. Just…give it some thought."

Brady sighs. "If ya say so… But first, violin practice."

"You actually practice violin in the middle of a war?" I ask in disbelief.

"Ma won't get off my keister unless I keep my skills sharp!" Brady snaps exasperated. "Maybe I should brew her a pot 'a tea before I practice. She always mellows out with some tea."

I nod shocked at Brady's reply. "Yeah… You do that. Hope you have fun…"

 **Your relationship with Brady has improved!**

* * *

"Hah!"

I lean to the side and dodge Kjelle's lance thrust.

"Yah! Hah!"

I sway the other way and dodge the next thrust. Then I duck low to dodge the sweep. Kjelle takes a step back and puts her shield in front. I can see a scowl from behind her primary protection.

"Master, have I done something to disappoint you?" the blonde Knight asks warily.

I tilt my head to the side. "Hm? Why do you ask?"

"Because you have yet to even lift your arms since our spar started!"

It's true. I've let my arms hang by my sides, content to just dodge Kjelle's moves and sneak in a kick or two whenever I see an obvious mistake.

I shrug. "And why should I go all out in a spar when my partner holds back?"

That makes Kjelle pause.

"I- I'm holding back?"

"Your stance practically radiates uncertainty. Your thrusts seem half-hearted. Whenever I retaliate, I see a flash of panic before your shield stops my attack." I elaborate. "This isn't like you, Kjelle. Among my students, you've always been among the most resolute and confident. What could affect you so much that even your confidence gets shaken?"

Kjelle grimaces and sighs. "Guess there's no escaping your notice, Master Jack. The thing is…that last battle gave me a lot to think about."

I nod. "The one where we protected a temple from bandits, wasn't it?"

Kjelle nods. "Yes. More importantly, we were protecting the people who sought shelter there. Even with our advantage after Yarne unleashed…whatever _that_ was…I had to fight hard to hold the gate. I was so focused on stopping any bandit from getting through that I hardly entertained the thought of dropping my shield and opening my armor."

I nod in understanding. "You were too busy defending the people."

"Yes. But unlike the times I defended people from the Risen, I didn't hold the gate alone. I had Stahl by my side to protect the gate with me. To my surprise, I felt…relieved. Like he was helping me carry a heavy burden, even though he never said anything about it or even showed he was aware."

I smile in approval. "Sounds like you've experienced what I tried to tell you last time we talked."

"I…have?"

"Yes. Remember? I told you there was no point in you getting stronger if it meant that you tear yourself down. When you held the gate during that battle, it was obvious you couldn't do it on your own. As powerful as you are, you're only one person, Kjelle. No one, no matter how powerful, could defend such a position completely – unless they committed a sacrifice with some heavy repercussions."

Kjelle's eyes widen. "I can't protect everyone by myself…"

I nod. "And neither are you meant to. It's true that your main role in battle is to protect and defend your allies, but there are more than you who fulfill this role. You don't have to become _the_ one defender of this army, Kjelle, because you now have comrades who will shoulder that burden with you. There's no sense in you tearing yourself apart through training, because that would mean you can't help those comrades defend allies and innocents whenever a battle breaks out."

Kjelle bites her bottom lip. "I'm…not alone." A tear forms in the corner of her eye. "For the longest time, I was the only one who held the last line between the people we had sworn to protect and the creatures that wanted to kill them. I felt like- Like I had to carry all those lives on my own shoulders, because everyone else had to carry burdens of their own. So I had to become strong. Strong enough to carry that burden. To become the unmovable wall that no monster could even tear down. Strong enough that the only one who could break me…was myself."

I place a hand on her armored shoulder. "*Sigh* Considering how grim things were back then, I can't blame you for that. Maybe you really _were_ the only one who could carry that burden. But it's different now. We're all here together. We back you up, just as much as you back us up."

And that's when Kjelle, to my surprise, closes the gap and hugs me. Kjelle. The badass daughter of one of the most badass women of my generation.

"Thank you… For the first time since I reunited with my parents, I feel like I can truly relax. Maybe…even take off my armor once in a while."

I scratch my cheek. "Maybe when we're sure a battle won't break out within the next five minutes… Though some relaxation would do you good, Kjelle. And once you've had your long overdue respite, I'm sure you'll return as the reliable defender we all know you as." I smile. "More importantly, I long to see you at ease again, instead of moving as if you carry the world on your shoulders. I'd hate to see a friend suffer under that kind of weight."

Kjelle backs away and wipes a tear from her cheek. "Then I hope you're ready to carry that weight with me. Oh, and Master?"

"Yes?"

Kjelle immediately reverts to her stoic self. "This moment stays between the two of us. We don't speak about it to anyone – ever."

I raise my hands in surrender. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say."

 **Your relationship with Kjelle has advanced! Your relationship with Kjelle is now "Friends"!**

 **The bond you've nurtured has given birth to a new ability! You can now perform the Union Strike "Sky Drop" with Kjelle!**

* * *

Basilio squints as he looks to the south. "We first saw that d-mn tree three days ago, and we're _still_ not there yet! How much longer do we have to march before we reach the roots?!"

The tree he's referring to is none other than our goal; the Mila Tree. And like the bald khan stated, we first saw the top of the tree three days ago, which is about two days after Brady joined up and we finally made a turn to the south.

"The Divine Mila Tree has grown for centuries." Say'ri elaborates. "Just because you can see it in the distance does not necessarily mean you are close. If anything, this should indicate just how enormous it is. After all, the top is so big, it houses an entire temple among the branches."

Basilio scratches his head. "Yeah, you've already told us that much. It's just- How d-mn big can one tree get?"

Say'ri allows an ever so slightly amused smirk. "Well, a tree that does not stop growing eventually reaches that kind of size. Incidentally, Khan Basilio, do you know the legend of the Divine Tree?"

Basilio shrugs. "I ain't from Valm. H-ll, this is my first time on Valmese soil, so I'm in the dark about your legends."

Say'ri hums in understanding. "It is said that when a god dies, a tree takes root and grows where they go to their final slumber. Legend has it that the tree we are marching towards marks the place where the Earth Mother Mila passed on after she entrusted Valm at that time to mankind. A second tree of similar size and nature supposedly grows further up north on the continent, though for some reason, no one has been able to find it."

"I suppose that kind of makes sense." Chrom muses. "We've been marching around the northern part of Valm for a few weeks now. You would think we would notice a giant tree growing among the mountains."

* * *

 **AN: After I learned the full story of FE Gaiden (through Shadows of Valentia), I finally understood the true significance of the Mila Tree in Awakening. But it raises the question; Where on Valm is the Duma Tree?**

* * *

Flavia glances at the tree. "So let me get this straight; we're essentially marching towards the grave site of some god you're worshipping?"

Say'ri frowns. "That…is one way to put it. Aside from the ancient temple we visited a few days ago, the worship of Mila has steadily declined over the centuries. In fact, that temple may be the last major gathering place for her followers. I believe worship of Naga started becoming more prominent some time after the passing of the Earth Mother. Oddly enough, her passing marked the end of the age of the gods, yet Naga is widely revered across the realm to this day."

Basilio shakes his head and heads back to camp. "Whatever. I've had enough history lessons and all this talk about gods for one day. If you'll excuse me, I'll do a few practice swings before supper."

Say'ri blinks and glances to the west. "It _is_ getting rather late, no? Perhaps I could fit in some practice of my own before then…"

Flavia pats her on the shoulder. "Come with me, then. I could use a sparring partner, and the oaf doesn't pose much of a challenge these days."

"I heard that!" Basilio yells from among the tents.

* * *

Nowi tugs at my sleeve. "Jack, play with me!"

It's about ten minutes after supper ended when my sister figure approached me (read: ambushed me from behind some crates) and made the demand.

I raise an eyebrow. "Well, you sure digested your food fast."

Nowi winks. "I'm a growing manakete. Anyways, we're gonna play, and I won't take "no" for an answer."

I roll my eyes in good nature. "You never do when it comes to playing. Fine. What are we playing today, Nowi?"

The sunny grin on Nowi's face spells trouble, based on prior experience playing with her.

"Dragon tag!"

I blanch and look around camp. "Whoa there! Right in the middle of camp?"

Nowi blinks and looks around. "Oh… No, we'll leave the camp site first."

The rules for dragon tag are quite simple; Nowi starts as it. And she's always transformed into a dragon. The game pretty much lasts until she's tired.

That's about it. And the moment Nowi's feet exit camp proper, her Dragonstone begins to glow. Which means I only have a few seconds to come up with a plan before I have an overexcited dragon chasing me with absolutely no regard for my well-being.

*Poof*

Good thing I've done this kind of thing before. Though Nowi can build up a respectable amount of speed while flying in her transformed state, she's far from an agile flyer. And I can take advantage of that – in the shape of a swallow.

" **I'll catch you this time, Jack! You're not getting away from me in that form anymore!** " Nowi declares confidently as the ethereal flower disperses to reveal her dragon form.

I angle my head backwards (seeing as I'm significantly smaller now). "Care to put your gold where your maw's at?"

" **Oh, it's on, buster!** "

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: One hour later**_

"*Huff… Huff…* One day, Jack… One day…"

I smile cheerfully. "Sure, whatever makes you sleep at night."

Nowi glares at me before she pouts and looks away.

It only looks funnier due to the fact that I'm carrying the exhausted manakete under one arm while walking back to camp. Maybe turning into a swallow for any sort of tag is a bit overkill. Swallows have some insane reaction time and aerial moves, after all. On the other hand, I have my own health to think about. Getting bowled over by Nowi when she's transformed is painful at best and hazardous at worst.

"Oh, Uncle Jack. What have you and Mother been up to?"

I pause and look to the side to find Nah and Donnel approach us.

I wave in greeting. "Hey, Nah. Hey, Donnel. Just spent an hour or so playing tag with this little bundle of joy you both know and love, is all. She's still a hundred years away before she can catch me, though."

"You're only supposed to say that to your juniors, you jerk!" Nowi protests while flailing in my grip.

I shrug. "Considering how we act around each other, I could pass for the elder brother anyway."

Nowi pouts a bit more before she blasts her husband full force with her puppy-dog eyes. "Donne~l! Jack's mean to meee!"

Donnel sighs and stretches out his arms. "Yeah, yeah. Here, I'll get Nowi outta yer hair, Jack."

I put Nowi in the Warrior's arms without a second thought. Right as Nowi's in another set of arms, she lashes out and taps my still outstretched hand.

"Tag!"

I poke her hand before she can retract it. "Tag back."

Tears run down Nowi's eyes. "Nooo~! I was so close!"

Donnel puts the manakete over his shoulder and walks to his tent. Before they vanish out of sight, Nowi points her tongue at me. Yep. Still acts like the younger sibling.

"You actually spent time playing around with Mother, Uncle Jack?" Nah asks in disapproval. "I thought better of you. You'd do a lot more good if you trained her in, say, flying maneuvers."

"You'd be surprised at what you can accomplish through a session of playtime with your mother, Nah. Give it a try some time. Trust me, you'll thank us both."

Nah gives me a skeptical look. "I highly doubt it. This is an army, not a nursery."

I smirk. "Shows what you know. Let's face it; which one of you know more about being a manakete? You or your mother?"

"Mother." Nah admits with a resigned sigh. "Though it doesn't help that she acts like a child most of the time."

"Nah, Nowi _is_ a child." I point out. "It's true that she's your parent, but she's barely made it into adolescence by the standards of her race. And while she may not look like it, Nowi's been through a lot in her life. You'd do well to ask her about how her life was before she met me or your father. And then play with her."

"Enough with the playtime already! If I want to play, I might as well get myself a deck of cards and lay some solitaire!"

I shake my head amused. "As wonderful as that sounds, that doesn't compare to rough play with a dragon with more energy to spare than it has any right to have."

Nah blinks surprised. "Huh?"

"Your mother can transform into a dragon, remember? And dragons have a lot of physical strength compared to the average human. Imagine getting physical with a creature like that for any extended period of time."

Nah puts a hand on her chin and frowns. "Hmm… Maybe there's some merit to this "playtime" thing after all…"

I leave Nah to her own devices. If anything, I do carry proof that playtime with Nowi was time well spent, and not just because we're family. As high as most of my stats are, playing with my sister figure actually increased my base VIT by 1, and that was just avoiding her as a swallow.

* * *

"Well, look who had fun out there." Robin remarks as I enter our tent.

I smirk. "What? Did you miss me?"

Robin gives me a dry look. "No, I missed the peace and quiet I had before Nowi started shouting that she'd get you. What in the world were you two doing?"

"Nowi's version of tag."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "And how's that any different from any other kind of tag?"

"One of the participants is an energetic, transformed manakete. And she always starts as it."

Robin blinks bemused. "Say what?"

I smile. "It makes for fantastic endurance training. Holding off Nowi in that state can be surprisingly taxing."

"Jack, there's a number of us who can't hold Nowi off _period_ while she's transformed." Robin points out. "The fact that you're not covered in sweat and grime after that is just mindboggling."

My smile turns proud. "What can I say? I have fortitude that lesser men would kill for."

My wife rolls her eyes. "Sure. Whatever makes you feel better about yourself."

I decide to meditate by our bedroll while Robin returns to reading her book – a rare moment of luxury on these hectic times. Just the two of us, in the peace and quiet of our shared tent.

I hear her yawn about half an hour later.

I crack open an eye. "Getting tired?"

Robin stretches her arms. "Mmm. It _is_ getting late. I'd better get some sleep."

I nod in agreement. We're both soon comfy in the bedroll and each other's arms.

I lean forward and kiss Robin on the forehead. "Good night. I love you, Robin – now and forever."

Our tent may be dark, but I can still feel the heat from my wife's cheeks.

"What brought this on?" Robin asks shyly. "You always declare your love for me in one way or another, though rarely in such a direct manner."

"I'd rather remind you of how much I love you one time too many than one time too few. After all, I never know when the last time will be."

In the faint light that remains, I detect a smile full of affection from my wife.

"Then I have a lot to catch up on from my part."

I hold her close and place my forehead against hers. "Take all the time you need. I'll make sure to treasure every moment."

"Then I might as well start now…" Robin whispers. "…my love."

Our lips join in a deep kiss before we both fall asleep.

* * *

 **AN: This is some of the wisest advice in relationships I've ever heard. While the context of this advice was parenting, I dare say it applies to romantic relationships as well. It's important to let your loved ones know how much they mean to you, because chances are, they're not even aware. It also tends to brighten their day.**

* * *

*BOOM!*

Robin and I jolt awake as the ground shakes from a massive shockwave accompanied by an even louder noise. My first instinct is to wrap my arms around my wife, scan my surroundings with all skills available, Harvest Moon in Telekinesis for instant weapon access and a faint layer of mana in front of my face to summon my Hollow mask at the drop of a hat.

Silence…

"W-what in the world was that?" Robin asks shocked.

I scowl. "I don't know. But if we could feel it, we'd better find out."

Robin nods before I (reluctantly) let her out of my embrace. We're both geared up and ready for action within a few minutes. As we exit our tent, we notice that many of our comrades were woken by the same source.

Curiously enough, Vaike's absent.

"That big lug could sleep straight through the end of the world." Sully mutters annoyed.

I scratch my head. "Speaking of absent Shepherds, has anyone seen Lissa?"

We look among each other. Our favorite blonde princess is missing as well, and we know for a fact that she's nowhere near as heavy of a sleeper as Vaike is.

"I don't like this." Chrom remarks concerned. "Shepherds! Spread out and find Lissa – fast!"

We nod before we disperse.

Robin and I search among the cliffs west of our camp. We manage to find something odd about twenty minutes into our search.

"Is that…smoke?" I ask as I squint at a billowing pillar in the distance.

Robin nods. "Looks like it. And where there's smoke…"

"…there's fire." I finish.

We head to the origin of the smoke – and, much to our surprise, find Lissa panting, somewhat sweaty and resting Betty on the ground, but overall unharmed.

"Lissa? What are you doing here?" Robin asks as we approach the War Cleric.

Lissa turns around and smiles as she sees us.

"Oh, hey, guys! Just decided to get some morning practice in away from camp so I wouldn't wake everyone up by accident."

I raise an eyebrow. "Practice? What exactly were you practicing?"

Lissa proudly rubs the underside of her nose. "I've seen Lucina and her friends pull all kinds of cool moves ever since they joined up, so I decided to make my own. It took some convincing, but I managed to convince Ricken and Libra to teach me how to channel magic through my weapon."

Lissa points at a spot some distance away from her. "Still need to work out the kinks, but the results look promising. I just tried it out on the boulder over there."

Robin and I follow the direction Lissa points at. There's no boulder where she's pointing. There is, however, a wide, flat crater with the smoke we saw earlier rise from the center. And around said crater are scorch marks and a handful of pebbles strewn about. It almost looks like someone detonated a pack of dynamite.

I gulp and glance at Lissa for a quick Observe. Just like she mentioned, there's a skill in her profile that wasn't there last time I checked – which happened to be a long time ago, now that I think about it.

* * *

 **Zeus Hammer, Lvl 18 [22 %], Active, Cost: 380 MP  
** _The lovechild of Greek and Norse mythology, this hammer strike hits with enough force to make even the hardiest nonbelievers fear the wrath of the gods. Despite the physical and magical requirements to pull this move off, it's not actually that difficult to perform – just taxing. This is a good thing, though. The world's far better off without some maniac playing judgement deity.  
Base damage: 1 100 % of the user's STR + 1 100 % of the user's INT. Splash damage: 550 % of the user's INT. Splash range: 2.2 meters. Element: Lightning. A direct hit ignores 20 % of the target's defenses._

* * *

A chill runs up my spine. Holy Heron galdrs… If Owain inherits even a fraction of whatever made Lissa come up with such a move, he'll be an absolute beast.

Oh, who am I kidding? He's bound to have inherited all of it, being the mad lad he is.

* * *

 **[Fun fact: The Zeus Hammer is an extremely rare and powerful chip from the MegaMan Battle Network series. When MegaMan uses it, he swings down a hammer and unleashes a shockwave that hits everything on the screen – including himself. This makes the Zeus Hammer very risky to use. Fortunately, the damage done to MegaMan can be negated with the aid of a defensive chip like Barrier.]**

* * *

"Um… Well, we kind of heard you practice all the way from camp." Robin points out while trying to reign in her shock from seeing the results of Lissa's training.

Lissa blinks. "Really? Oh, shoot. Maybe I should've taken Henry up on his offer to make a soundproof rune circle after all. I really need to apologize for everyone for disturbing their sleep." The princess bops her head while sticking her tongue out. "Um, at least I make for a decent alarm, right?"

Robin and I give the War Cleric dry looks. We shake our heads and head back to camp.

"Huh? Hey, wait up! You can't just leave me here!" Lissa shouts indignant as she runs to catch up to us.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: Three days later**_

"I think I'm starting to understand why that Vaike guy keeps asking if we're there yet." Basilio mutters tiredly as we continue our march. "That tree just keeps getting bigger and bigger, but we're _still_ not at its roots. This is getting ridiculous."

"Remember that patience is a virtue, Khan Basilio." Say'ri reminds him.

"Well, I ain't a patient man! Shouldn't we be there by now?!"

"We might be closer than you think, Khan Basilio." Robin comments from further up front. My wife points to our right. "Look."

We follow where she's pointing. There's movement in the distance. Enemy troops? No. Those are soldiers from the Ylissean league!

It takes a lot of reorganizing, but with the aid of a few hundred Shadow clones, we manage to arrange the different factions of our army to make camp like a ring around the base of the Mila Tree. Overall morale is high, seeing as each group made it here with little to no losses. All thanks to the intense planning and strategizing before we set out on this venture.

"Well, color me surprised, Robin." Flavia praises my wife as we're gathered in the war tent for a strategy meeting. "Looks like your plan went off without a hitch. Our troops are pretty much all here, and the empire's hardly the wiser about it."

Robin nods as she scans a rough depiction of what the terrain around the Mila Tree looks like. "So far, essentially everything has gone according to plan. If we want to have as big of a chance at rescuing the Voice of Naga as possible, we have to strike soon."

"But we just got here, Robin." Chrom points out. "We've been marching through the Valmese continent nonstop for days while avoiding the Conqueror and his men. Don't you think our troops have earned at least a little rest?"

Robin shakes her head. "As much as I agree with you on that point, there are more pressing matters that require us to take action now, Chrom."

"But what could be so important that you would have travel weary troops head straight into battle?" Say'ri asks confused. "Surely the battle would be easier if our army is rested, no?"

"You forget what the whole point of splitting our army was in the first place, Say'ri." Robin reminds the Swordmaster. "As we have discussed before, there may be a sizable imperial host guarding the entrance to the Mila Tree, but it's not the biggest host in the empire. Now, if I were the commander stationed at the Mila Tree, what would my first action be when I realize that an enemy army has slipped through our ranks and have converged around my post?"

Say'ri's eyes widen in realization. "Send for reinforcements. And since they will come from the outside, the invaders would be stuck in a pincer strike."

Robin nods grimly. "The commander of the guard around the tree no doubt knows we're here by now. We may have gotten the drop on the empire this time, but if we don't take the Mila Tree now, they could send for reinforcements and turn our own plan against us. We'd be trapped around the tree with no means to escape. Now is our only chance to rescue the Voice of Naga with any hope of getting away without running the risk of getting pinned down by the full military might of the Conqueror."

The war tent falls silent at Robin's assessment.

"D-mn…" Flavia breathes out. "So we're still not out of the woods yet, eh? I should've known it wouldn't be that easy."

Chrom frowns in thought. "In that case, we better mobilize our troops quickly. Time is of the essence."

Robin nods. "Exactly. But first, we need to decide how to coordinate our assault."

Robin pulls out the chess pieces again. The eight pawns are spread around the edge of the terrain map. The black king is placed in the middle.

"Thanks to our marching going according to plan, we are in a favorable position. We have the imperial soldiers stationed at the Mila Tree completely surrounded, which means we can potentially cut them off from the rest of the imperial army and prevent any request for reinforcements. All we have to do is launch a coordinated strike from all sides and box in the soldiers."

Flavia eyes the map sharply. "That's easier said than done. The circumference of our camp right now is huge. Relaying messages to all sides for when to begin the attack will be a herculean effort, if not impossible."

"We'll need some kind of signal." Lucina proposes. "A sign for everyone to see when the time to strike has arrived."

Chrom nods in agreement. "I thought something along those lines, but what can we use to signal an army spread around a tree that big?"

I smirk. "Leave that to me. Just make sure you have everyone lined up and ready for battle."

Basilio eyes me skeptically. "You're not about to pull some kind of crazy stunt like that sea monster back during our sailing voyage again, are you? There's only so much of your ridiculous ideas that us normal people can stomach."

I wave off the bald khan's concern. "Relax. I'll plan it out with Robin, so everything should work out just fine."

Robin rubs her chin. "All right. I'll take your word for it, Jack. Now, then. The next matter is how we will station our commanders."

Flavia raises an eyebrow. "What, so I won't be fighting side-by-side with the oaf?"

"Good riddance." Basilio mutters.

"No, you're not." Robin replies with a bit of force before another argument can break out between the khans. Robin picks out the remainder of the white chess pieces. "We will divide our army into divisions. Each division will be led by a commander and will concentrate on attacking from their side. At Jack's signal, which I will work out with him later, our assault will begin." Each pawn with its accompanying piece is gradually moved closer to the middle of the map. "If all goes according to plan, our respective sides should join up as the battle keeps getting closer to the base of the tree. And then…"

My wife picks up the white king and uses it to knock down the black one. She smirks. "…checkmate."

Everyone stands silently as we all contemplate Robin's strategy.

Flavia grins. "You sly fox… You had this in mind the whole time, didn't you?"

Chrom chuckles. "Leave it to Robin to come up with strategies to last us an entire campaign."

Robin shakes her head. "Come now, Chrom. I'm not _that_ good. But this should at least be enough to get us to a decisive victory. Here's to hoping everything works out."

I put a hand on my wife's shoulder. "You've gotten us this far, Robin. We're behind you all the way, so you only need to point the way forward. And if you stumble, we'll be there to help you back up."

Robin smiles gently at me. "Thank you, Jack." Then she's instantly all business again as she returns to the map. "All right. Now to allocate our troops and who to command which faction. First…"

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Main quest: Naga's Voice  
** _Robin's careful strategizing has finally brought the Ylissean league to the Mila Tree with little to no trouble. Since the empire is only now aware of your presence so deep in their territory, you have a unique opportunity of seizing the tree while their guard is at its lowest. You'd better hurry, though. The window of opportunity is small, and keeps decreasing.  
_ **Objectives:** _Defeat the enemy commander. Seize control of the Divine Mila Tree.  
_ **Rewards:** _16 000 EXP, 16 000 gold  
_ **Bonus objective:** _None  
_ **Failure:** _The battle drags on until reinforcements from the empire arrive. From there, it's only a matter of time before you're annihilated._

* * *

I smile as I scan the part of camp where my team has set up.

"Captain. I can report that we all made it to our destination safely." Hawke reports as he approaches me.

I give the Dark Knight a thumbs-up. "Excellent work, Hawke. You've done well in leading the team all the way here with everyone accounted for."

Hawke nods slowly. "And how has the marching been on your end?"

My smile turns into a grin. "As well as it could have, I suppose. In fact, we got ourselves a few new recruits for the army on the way. They'll bolster our forces by a significant margin. But enough about our marching. We're on a tight schedule with the next battle awaiting us."

"I was not aware we were to prepare for combat on such short notice." Hawke points out.

I scratch the back of my head. "Yeah, well, that's all part of our head tactician's master plan for our current objective. I know it's less than optimal, but we need to make due if we want to make use of our tactical advantage. Lon'qu's rounding up the rest of the team as we speak. I'll see if we don't have time to grab a quick bite before we're to line up."

Hawke gives me his classic unreadable expression before he turns and walks away.

"Huh? Hey, Hawke, where are you going?" I ask confused.

"If the next battle is nigh, every minute I can spare for preparations will be crucial. I shall head to the arms tent and see if there are any weapons I might need for the upcoming clash. If possible, I should also see to my horse."

He…does raise a good point. Kind of feels unfair that only he seems to get the proper heads-up in my team. Maybe I could do something for my team as well, small as the gesture would be…

* * *

I've just made a bunch of clones to carry food to my teammates. A little food won't restore all their strength, but I figured the gesture should at least boost their morale. I've just left the storage carts myself when I'm approached by Cynthia.

"Um, Sensei? Do you have a moment?" the Pegasus Knight asks.

"Hm? Oh, sure. I still have some time." I reply. "What's on your mind, Cynthia?"

Cynthia shuffles her feet. "Well… I've been thinking a lot since the last time we had a deep talk. About what it means being a hero and all that."

I nod as I think back on that conversation. I can imagine the topic took a shocking turn for Cynthia.

"I take it you had a few talks with Laurent as well?"

Cynthia nods. "Yeah, and I learned a lot from the books he offered me. But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, I had a few talks with Mother and Father as well, and they got me thinking."

I raise an eyebrow. "Oh? Now I'm curious."

"I've been thinking a lot these past few weeks about what it means to be a hero." Cynthia elaborates. "So, I asked my parents about how they became heroes. Mother looked plain confused, and Father closed his eyes without saying a word. It was really strange."

I rub my chin in thought. "Come to think of it, I have no memory of either of your parents ever expressing any desire to become heroes, unlike you."

"That's exactly it." Cynthia points out. "Mother told me she never thought about being a hero. She was more concerned about simply doing her best to make a difference. And Father told me he's more concerned about fulfilling his duties and keeping his oaths than striving for being a hero. When I asked him why the Shepherds had become so famous for fighting bandits, he told me that the reason they fought bandits in the first place was because those bandits were making life harder for the people of the halidom."

I nod along. "Not what you were expecting, eh?"

Cynthia shakes her head while frowning. "I had hoped to hear about what they felt in the moment they became heroes – except, neither of them believes there ever was such a moment in their lives. It's like…they don't even care about being heroes. And it made me think; what makes _me_ a hero? I've spent so much of my life doing my best in becoming a great hero, but when I stop to think about what made me a hero in the first place, I come up empty."

I smile at my student softly. "You've stumbled upon something important, Cynthia. No matter what happens in your life, never forget this lesson."

Cynthia blinks bemused. "Huh? What lesson?"

"You're unsure of whether you're really a hero, right? That's because you still haven't decided on what to fight for."

"Sensei, I don't understand. I mean, fighting for justice is enough, right? If I'm not ready to lay down my life for it, then what's the point?"

"You've only understood half the point of it all, Cynthia. That's why you've felt so confused. The talks you've had with your parents show what you've been missing all along in your quest to become a hero. It's a fundamental part of what being a hero means."

Cynthia grabs me by the collar faster than I can blink and stares me down with barely any space between our faces.

"What is it?! What have I been missing about hero fundamentals?!"

"First, let go of my robe." I answer dryly.

The Pegasus Knight blinks before she lets go and backs away with a sheepish smile.

I clear my throat. "Alright, I'm only going to teach you this lesson once, so make sure to remember it. The measure of a hero can be determined by how far they are willing to go for their cause. But to define a hero, you must first learn what that cause is."

Cynthia gives me a blank look. "Huh? That's it?"

I nod. "Never underestimate the significance of this, Cynthia. Since we met, you have shown me how strong your resolve is. You have the makings of a great hero. But before you can be called as such, you must first decide who or what you will fight for. I warn you, choosing a cause that you find satisfying is anything but easy – especially in war times. The hero of one side is the enemy of another. Such is the nature of war."

Cynthia nods. "Yeah, I know. That's why I decided to never fight for a country. But…isn't justice a good enough cause?"

I rub my chin. "That's a tricky question. The thing about justice is that it's tied to the way you view the world. Even though we all live in the same world, everyone sees it differently, Cynthia. Because of this, everyone's justice is different as well. Of course, there are a lot of things that most people agree on, such as stealing being a bad thing. But there's always a small detail, some kind of nuance, that makes my own sense of justice different from yours and everyone else's. If you truly wish to make justice your cause, you have to learn how to see the world from the eyes of someone else. Do you have the courage to see the world from another perspective?"

Some of the determination on Cynthia's face bleeds away and gives way to doubt. "I… I'm not sure. All this time, I thought protecting the innocent, beating the bad guy and saving the day was enough to say that justice has been served. But ever since I got involved in this war, I've had this feeling that the soldiers of the empire aren't all bad. Like they're as convinced they're doing the right thing just as much as we do. But I've barely stopped to think why they seemed that way. "Maybe they were just misguided" I thought for myself."

"If that's the way you think, you'll need some soul searching, and fast." I determine. "Let it take the time you need to find your own justice, Cynthia. Oh, speaking of justice; There's one more thing you need to remember if that's what you will fight for."

"What's that?"

I look Cynthia sternly in the eyes. "Justice must be supported by might and authority. But when it is delivered at the point of a sword, it is naught but coercion. Never let violence be your first response, Cynthia. For the day it does, is the day you become the villain."

Cynthia gasps determination returns in her eyes and she nods. "I understand, Sensei. I'll become a hero with a worthy cause, not for you, not for my family, not for myself, but because I'm needed." Then she smiles at me. "Besides, something tells me I won't be alone in this. After all, I have you to support me."

I blink bemused before I smile and shake my head fondly. "Well, I suppose _someone_ needs to watch over you in case you go overboard. Fine by me, Cynthia. Show me the path you'll tread to become the great hero that I know you will one day become."

* * *

 **Your relationship with Cynthia has advanced! Your relationship with Cynthia is now "Friends"!**

 **The bond you've nurtured has given birth to a new ability! You can now perform the Union Strike "You say Homerun" with Cynthia!**

 **AN: When Jack gave his lesson about justice delivered through a sword, he quoted Braev Lee from Bravely Second. It's one of my favorite quotes in the game, because it shows Braev's wisdom as a ruler. Also, Braev is one of the coolest video game dads I've ever seen, even though my first impression of him back in Bravely Default was less than stellar. Had to go through a lot before I viewed him in a positive light. But when I did; Hoo boy, what a man the Templar is.**

* * *

By the time I return to my team's part of the camp, they've already finished the food I got them. I know it wasn't' much, but, dang, they eat fast. That trek must've taken a lot out of them, especially considering that they had a schedule to keep.

On the plus side, morale is definitely good among my team members. Just what we needed for the upcoming battle.

"Team! Assemble!" I shout.

My team lines up within a minute, ready to hear my instructions. A quick headcount with help of Mind's eye tells me everyone is present.

I smile. "Good to see everyone accounted for. You no doubt have a long and tedious march behind you. That makes me all the more proud of knowing you all made it here in one piece." Then I drop the cheerful expression. "That being said, that march was just the preparation for what's up ahead. This march you've just accomplished together with the rest of this army was orchestrated to place us in the position we are in right now. Our objective is to seize the destination of our march through the continent of Valm; the Divine Mila Tree. Because of the nature of the march, we have managed to get the drop on the soldiers stationed at this tree. But our advantage will only last for so long. Because we have to accomplish our objective before enemy reinforcements can arrive here, the whole army is ordered to line up for battle within the hour. Take this time to make what last preparations you still need."

"Hey, uh, Cap? I don't wanna be _that_ guy, but what's the point of capturing a giant tree?" Elliot asks skeptically.

"It's not the tree itself we're after, Elliot. It's who's imprisoned at the top." I explain. "Once we rescue her, we should be able to gain both allies and supply lines to support our war effort on this continent. In fact, our whole campaign may hinge upon rescuing this very person. Hence the urgency of preparing for this upcoming battle. Any other questions?"

Silence is the answer.

I nod and clap my hands. "In that case, prepare as well for combat as you can, and meet me by the edge of the Mila Tree's roots within the hour. That is all, team. Move out!"

"Yes, Captain Jack!"

* * *

I'm currently standing on the appointed place. The last of my team members are filing in, all of them armed and ready to charge in at any moment.

"Say, Captain Jack?" Edea asks.

"Hm?"

"I never thought of this back during the debriefing, but how are we supposed to launch a coordinated strike with our army spread out like this? I can't even see the other commanders. In fact, I think I can only see the factions next to ours from where I'm standing."

I smile at the Myrmidon. "No need to worry, Edea. Me and Robin have it all covered."

My teammates look among each other questioningly, only to get shrugs as the most common answer.

What my teammates are not seeing is that I have Shadow clones stationed along the inner rim of our formation. Each clone is stationed a bit less than 100 meters from each other, which puts each clone within the maximum range of Mind's eye of the clones in the adjacent positions. What's more, one extra clone is stationed by Robin, irrespective of the distance to the next clone. That's our signal clone.

The signal that Robin and I came up with back during the war meeting is very simple. When the moment arrives, Robin will pop the signal clone. That sensation will hit me and all the other clones at once, which tells us that the time to attack has arrived.

Ah, and there it is.

I clap my hands together and slap them on the root I'm standing on (it's a ridiculously massive root) to Transmute some of the organic matter into a wider path for our soldiers to run on. At this very moment, every single one of my Shadow clones do the exact thing, and all of us shout the exact same words.

"That's our cue! Charge!"

 **BGM: Sapp's and Piddler's theme, Bravely Second music.**

Our unit runs over the Transmuted pathway towards the Valmese soldiers standing on the tree roots (seriously, those roots are massive). Judging by the stances of the Valmese soldiers, they've been expecting us. They shift their positions to block as much of the roots as possible. They even have Archers stationed on more distant roots to give cover fire for the soldiers standing on the biggest surfaces.

*Whoosh!*

Too bad I can deflect any arrow shot at my team with a simple gust of wind magic.

"I'll stop the arrows! Take out those Archers!" I shout as I float up and conjure more wind magic in my free hand for when the next arrow flies our way.

"Lash." Hawke calmly calls.

"Oh, this is gonna be _fun_!"

The Dark Mage jumps up on Hawke's horse and chants a fire spell in tandem with Hawke's wind spell. Hawke unleashes his first and staggers the Valmese Archers on our left. Then Lash unleashes her spell and bowls the soldiers over with a torrent of flames that both burns them and makes them fall off the root in the confusion.

"Grit! Cover me for five seconds!" Lon'qu shouts as he takes a running start towards the edge of the main tree root.

"Ya got it, Lieutenant." the Sniper calmly replies and readies three arrows at the same time.

The Archers on the right try to snipe Lon'qu mid-jump, only to find their arrows sniped instead, courtesy to Grit's unflappable marksmanship. And that's when Lon'qu lands on their root. A few blurs of movement, and the Archers all collapse with slash wounds all over their bodies.

"I have _got_ to learn that move." Edea mumbles excited.

I land in front of my team and smirk at the Valmese Knights in front of us. The imperial soldiers have formed a wall over the entire traversable width we're standing on.

Sparks dance along my hand. "Guess we'll just have to break through. Alright, then. Trace on."

The light disperses to reveal a small, dull kitchen knife. My entire posture and gaze droop the moment I take hold of the small weapon.

"What the- Hey, Captain! Snap out of it!" Pit shouts alarmed as he notices.

A Fighter walks out from the Valmese ranks.

"Well, at least one of them will be easy pickings." he remarks as he brandishes his Killer Axe and charges me. "Have fun bleeding out under the roots!"

"Captain! Watch out!"

Moments before the Fighter swings his axe, I lazily sway to the side and barely dodge the swing. In the same, slow motion, I take aim at his exposed side and thrust.

*Doink!* "GUAAH!"

The Fighter collapses with a massive gouge in his side. I slowly walk past him as he collapses on the root and falls off, all while he bleeds severely.

The rest stare in disbelief.

"Wait a minute… Did he just destroy that soldier with a poke from _that_ little knife?" Eagle asks flabbergasted.

"Dude, that thing doesn't even look like it could cut butter." Elliot points out. "How is that even possible?"

"I know not how you felled my comrade, but this is as far as you go!" one of the Knights in front declares before he breaks formation and aims to impale me on his lance.

Just like last time, I lean to the side and barely dodge the thrust. I grab hold of the shaft before the Knight can retract his weapon. He raises his shield in response.

*Doink! Crang!* "Augh!"

The shield's gone. So is the armor that used to protect the Knight's chest. Oh, and his arm is gone, too. As for the Knight himself, he's on the ground, thrashing in pain over losing his shield arm. And he's bleeding a lot.

I think he's got a few more minutes, tops, before he kicks the bucket.

Ugh… It's not just my movements. Using this knife seems to dull my mind as well. Sooo slooow…

I lazily point my Traced weapon at the imperial soldiers standing before us.

"Team… Attack…"

I slowly make my way to the trunk of the Mila Tree along the roots. The imperial soldiers all take a step back before they gather their nerves and take their stances. My teammates look at each other uncertainly before they all shrug and charge. This means they overtake me pretty quickly.

Sooo slooow…

Jake and Ventus are the first ones to reach the front. They clash with a Hero who parries Jake's lance with the shield and locks blades with Ventus. Ventus struggles against the weapon lock for a bit before he disengages and takes a step back. Jake turns his horse around and has the mount kick out at the Hero. The imperial soldier ducks under the kick, only to notice Ventus slip in under the horse and go right for his neck. The Hero stops the slash with little effort, thanks to his superior strength. Then he notices a strange shadow covering him. It's Jake's horse, who was commanded to jump and land hooves first on the Hero while Jake himself readies another lance thrust. The lance pierces the Hero's shoulder. And then Ventus stabs his sword through the imperial's chest moments later.

Ringabel and Khint weave left and right in tandem as they clash with a Swordmaster. Their teamwork allows them to compensate for their lack of general combat prowess against their foe. Ringabel slips in low, and Khint releases a relentless barrage of burning sword slashes from above. The Swordmaster ducks and weaves between the two teammates with some struggle, but holds up well enough to sneak in a few retaliatory slashes of his own. Ringabel manages to parry a slash and pushes long enough for Khint to line up a thrust right at the Swordmaster's heart. The imperial soldier notices the danger and jumps back to a safer distance.

That is, until he notices I'm right behind his new position.

"Surprise, mother *Doink!*er."

"GAAH!"

Dead. With a big hole in his chest.

Ringabel gulps with her face turning green. "I think I lost my appetite for supper."

Khint shakes his head. "Even now, you manage to catch me off guard, Captain. I do hope the payment matches the nonsense I see on a daily basis."

I nod slowly before I turn around and resume my march towards the tree trunk.

*Krang!*

Olaf grunts as he bashes his shield against another General's. The two armored soldiers keep pushing against each other, neither giving any ground.

*Tink*

An arrow bounces off the Valmese General's armor. The General doesn't care. He concentrates on pushing back Olaf instead.

*Tink*

Another arrow bounces off the imperial armor. The General briefly glances in the direction the arrow flew from, but quickly returns his focus on Olaf before our own resident General can exploit the opening and gain more ground.

Then another arrow flies in…

*Thunk!* "Ugh!"

…and nails the General right in the gap between his pauldron and helmet. The momentary distraction is all Olaf needs to finally bowl his opponent over and shove his lance right through the visor.

Olaf breathes a sigh of relief before he glances to his right. "Took your sweet time, didn't you, Grit?"

The Sniper shrugs. "Gotta make the shots count, you know? Can't just fire these things willy-nilly."

The former Feroxi General huffs. "You and that infuriatingly laid-back attitude of yours… I swear."

We're making steady progress through the Valmese ranks. If this keeps up, we should be joining in with some other units soon.

"Just die already!" *Vrrm!*

Speak of the trigger-happy Sorcerer, and he shall appear. Henry's hit his stride and is having the time of his life bombarding the Valmese soldiers with Ruin spells. Might have something to do with him testing his new powers.

Though I think the local populace won't take kindly to one of their most sacred landmarks having spherical gaps in its roots.

And that's when Lissa slaps him over the head. "How many times do I have to tell you?! The Resistance will get angry if they find out you damaged this tree!"

"It's all good if they never find out, right?" Henry asks completely unfazed by the slap. "So we just make sure they never find out."

That earns him another slap over the head.

"Learn some restraint, already!"

At least Lissa didn't hit Henry over the head with Betty. I don't think Henry could walk straight after a blow from that monstrosity.

*Boom!* "AH HA HA HA HA HA!"

"Besides, Noire's blowing up the roots, too." Henry cheerfully points out.

"Would someone just reign the girl in?!" Cordelia yells exasperated while fending of a Valmese Falcon Knight. "Trees need their roots! Who knows what will happen to it if they suffer too much damage?!"

Wait… I might be able to do something about that… What did I have in mind again…?

Hmm… The trunk of the tree seems to be pretty close by, which means we should be close to the enemy commander at this rate. Just need one more good push. Now, how do we achieve this one…

Oh, so _that's_ what I had in mind. Okay…

In the span of time Noire needs to reload a new arrow, a Pegasus Knight flies in in an attempt to put her out of the fight permanently. I zero in on that Pegasus Knight, drop the knife in my hand, feel my mind speeding back up to its normal pace-

*Flash! Crack!*

-teleport to the Hiraishin kunai that Noire always carries with her and kick the pegasus in the face. The sudden jolting movement makes the Pegasus Knight almost lose her balance. And that's when Noire's done notching a new arrow and hits the Pegasus Knight in the forehead.

"Sensei? What are you doing here?" Noire asks surprised.

I land in a crouch. "Setting things up for the final push."

* * *

 **Union Strike: The Pointy End**

"Ready, Noire?!"

"I-I'm with you…"

I grab Noire around her waist and hoist her over my shoulder.

"W-whoa! Sensei, what're you-?"

I dash off with Noire towards the Valmese ranks while chanting under my breath.

"Jack-sensei, put me down! I can't fight like this!" Noire shouts alarmed.

We're about a dozen paces from contact when I finish my chant.

"Unlimited Blade Works!"

A dome of flames envelops me, Noire and a good portion of the Valmese front. A minute later, we all stand on the sunset hills of my reality marble.

I put Noire down and hold out a hand to Trace a weapon. "We'll finish this in one go. Synch up!"

I charge the confused Valmese soldiers while the Traced Iron Sword is still flying towards my hand. The moment I grasp it, I swing down on the nearest enemy soldier. Then I slide and spin past the shocked Fighter while I toss the Iron Sword in Noire's direction and Trace another weapon in the other hand. This time, it's the Jungle King keyblade. I weave between the soldiers while slashing around me, toss the keyblade in Noire's direction and Trace yet another weapon.

A rhythm gets established this way. I Trace a weapon that I swing at the Valmese soldiers a few times before I toss it to Noire. And then Noire Traces that weapon herself before she catches it out of the air and hovers it above her head. With each new cycle, the mass of weapons floating above my student grows.

Then Noire grabs hold of the bowstring on her Savage Lynel Bow and aims it skyward. The weapons floating above her head begin to spiral around a focal point before they all fuse together into a massive shining arrow.

Noire's face morphs into a murderous snarl. "Blood and thunder!"

She releases the bowstring. The arrow flies skywards moments later. As it reaches the apex of its flight, it bursts into a flash of light. Every single weapon that made its composition begin their descent.

I teleport to Noire's Hiraishin kunai moments before the deadly rain decimates the hapless imperials. When the dust settles, there's only a bunch of corpses with all kinds of things sharp and pointy sticking out of them.

Noire slumps forward and sighs. "So tired…"

I regard her with a sweatdrop. "Oi, don't go out on me now, Noire."

 **BGM ends**

* * *

I dispel my reality marble to see that mine and Noire's combined assault blew a massive hole in the Valmese ranks. It's only a matter of time before this battle is won.

 **Warning! Warning! Boss-level enemy approaching!**

And there's the last obstacle.

* * *

 **Cervantes Lvl 48 Class: General  
** _Standing at 5 ft 2 in and weighing in at a staggering 198 pounds (out of which 20 % consist of his legendary mustache), this Valmese general is by far one of the most devoted patriots in the Conqueror's army. All he does is for the glory of his emperor (or to maintain his precious mustache). A major drawback with his mustache is that it sometimes gets in his way whenever he speaks. As a result, people tend to assume he refers to said facial hair, even in the cases when what he says is something else entirely. Did we mention that he absolutely_ _loves_ _his mustache?_

* * *

The Valmese General confidently marches towards us with his gleaming armor, his gleaming Tomahawk and his gleaming…mustache? Since when does facial hair have such a bright sheen? There has to be a limit to how well-kept someone's mustache can be.

"My whiskers are safe against you lot! Victory is inevitable!" Cervantes declares confidently.

As absurd as his statement may be, it actually has a calming effect on the remaining soldiers. They looked frightened over our quick progress a minute ago, but a few words from their commander was all it took to quell their fear. Gotta hand it to the mustache man; as waning as his grasp on reality may be, he knows how to inspire the people around him.

"If you would permit me, allow me to end this battle." Say'ri asks me as she walks past me.

I glance at the dynast. "You sure you're up for this? That's the enemy commander."

Say'ri nods as she draws the Windcleaver. "Aye. If I am to become a worthy ally in this alliance, I must prove my worth in combat. Though I can assure you an opponent as this may not provide an adequate challenge. Consider this a simple demonstration."

Soldiers on both sides give the combatants a wide birth as they approach each other.

Cervantes scowls. "Say'ri – my mortal enemy."

Say'ri gives a curt nod. "General Cervantes… Your reputation – and you gut – precedes you."

"But we have met in battle before, girl! Or have you forgotten?!" the Valmese General exclaims. "Not long ago, you and I, locked in deadly combat. I was sure we had won the day until you appeared."

One of Say'ri's eyebrows twitch. "…Your beard again? Can you talk of mothing else, you imperial pig?!"

"Ap-PEARED! I said "appeared"! And what business do you have, insulting my glorious mustache like that?!" Cervantes lightly tugs on his mustache, all while the facial hairs mysteriously sparkle in the sunlight. "Hmph! Though I suppose a woman such as yourself could never understand the greatness contained within these luxurious follicles. You showing even a smidgeon of interest should be cause for celebration."

"How many times do I have to tell you; I have no interest in your blasted mustache, you simpleton!" Say'ri yells exasperated.

Cervantes slams down his foot and gets in a combat stance. "You utter fool! Imperial mustache wax is the finest in the world! I applied a generous helping of it on my mustache just this morning. You have no hope of achieving anything in this battle!"

 **BGM:** **Eternal Struggle (Cervantes's theme), Soul Calibur II music**

Say'ri shouts a battle cry as she charges Cervantes. The Valmese General rears back his Tomahawk and throws it near parallel to the ground. Say'ri jumps over the axe with ease and comes down with an overhead strike. That's when Cervantes displays a surprising amount of agility as he rushes at Say'ri shield-first faster than any heavily armored unit has any right to be. Say'ri manages to brace herself against the heavy impact with a hasty block, but finds herself pinned against her mustached foe as the Tomahawk makes its return trip.

With her options limited, Say'ri yields to the push and lets herself fall to the ground moments before the Tomahawk strikes her in the back. Cervantes catches the axe with practiced ease and raises his foot to slam it down on Say'ri. The Swordmaster responds with a swing that sends a windblade at Cervantes. The move catches Cervantes off-guard and pushes him back. By the time he regains his bearings, Cervantes notices something float down gently – a few strands of his mustache.

"You… I see you have chosen death." Cervantes growls as he shakes with barely restrained anger.

I frown in concern. This guy may be as bad about his mustache as Yang about her hair. One strand was cut off, and she went berserk on an Ursa (no pun intended).

Say'ri gets back on her feet quickly and settles in a low stance. This time, Cervantes takes the initiative and rushes at Say'ri like an enraged bull –with the speed to match one as well. Say'ri squints and rushes to meet Cervantes. Two paces before contact, Cervantes thrusts his shield forward. Say'ri shifts her stepping slightly and pivots around the charging General with fluid grace. As she breaks from her charge, she sends another windblade at Cervantes's back and nails a clean hit. The impact staggers Cervantes, and Say'ri uses that opening to close back in and pin the General down with a relentless assault. Cervantes frantically moves his shield around to block Say'ri's slashes to the best of his abilities. Considering the staggering blow he just suffered, I'm impressed he manages to block almost everything.

There's a brief pause in Say'ri's offensive as the Swordmaster needs one short moment to solidify her stance before she can renew her attack. That's the one moment Cervantes needs to plant his feet firmly back on the ground and bat aside Say'ri's next attack with ease. The shield bash knocks Say'ri back a step – a step that Cervantes closes in another burst of speed before his Tomahawk comes back down.

*Clang!*

Say'ri is forced to her knees as she puts all her strength into holding the Tomahawk back with her Windcleaver. Cervantes's eye gleams as he pushes forward and over Say'ri, putting more of his weight on the weapon lock.

"Got you now! You can't slip out of this trap!" the General declares confidently.

"I am not…the same as when last we fought." Say'ri replies through grit teeth.

And then Say'ri does something I would never expect from a practitioner of swordplay; she lets go off her weapon with her dominant hand to slap Cervantes in the face! The move catches just about everyone off-guard. More importantly, the baffled General loses his concentration long enough for Say'ri to regain her footing and grasp her sword firmly once more. With both combatants so close, Say'ri rams the hilt of the Windcleaver right on Cervantes's nose. The General stumbles back dizzy while Say'ri is already in an offensive stance.

"Now!"

The dynast sword fighter zips past Cervantes in a blur. Moments after she slides to a stop, several streaks of light flash across Cervantes's armored chest. Gouges that go through his armor appear all over the General before blood flies from the slits.

"Nn…gah…"

The Tomahawk falls from Cervantes's grasp as the General's knees hit the ground with a loud thud. Blood leaks from the corner of Cervantes's mouth.

Say'ri swipes her Windcleaver once and calmly sheathes it. "A fight well won." *Clink*

One final streak flashes over Cervantes's face – more specifically across a section of his mustache.

 **BGM ends**

Cervantes looks in horror at the strands floating down, forever separated from the rest of him. "M-my invincible mustache… But how?"

Say'ri glances at Cervantes over her shoulder. "Such if the fate of those who rely on anything to the point that it becomes a crutch – a lesson that I had the good fortune of learning before it was too late."

"General Cervantes!"

Several Valmese soldiers run to the General to help him back up on his feet.

"U-uh… Where did science fail in all this?" Cervantes asks groggily. "Have I been played a fool?"

"General! Hang in there!"

Cervantes shakes his head. "As ashamed as I am to admit it, we can no longer hope to achieve victory in this battle. Men, signal the retreat for anyone on our side remaining."

One of the imperial soldiers looks at his commander in shock. "Retreat?! But General, His Excellency gave us direct orders to defend this place at all costs."

"I know what our emperor ordered, you fool!" Cervantes snaps. "I shall take the blame for this when we return. Just signal the retreat and get us out of here already! Go, blast it!"

Frederick pulls out his Savage Lynel Crusher and prepares his horse to charge. "I think not."

Say'ri places her arm in front of the Great Knight. "Wait! Leave them be."

"Are you sure, Say'ri?" Chrom asks surprised. "If you let them go, we're certain to face them in battle again someday. What's more, they can relay information of our tactics directly to Walhart."

Say'ri shakes her head. "That may be true, Prince Chrom, but our objective is not to rout the enemy soldiers; it is to seize the Divine Mila Tree – a task that we have just accomplished. There is no more need to fight." Then she glares at Cervantes, who is supported by a soldier on each side. "When next you see your master, tell him this; the legacy of Chon'sin lives on."

"Rrgh. Blast you, Say'ri!" Cervantes growls. "I will not forget this humiliation. I shall retreat for now, and revise my theories. But know this; next time we cross blades, my science will be flawless!"

A white rune circle appears underneath Cervantes and his supporting soldiers before all three vanish in a flash of light. Similar circles among the Valmese ranks flash into existence before the imperials are all whisked away.

* * *

 **Quest alert:  
** **Main quest: Naga's Voice  
** _Robin's strategy came together perfectly! A near complete victory has now granted you access to the path leading to the top of the Divine Mila Tree. Now, ascend. The Voice is waiting for you at the top.  
_ **Objectives:** _Defeat the enemy commander. Seize control of the Divine Mila Tree.  
_ **All objectives cleared!  
Rewards:** _You gain_ _16 000 EXP! You gain 16 000 gold!_

* * *

Cordelia carefully scans our surroundings. "It's over, isn't it?"

Say'ri nods. "Indeed. The enemy has retreated, and thus, the path to the Voice is now open for us."

"Say'ri, do you know the way up to the shrine?" Chrom asks as he sheathes Falchion.

The Swordmaster nods. "Aye, sir. Follow me – and let us be quick about it!"

Say'ri leads us along a pathway that goes around the massive tree trunk. Halfway around, we spot an open doorway in the exterior and a staircase housed within. Now that I take a closer look, I notice holes that run diagonally upwards in a line along the tree. Could those be…windows to let in sunlight?

Say'ri enters the tree and walks up the stairs. While most of our soldiers (my team included) are left by the base to rest up from the battle and stand guard in case enemy reinforcements _do_ arrive, a sizable group follows Say'ri up the wooden stairs. That group would consist of the Shepherds, Lucina's group, me and the khans. Though for some reason, Pit joined our group as well.

I glance at the Archer with a raised eyebrow. "You sure about this, Pit? We just finished a battle that we only had a short while to rest up for."

"I can handle this, Captain." the young Archer assures me confidently. "Besides, I made a bet with Edea that I can make it all the way up on foot in one go. Those two hundred gold pieces are as good as mine!"

I give my teammate a skeptic look. "You'd do that for a tiny sum of gold? More importantly, it's a long way up. I know you're light on your feet, but this requires more endurance than agility."

Pit slaps his leg. "No worries there. Have you seen these thighs?"

I look at Pit's legs. Then up the tree. Pit's legs. Tree. Pit's legs. Tree.

I shrug. "Fine. Have fun climbing."

The Archer pumps his fist. "Yes!"

* * *

Three minutes of stair climbing later, the stairs still continue to go up, and up, and UP.

 **BGM: Endless Stairs, Super Mario 64 music**

Why do I suddenly hear the Endless Staircase theme from Super Mario 64?

I glance behind me and notice Rose turn the handle of a small, elaborate music box with a gleeful smile on her face. The sound is coming from that musical box.

I snatch the device from Rose's hands.

 **BGM interrupted**

*Insert Record scratch sound effect*

"Not funny, Rose." I reprimand my daughter with a disapproving glare.

Rose places her hands behind her head and smiles without a care. "Sure it was. Do you have any idea how many readers found that moment entertaining, Dad?"

I shake my head and put the music player in my bag. "I'll give it back when we're done here."

* * *

 _ **Many stairs later (and I mean MANY)**_

 **BGM: Endless Stairs, Super Mario 64 music**

I turn around and snatch the music box from Rose's hands – again.

 **BGM interrupted**

*Insert Record scratch sound effect*

"Damnation, Rose! Stop it already!" I yell exasperated. "How did you even get that music box back from my bag?!"

"Hammer space." Rose answers cheerfully.

As I grumble about daughters with crazy abilities that make no sense, I notice that we're one particular Archer short.

"W-wait…"

I turn around and spot Pit all the way back in the rear, raising a trembling hand to drag himself one step further up the stairs.

I walk back down to the struggling Archer. "Well, look who's about to throw in the towel."

Pit pushes himself on his back and gasps for air. "It's no good, Captain. I can't climb anymore."

I nod. "So I see. Well, you could just rest here. We'll pick you up on the way back down."

Pit gives me a weak smile. "S-sure… I appreciate it."

I allow a somewhat sadistic grin. "Of course, I'll let the whole team know about this little setback when we get back down."

Pit blanches. "No… Please, anything but that. I'll never live it down if everyone finds out."

I tilt my head sideways. "Then I guess you'll just have to drag yourself the rest of the way up."

Pit sighs and relaxes completely against the stairs. "You can be a real jerk sometimes, you know that, Captain?"

I shrug. "I've been called worse."

* * *

"*Huff huff* Ugh… How many stairs are there in a case of stairs?" Lissa asks as she struggles with every step up she takes. "Because I'm already sick of this stupid staircase!"

*Clink*

Lucina stabs the sheathed Parallel Falchion at the stairs and uses the divine sword as a makeshift walking stick.

"The Voice truly lives all the way up here?"

We notice the light getting brighter around a corner. And on the other side, we finally see the exit.

We walk out into the open and find ourselves on a massive stone platform nestled among the top branches of the Mila Tree. Interestingly enough, the platform isn't natural. The even pattern between the stones shows that it's all masonry.

Say'ri takes a deep breath. "Lady Tiki! Are you here?! Prithee answer!"

 **BGM: Temple of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time music**

We hear a woman yawning from the chamber in the middle of the platform. The sunlight filtering into the small building reveals a silhouette rising from a prone position and stretching its arms. Judging by the, ahem, _outline_ of said silhouette, it definitely belongs to a woman.

What do you mean, I have eyes for another woman besides Robin?! Perish the thought!

As the silhouette walks out of the chamber and into the daylight, we finally get a good look at the lone resident of the Mila Tree.

* * *

 **Tiki Lvl 58 Class: Manakete  
** _This manakete is said to be the last of the divine dragons – a belief well-founded, considering the immense power that sleeps beneath her calm visage. Her lineage to Naga has her revered within certain circles. Tiki is by far one of the oldest individuals in the world, as she is the only living person left who has experienced the era of the Hero-king. It should be noted that a large part of her life has consisted of her sleeping._

* * *

Say'ri takes a knee before Tiki. "Ah, my lady… I'm so relieved to see you're all right."

Lucina takes a measured step forward. "So you are Lady Tiki? She who speaks for the divine dragon?"

Tiki's been rubbing the sleep out of her eyes until she spots Lucina. The ancient manakete squints before an elated smile blooms on her face.

"…Marth? Oh, Mar-Mar, is that you?!"

Lucina shakes her head. "My name is Lucina, milady. Though I _did_ go by the name "Marth" for a time. Might we have met?"

The joy on Tiki's face is replaced with a mix of subtle sadness and acceptance.

"…Alas, no. I'm sorry… You reminded me of someone I knew." Tiki replies nostalgically. "But he is gone now. Lost during my endless sleep."

Lucina grasps her sleeve and averts her gaze in a moment of compassion.

"You and your father are of the exalted bloodline, are you not?" Tiki asks Lucina.

Chrom nods. "Yes, milady."

"Do you yet possess the Fire Emblem?" Tiki inquires further. "It should have been passed down through your family…"

"I… Yes, I have it…" Chrom confirms and shows Tiki the divine artifact.

The fact that it has no scratches nor dents, even after all the battles where Chrom has used it as a shield, is nothing short of a miracle. That, or it's made of the same material as Falchion's blade.

Tiki smiles. "Ah! What relief to know it has not been lost." Then she blinks bemused as she takes a closer look on the shield-like object. "…But where are the Gemstones? I see only Argent."

"Gemstones?" Chrom asks curiously.

"Yes, there are five of them – Argent, Sable, Gules, Azure and Vert." Tiki explains. "Each holds a portion of Naga's power. When mounted upon the Emblem, they allow one to perform the Awakening."

"The rite by which the first exalt channeled the divine dragon's power…" Frederick notes with realization.

Tiki nods. "The very same. With the Fire Emblem's power, the first exalt was able to defeat Grima. But such power was too much for men, and so the Gemstones were scattered. I kept Azure here with me."

"My kingdom has safeguarded Vert for generations." Say'ri supplies. "But the gem was recently stolen by Walhart's men."

"Milady, do you know where the other two Gemstones might be?" Lucina inquires.

Tiki shakes her head. "The remaining Gemstones, Sable and Gules, are no longer known to me. They may have been taken long ago, at the time of the Schism."

Basilio rubs his chin. "Regna Ferox was founded during the Schism. As were most all nations in the realm, I believe."

Lissa perks up at the revelation. "Wait… Does that mean you guys have one of the Gemstones, Basilio?"

Flavia snickers. "Ha! As if anyone would entrust the oaf with such a thing!"

"Actually, it's true – we _did_ keep one: Gules." Basilio corrects. The bald khan grins tauntingly. "…Did I never inform you?"

One of Flavia's eyebrows twitch. "You most certainly _did not_."

Basilio shrugs. "Hmm… Must have slipped my mind. Regardless, yes. The West-Khans once safeguarded Gules. But it was lost long before my lifetime."

Flavia sighs. "Well, so much for that lead. A lot of good that did us…"

"I am certain that when the time comes, we will learn of Gules's whereabouts." Tiki assures us. "Until then, here. Take Azure, exalted ones. With it, you possess two of the five Gemstones. Now you must seek out the others and perform the Awakening. Our world must be defended from Grima at all costs!"

"But I'm confused… I thought Grima's power was sealed away." Chrom remarks as he accepts the blue Gemstone.

Tiki nods grimly. "Yes, but ever since, there have been those who would change that. Grima's lifeforce grows even now, and with it, the long shadows of despair."

"A despair I know all too well." Lucina quietly mutters to herself.

Chrom frowns concerned. "Will he return? And where?"

Tiki shakes her head. "I cannot know these things. But I can feel his presence… It looms, closer and closer… This task is a heavy burden, but as he of exalted blood, it must fall to you, Chrom."

Despite the grim foretelling, Chrom smiles. "I understand. Thank you, for all your help."

Chrom takes Azure and places it in one of the open slots on the Fire Emblem. The Gemstone releases a flash of light before it sits on the divine artifact, almost as if fused together.

"We owe you a great debt, milady." Robin thanks Tiki with a smile.

Tiki's eyes widen as she turns to my wife. "Ah! You… You have it…"

Robin blinks confused. "…What?"

Tiki leans closer to Robin. "You have power…like mine."

Robin keeps blinking in confusion. "I do?"

Right as it looks like Tiki's about to grasp Robin and examine her all over, the manakete's eyes droop.

"I… Ah… Forgive me… I am still groggy from my slumber. My words outpace my thoughts."

"Are you all right, my lady?" Say'ri asks concerned.

Tiki gives Say'ri a tired smile. "I am fine… Just very tired… I haven't the strength to join you in the fray. Not yet. But I will call the people together, in prayer, for an end to this conflict."

 **BGM ends**

"Until then… I shall sleep." Tiki continues yawning. "Would someone mind to help me down the tree?"

Tiki wobbles around before she falls asleep standing – right on top of me.

I blink dumbfounded. "Uh… I guess this makes me her personal ride down…?"

Rose leans in close to look at Tiki. "Huh. The devs definitely had fun turning her into a legal waifu. Good luck staying faithful to Mom with someone like Tiki around, Dad."

"Father, you wouldn't leave Mother for such a reason, would you?" Morgan asks concerned.

I give my children a dry look. "Oh, come now. Do I seriously look like the kind of man to break my vows, just because a beautiful woman comes along and falls asleep on top of me?"

Rose shrugs. "Well, the Author _did_ change your appearance to match one of the hottest Mr. Steal-your-girl characters ever conceived."

I shake my head as I pick Tiki up in a princess carry. "Honestly, the things you say sometimes, Rose."

I barely make it two steps before Tiki snuggles closer to my chest.

"So warm… Let me…stay in your arms…" the ancient manakete mumbles in her sleep.

Severa snickers. "Well, _someone's_ getting comfy in your arms, and it's not Lady Robin, Sensei."

Inigo snaps his fingers. "Drat! I should've taken his place before she fell asleep. Why, oh why was I so slow? It was the opportunity of a lifetime…"

Laurent's glasses flash – a sign of piqued interest. "I see… So this is the behavior of the rumored ladies' man."

"I should've seen this coming." Nah comments while shaking her head. "You have a knack for attracting dragonkin, Uncle Jack. Wouldn't surprise me if you two grew close within the month. Try to keep your distance, would you? I'd hate to see Auntie Robin if she found out you prefer Tiki over her."

A vein pulses on my forehead as my eyebrow twitches. "That's it. I'm putting you all through a training regimen befitting Hell itself." I glare at Rose and Morgan. "No exceptions."

Morgan blanches at my declaration. "Father, you wouldn't."

My glare persists.

Morgan slumps forward in resignation. "You would…"

Tiki leans in closer and takes a whiff right at the crook of my neck. "Mmm… Hold me…close…"

Down, Little-me! You only rise to Robin!

" _ **Come on, partner! You're carrying a busty, smoking hot demigoddess who begs for you D in her sleep! Tap that!**_ " Sparrow shouts from within my mind.

" _In your dreams, you horndog. You only want to watch a threesome between me, her and Robin._ "

" _ **Hey, if you won't take the chance to smash her, I'll do it instead. I mean, it's**_ _ **technically**_ _ **the same, right?**_ "

" _If I learn that you snuck out of my soul, just to sleep with Tiki, I will drag you back in and drop an anvil the size of Ayer's rock on you._ "

" _ **Oh, really? And how do you even plan on making good on that threat?**_ "

I smirk. " _Imagination._ "

…

" _ **Gah! Not the rainbow! Rainbow bad! Rainbow bad! Make it STOOOOOP!**_ "

* * *

As we leave the platform with our newest companion, Robin tugs at the sleeve of my robe.

"Hm? Something on your mind, Robin?"

Robin looks pensive. "Could we speak in private?"

I take a moment to focus before we're enveloped in a soundproof air bubble.

"Go on."

Robin blinks surprised before she smiles. "I forgot you could do that. Sure comes in handy in situations like these."

We begin our descent down the stairs.

"So, what's so important that you want this to stay between the two of us?" I ask.

"…Do you remember what Tiki said just before she fell asleep again?"

I nod. "Something about you having power like hers." I raise an eyebrow. "Last time I checked, the power of a manakete is connected to their bloodline. Does that mean you're part divine dragon, Robin?"

Robin shakes her head. "No. At least, not that I know of. I don't remember anything about my past. And yet, I can't just disregard what Tiki said."

Robin removes the glove on her right hand and reveals the symbol of the Grimleal. "In fact, ever since we first met Tiki, my mark has been throbbing. It's almost like it's…reacting to her presence."

I tilt my head to the side. "Strange… Does that mean the Fell dragon has some kind of connection to the divine dragons – aside from all that animosity?"

Robin puts her glove back on. "Your guess is as good as mine. Honestly, I just wanted to share my thoughts on this matter with someone trusted. And you're the only one I trust whom I can share these matters with."

"Still concerned about the nature of your past?"

Robin nods. "Even with this war going on, the mystery of my past has been in the back of my mind ever since Carrion Isle. And when Tiki brought up her observation, it feels like that mystery has grown even bigger."

I frown. "If only there was a way to research the past of the Grimleal. Or maybe even Grima himself. If your connection to the cult is as strong as we suspect, learning of their origins could provide us with some answers…"

Robin shakes her head. "No. Out of the question."

"Robin?"

"As curious as I am about my past, I won't put mine or your life on the line to find out more about it, Jack. If my happiness demands that I forever remain in the dark about my origins, then so be it." Robin declares. "I'd prefer living the rest of my life with you and my past remaining a mystery, over risking losing you while searching for the truth. My future with you matters more to me than anything I could learn about my past before you entered my life."

I smile and let a gentle air stream caress Robin's cheek. "Thank you, Robin."

I dispel the air bubble as we continue down.

"I'm sorry if I sounded a bit selfish there, but that's how I feel." Robin admits.

I shrug. "I fail to see how that would be harmful to either of us. I'm all yours. Claim me as much as you want. And for the record, I dare say I'm far more selfish about you than you are about me."

Robin rubs her temples. "Don't I know. I still can't believe you nearly skinned that duke alive because he asked me for a dance."

"That was _one time_!"

 **To be continued**

* * *

 **Omake: How to date Lucina 101 (OR: 10 signs that Chrom is an overprotective parent)**

Spirits are at a high point in the Ylissean league's camp after their latest victory. With the Voice of Naga on their side, things are finally looking up for the alliance.

It's in this positive mood that Morgan enters Chrom's tent.

"You wanted to speak with me, Lord Chrom?" the Tactician-in-training asks.

Chrom turns to his voice and greets the boy with a smile. "Ah, Morgan, perfect timing. Have a seat."

Morgan makes himself comfortable on one of the cushions in the tent (Handcraft of Frederick™). "All right, I'm all ears."

Chrom nods. "First, thank you for answering my summons on such short notice. I simply believed this matter had to be addressed as early as possible from the moment I learned of it. It concerns…Lucina."

Morgan frowns concerned. "Lucina? Is something the matter with her?"

Chrom shakes his head. "Not exactly. Rather, it concerns you as well. It has come to my attention that you have been seeing my eldest daughter quite a lot recently."

Morgan nods. "Yeah. Lucina's a great companion. And even though I have no memory of it, I apparently used to devise strategies with her before many battles. Maybe that's why I feel so comfortable around her."

Chrom nods along. "Hm, I see, I see. Well, it's a good thing you're getting along. Though that's also the reason why I called you here."

Morgan frowns. "I'm afraid I don't follow."

"Like I said, Lucina is my eldest daughter. Naturally, her well-being is one of my greatest concerns." Chrom elaborates. "I only want what's best for her."

Morgan nods in agreement. "I certainly hope so, no offense intended, Lord Chrom. Honestly, I'd be more concerned if you were _not_ so concerned about her."

The prince smiles. "It seems we're in agreement, then. Good. This makes things easier."

Chrom hands Morgan a sheet of paper. Morgan gives it a curious look before he returns his gaze to the prince.

"What's this?"

"Read it, and my intentions with this meeting should be made clear."

The young Tactician nods and begins to read.

* * *

 **The ground rules**

 _If you're reading this document, it means you have started seeing Lucina more frequently than a simple platonic relationship would entail. While I'm not against my eldest daughter finding love, there are a few circumstances that have to be kept in mind before any commitments are made._

 _First and foremost, Lucina is the daughter of both myself (Prince Chrom of Ylisse) and my dear wife, Cordelia. We will always look out for our daughter, and will, naturally, always keep a close eye on anyone who gets close to her. In short, we expect that certain breaches of privacy are allowed (within reason) to ensure nothing too drastic happens too soon._

 _Second, since Lucina is my eldest daughter, that also makes her my heiress. While Emmeryn is still the exalt of Ylisse, and therefore the current ruler of the halidom, my own station comes with its fair share of power and political sway, all of which will one day be passed on to Lucina alongside any achievements she has gained on her own merit. Lucina will therefore one day become a person of significant power and influence. Such a position comes with a great deal of responsibility – and danger. Not only are there unsavory people who wouldn't think twice about hiring assassins and make power grabs after the deed is done, a more devious individual would attempt to marry Lucina and use that marriage to usurp what influence and sway she may have. To make sure Lucina is protected from either fate, both me and my wife will go through great lengths to make sure any man who grows close to our daughter is both capable of protecting her (with his life if need be) and remain loyal to her without any ulterior motives._

 _Note that these are merely cause for precaution. That being said, it's of great importance to make sure that whoever you are, and whatever your reasons and intentions may be, you advance your relationship with Lucina at a pace that fits both of you (but mostly her)._

 _Therefore, this document lists the following ground rules that are to be established between you and Lucina, regardless of the nature of your relationship._

 _1\. Lucina is the only one for you. There is no one else in the world.  
2\. No means no. If Lucina says "no", that's final. Note that I have informed her, that should you go against her will, it is fully acceptable for Lucina to call for my help. I will not hesitate to use violence.  
3\. Any display of affection is to be kept at a modest level. That is, holding hands is acceptable. So is a chaste kiss, if the two of you are alone (which will be a rarer occasion than you might think). Cuddling or outright copulating is not. Remember that I am a man, just like you. I know where to inflict maximum pain.  
4\. No task for Lucina's sake is too great for you. Such a thought simply does not cross your mind. __Are we clear_ _?!  
5\. Taking Lucina to walks in a town is acceptable, so long as you both are supervised. The moment you are no longer within eyesight, I will automatically assume that you have unsavory motives towards my daughter. I will find you. And you __will_ _suffer the consequences.  
6\. You are only allowed into my daughter's room/tent at her consent while she is not in a physically, mentally or emotionally vulnerable state. This includes severe exhaustion, mourning, inebriation (though you'd better make sure she doesn't drink too much to begin with) or any general illness. Better yet, you do not enter my daughter's room/tent at all.  
7\. Should you meet any individual who displays any suspicious behavior towards Lucina, you are to report this to any member of the Shepherds immediately. They have all been instructed in how to take proper action. Should none be available (and only then) you yourself are allowed to take action. This does not include running away and leaving Lucina behind. If I find out you did, you'll be running away from me next. Be warned; I am a fast runner.  
8\. You might find that some of the Shepherds seem to pay very close attention to you. This is perfectly normal, as they do so on my orders. And no, you cannot bribe them. Whatever you may be able to offer, I can match twice over. Don't even start.  
9\. Failing to follow these rules will result in you suffering Cordelia's wrath, followed by my wrath, followed by Sumia's wrath, followed by Frederick's wrath, followed by (if you're still alive at this point) Lissa's wrath, followed by Emmeryn's wrath. Simply put, follow these rules, or else! Note that, should Lissa marry by the time a breach in the rules occurs, her husband is allowed in on the punishment as well. He is next in line after Emmeryn.  
10\. If you break my daughter's heart, I will break you._

* * *

Somewhere near the middle of the document, Morgan noted the sound of something hard sliding against a metallic surface. The young Tactician looks up after he finished reading the document and sees Chrom sliding a whetstone along Falchion's edge (which doesn't make sense, since Falchion is supposedly indestructible, and therefore should never be in any need to be sharpened) while scowling.

"I expect you to comply to everything listed on that document, should you wish to see Lucina in the future, Morgan. Do we have an agreement?"

Morgan gulps and nods. "Y-yes, Lord Chrom."

* * *

 _ **Three days later**_

Cordelia raises an eyebrow as she sees Lucina having a hard time holding a conversation with Morgan, mainly due to the Tactician's constantly fearful and wary behavior towards the blue-haired princess.

"Strange… I remember Morgan acting a lot more carefree around Lucina a few days ago. Now he looks like he expects anyone close by to attack him."

Chrom nods in approval. "He's taken my lesson to heart." The Prince fingers Falchion's hilt. "Good."

* * *

 **Jack's encyclopedic corner**

 **General, Class  
** _The epitome of defense, these heavily armored soldiers are trained to weather any attack, no matter how gruesome. Generals are the cornerstone for any defensive strategy, as their resilience is second to none and they are expected to repel any invading force. Some say that a strong enough General can be mistaken for an extension of the fortress they are guarding, as nothing short of an armor piercing strike can even harm these ironclad titans. In the same vein, it is also a common joke that Generals move with the speed of a fortress as well, seeing as no one expects them to make any quick maneuvers in battle with so much armor weighing them down.  
Damage dealt with a polearm or axe increases by 10 %. Physical damage taken is reduced by 20 %._ _Movement speed is reduced by 5 %. Damage taken from magic spells of any element is increased by 10 %. This unit counts as a heavily armored unit._

 **Azure, Other, Divine  
** _The Gemstone of water and one of the five Gemstones required to perform the Awakening ritual, which allows one of the exalted bloodline to access Falchion's true power. This Gemstone has been safeguarded by Tiki for centuries, knowing that the day would eventually come when the Fell dragon would return and wreak havoc on the children of man once more. This Gemstone is said to symbolize Naga's love, reaching to the deepest recesses and nurturing anyone its blessing touches, like water itself._

 **Tonberry's knife, Dagger, Base damage: ?, Very rare  
** _A strange weapon wielded by an eerie creature known as a Tonberry. Though it looks like a harmlessly dull and small knife, Tonberrys are known to inflict mortal wounds with just the slightest of stabs from it – and it comes with an absurdly comical sound effect every time the strike connects. Because of this weapon's apparent lack of danger, it is believed to be a medium through which Tonberrys channel some kind of innate power, rather than being a powerful weapon on its own. It might also explain why holding one of these weapons makes you move as slowly as a Tonberry as well. Seriously, we've seen sloths outrun that kind of pace.  
Reduces movement speed by 90 %.  
Skill available when wielded: Doink!_

* * *

 **Bonus scene**

We've made it back to camp and are in the middle of packing everything up.

"Well, I guess things went as smoothly as they could've, given the circumstances." I muse as I reflect back on that last battle.

Chrom nods in agreement. "You could say that again. Even as Robin was explaining her whole strategy before the march, I couldn't wrap my head around it until we were right at the Mila Tree. She sure is something else."

"You don't even know half of it, Chrom." I reply while smiling in contentment. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I've got a hellish training regimen to drag my students through."

Chrom raises an eyebrow. "You're really going through with it?"

"I'm a man of my word. If I say the training will be harsh, it will be."

Laurent gives the others in his group a mild glare. "In case I do not make it out alive, I blame all of you."

"Hey, you had as much part of this as the rest of us, Laurent. Take responsibility." Cynthia points out. Then she grins. "Besides, training's good for you. When was the last time Sensei made you sweat?"

"There is a difference between heavy exertion and suicide, Cynthia." the Mage mutters irritably.

"But there's one thing I don't get, Uncle Jack. Some of us like physical activity. What's so hellish about what's coming compared to what you've dragged us through before?" Nah asks.

I grin evilly. "Well, since you asked so nicely, Nah, allow me to elaborate. Since I know a bit about all of you, I have a good idea of what kind of personal hell each of you have."

The half-manakete smiles confidently. "Ha! Bring it on. There's nothing you can do to me that I don't fear."

My grin grows even more evil. "I'll tie you down on a horse drawn cart and spook the horse out of its mind."

Nah breaks out in a cold sweat. "H-hold on a minute. That's not training, that's blatant torture!"

"Your point being?"

"Your evil knows no bounds, Master Jack." Yarne mutters in a rare moment of fear that the half-taguel is usually known for.

I crack my knuckles as my eyes gleam wickedly. "Well, I could always settle for an all-out spar with all of you at once. That should keep things fair and balanced."

!?

I stop in my tracks when a powerful sensation hits me.

Morgan blinks surprised, still in the middle of getting ready for the spar. "Father? What's wrong?"

I squint as I look southeast. "Don't you feel that, son? There's a disturbance in that direction. Something- No, some _one_ just made themselves known in the realm. Whoever this person is, they're powerful, and they're not afraid to show it. And for some reason, that mysterious presence gives of a feeling similar to a… Mm, it's on the tip of my tongue."

"Sword."

I blink and turn to Noire. "Hm? Could you repeat that, Noire?"

"That person feels like a sword. That's what you were about to say, wasn't it, Jack-sensei?" the Archer elaborates.

I rub my chin. "Now that you mention it, yeah. But how did you figure it out?"

Noire Traces an Iron Sword. "Bone of my sword." she explains smiling.

I nod in understanding. "Ah, of course."

Lucina's eyes widen. "Hold on… Could that be…?"

Brady nods. "Immensely powerful? Feels like a sword? Yep, that's definitely _him_."

"That showoff. It's about time he made himself known." Severa huffs. Despite her response, there's no mistaking the slight smile on her lips. "You're late, dummy."

* * *

 **I skipped the preview of the next chapter in favor of the bonus scene. The reason is quite simple; that person needs no introduction. And I've already read a few reviews where the readers have pretty much hyped up his debut since a** _ **long**_ **time. The wait is almost over.**

 **It may be due to me having no idea how the story of "Mystery of the Emblem" goes, but I have absolutely no idea how Tiki ended up in Valm in the first place, much less a shrine at the top of the Mila Tree. It's almost like she was put there for the sake of plot convenience… That, and I can imagine that the devs wanted to both make another link to the history of Marth, while also giving the fans (mainly males) something to appreciate.**

 **I should point out that, when I first started writing Gamer Emblem Awakening, I didn't know about the post-game DLC for Echoes, or the revelations held within. I have deliberately put that limitation on Jack's own in-game knowledge as well for the sake of plot convenience. Why? Because it will have significance for the plot in the future. And that's all I'm gonna say about that.**

 **Until next time.**

 **VipeR out.**


	30. Chapter 28

**Hello, dear readers. This is CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.**

 **Man, this winter has just been wacky. We spent all of last year's November, December and this year's January without even a single flake of snow falling from the sky. The same trend continued through most of February until; Boom! The whole region where I live is covered in a blanket of snow overnight! Now, I am well aware that discussions about climate can surge out of these things all over the place, but before any of you decide to butt heads, let me point out that weather and climate are technically two separate things. Weather refers to the atmospheric conditions at the moment. Climate refers to the atmospheric conditions in general, a pattern that forms over the course of a long time. The former can change drastically without any lasting damages being made, while any change in the latter can lead to a myriad of long-lasting consequences for everyone within an area. It's true that climate can and will affect the weather, but remember that weather is affected by far more factors than climate alone.**

 **On another note, it seems I left Jack's relationship to Tiki on a bit of an ambiguous note. Allow me to clear up any misconceptions that you may have had since the last chapter:**

 **Like I said when replying to a review of an earlier chapter; The only woman that Jack will be paired with is Robin. This is strictly a monogamous marriage. Any indication that Jack and Tiki grow any more intimate than friendship will simply be me messing with your heads at most. Besides, Tiki should be wise enough to recognize that Jack only has eyes for Robin, and thus should keep her distance (even though her sleep talking behavior may suggest otherwise).**

 **Now that I've cleared that little issue out of the way, it is time to proceed with the story. Enjoy.**

 **Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.**

 _A real man never does things half-hearted._ – Owain

* * *

 **Chapter 28**

 **Cursed sword…wielder?  
** **Scion of Legend, steady thine hand!**

Morgan frowns in intense concentration as he eyes the chess board.

I lean my cheek at one hand while drumming my leg with the other. "Well, son? Your move."

"Could you please let me concentrate, Father? Keeping everything floating while working out a strategy is hard." my son replies as a bead of sweat runs down the side of his face.

We're currently sitting cross-legged on opposite sides of a chessboard. But instead of the normal setting of us sitting on the ground and the chess board on a stump, we're instead floating a bit over the ground and slowly rotating clockwise at a steady pace, all while playing the classic strategy game.

What's keeping us afloat? Morgan's Telekinesis.

This is a training exercise that I more or less came up with on the fly a few days ago. Morgan may be skilled at using his mental abilities, but he's got a lot of ground to cover if he wishes to use them to their full potential. So, in a flash of inspiration from Master Yoda himself, I figured Morgan should be able to train said skills if he were to practice the art of levitating several objects at the same time. Turns out keeping track of each object simultaneously while holding them afloat can be surprisingly taxing for anyone but the most experienced espers. To make this exercise more difficult, I added a game of chess to the mix. This adds another dimension of mental training for Morgan while training his tactical prowess (to an extent) at the same time. In short, I'm training my son in at least two skills simultaneously while sharing one of his favorite activities. It's three birds with one stone.

Our levitation briefly dips before Morgan grunts and brings up back up to the right altitude. Our rotation speeds up slightly.

"Easy on the speed, Morgan." I remind him gently.

My son takes a deep breath and manages to return our rotation to its original speed. Good. He's still keeping his focus.

And then his expression changes to one of triumph. He grabs his remaining bishop and moves it in front of my knight.

I raise an eyebrow and scan the board carefully. Nothing seems to stick out in particular. His rook is in a favorable position due to an earlier gambit that payed off well. On the other hand, my knights could put Morgan in a tricky situation in just two moves. Now, if only I could do something about his infernal wall of pawns… My bishop's all but grounded because of that lineup.

Maybe that's what I should focus on. Sneak around his pawns and blow open a hole through his ranks right at the base. Decision made, I move my remaining rook into position.

The moment I release the black piece, Morgan's gleeful grin tells me that I just made a decisive blunder. Faster than I can react, Morgan moves his knight in a checking position.

"Checkmate!"

I blink surprised. How's that-

No, wait… His bishop! He put it there during his earlier turn because he wanted to limit the movements of my king. And on the row right behind my king, his rook is already set up for an ambush. The pawn covering my king instead blocks one of his few remaining escape routes. And what awaits on the last remaining tile? A pawn that Morgan put there some ten turns ago…

I grin wryly. "Well, color me impressed. Nice move, son. You can put us back down now."

Morgan exhales as we slowly float back down on the ground.

The moment our butts touch the grass, my son raises his fists in victory.

"Yes! I did it!"

I clap in a slow applause. "Now that's what I call an exemplary performance. You've grown tremendously since I met you, Morgan. As both your father and your teacher, I'm proud of you."

Morgan wipes some sweat off his brow. "Thank you, Father. I couldn't have done this without your help."

"Hold up." I stop him with a raised hand. "While I admit that you've done well today in many ways, remember that this is just a steppingstone on your path to become a master in your own right. The road ahead of you is long yet."

Morgan pauses before he nods determined. "I should've known getting there wouldn't be that easy. Alright, I'm ready for the next challenge."

I smile at my son's enthusiasm. "That's good to hear, but it will have to wait until another time, when you've rested and had some time polishing your skills. Until then, we're done for the day."

Morgan deflates. "Aw… And here I was all fired up for the next exercise."

"Remember, son; to travel to the end of a long road, one needs diligence, endurance and patience. I'll walk with you on this path, but only at my own pace. Whether you match this pace will be up to you. Fall behind and I will eventually leave you there. Run ahead and you might bite off more than you can chew."

Morgan puffs his cheeks before he gets back on his feet and dusts off some dirt on his tactician's robe. "*Sigh* I guess I could spend some time with Mother or Rose, then. I haven't had much time alone with Rose ever since we got back in time."

"I'm happy that you two grew up together. I can't imagine how it must be growing up alone with no memories of the past." I remark fondly.

Morgan huffs. "Growing up with Rose can be more trouble than it's worth. I mean, really. _She's_ the elder sibling, so you would think she's the more mature between the two of us. But no. I end up cleaning up after the messes she leaves behind more often than not."

I raise an eyebrow. "While I admit that you bring up a fair point, it can't be all that bad, can it?"

Morgan shuffles his feet. "Well… From what I can remember, Rose has always been doting. No matter what happened, she would always be there for me with open arms and a smile on her face. As much of a headache she can be, I always feel at home with her."

I smile. "That's family life for you. We can get on each other's nerves something fierce – me and you sister more often than you or your mother, to be fair – but at the end of the day, we can only be truly at peace when we're together. That's why family sticks together, no matter what."

My son sighs. "How do you put up with all this, Father? More importantly, how does Mother put up with all of this? She seems to take it all in stride."

"Love works in strange ways, my son." I explain while nodding sagely. "It allows you to see the best in the people you care for and bring it to the surface. And in the face of hardship or madness, it helps you find a calm point where you can guide your loved ones. Or, you know, smack some sense into them with a thick tome to the head. You'd be surprised how often your mother's had to do that to keep me in line."

Morgan raises an eyebrow. "Funny. I faintly remember Mother doing the same with Rose one time when she made her _really_ angry."

I grimace. "Robin may be a bit rough with me at times, but that's mainly because she knows I can take it. But our children? I doubt she'd hit you with anything unless you crossed the line by a huge margin. What in the world could Rose have done to warrant a punishment like that?"

Morgan shrugs. "Beats me. All I remember is that Mother bent Rose over her knee and spanked her with a lightning tome for half an hour while scolding her." My son shudders. "Now do you see why I always take care staying away from Mother's bad side? As much as I love her, she also scares me sometimes."

I nod in approval. "It's wise of you to fear your mother, son. There is no other woman in the world who's as fearsome as she is. And yet, I can tell you this; your mother highly values the people close to her. The reason she can be so fearsome is because she cares so much for us. All that planning and strategizing? Deep down, her main reason for pushing herself so we can get even the slightest tactical edge against our enemies is because she fears the thought of us dying, let alone under her leadership."

Morgan blinks in surprise. "Mother…is afraid? Of losing us?"

"She may put up a strong front, but I've seen sides of her that she shows no one else, Morgan. Behind the fearless tactician and terrifying war commander hides a woman with a caring and fragile heart. Your mother treasures her bonds with the people around her, because they are essentially all she has. Without her bonds, she'd be a lost soul. That's why she's so caring towards me, you and your sister, no matter how much we get on her nerves. That's how she can handle leading this army, because she knows how much we all trust her, and she'll do anything to make sure that trust isn't misplaced."

Morgan frowns in thought before he gives me a look full of determination. "If that's the case, I will devote my all to support her. Mother may be strong, but she can't carry the whole world on her shoulders."

I smile and ruffle his hair. "That's funny of you to say, because you already are."

"Huh? I am?"

"I heard from the other Shepherds how fiercely you fought alongside your mother in the last battle. It wasn't just you destroying any enemy soldier who got in her way – you fought side by side as a team. You've grown into a fine young man and a reliable ally in battle."

Morgan blushes lightly. "You think I'm…finally reliable?"

I grin cheerfully. "And then some. Even though you have a long way to go, you're already someone I can count on when things get rough. As of today, we're equals on the battlefield. I trust you to have my back, just like I have yours."

I stretch out my fist in invitation.

Morgan matches my grin and returns the fist bump. "I'll show you that you made the right call to trust me, Father. Just you wait. I'll become an ally that you can be proud of."

"I already am, my son. And even if you weren't, nothing could diminish the pride I take in calling myself your father. Having you and Rose as my children and your mother as my wife are the greatest honors I have been bestowed with in my life."

"And I will always be proud of being your son. Even though I remember so little of our time together, every moment I spend with you reminds me of why I always looked up to you."

I smirk. "You'd better change the angle of your outlook, then. It's only a matter of time before you can only see me by looking besides you, not up."

* * *

 **Your relationship with Morgan has advanced! Your relationship with Morgan is now "Friends!"**

 **The bond you've nurtured has given birth to a new ability! You can now perform the Union Strike "Storm Howl" with Morgan!**

 **Regularly playing a strategy game has increased your INT by 1!**

* * *

I glare as I ponder my next move. I have to choose carefully.

Rose raises an eyebrow. "You'd better not pull that "I can see without using my eyes" thing on me, Dad. That's cheating."

I roll my eyes in good nature. "Oh, come now, Rose. Who do you take me for?"

"The reason why the majority of my friends think I'm crazy." my daughter replies without missing a beat.

One of my eyebrows twitch. "Low blow, Rose. You can't blame me if I haven't even raised you yet."

"Technically, you have." Rose points out. "Now, are you gonna ask for a card, or should we just skip a turn?"

"Fine." I grunt. "I want tens."

Rose grins. "Go fish."

I click my tongue and pick a card on the table between us. I may be an expert in combat, but playing Go fish? That's a whole different story. Especially when my daughter seems to know exactly what cards to ask for.

"Alright, Dad. Gimme that three."

I grumble as I pass my daughter the card I just picked up. Case in point.

Rose frowns a bit. "Okay… Now I want your fives."

I smirk. "Go fish, Rose."

Rose shrugs and picks a card for herself – and then promptly dumps all fives in her ever-growing pile.

I bite back a curse. _Of course_ she'd nail the one card she needed.

"I can't believe it." Cynthia mumbles in awe from the sidelines. "Sensei actually has a weakness."

"I don't think that counts, dear." Sumia corrects her daughter. "I mean, how do you even apply a card game in a fight?"

"If only you knew, Sumia." I mumble.

You'd be surprised how often some worlds have been at stake due to a children's card collecting game. The fact that one of them involved motorcycles was just icing on the already heavily decorated cake. I swear, some of the combos Yusei pulls off are just absurd. That's animé level plot armor, right there.

Then again, I suppose this is what happens when I put literally no effort into increasing my LUCK stat. I'm actually amazed that I'm not beset by all manner of random misfortunes due to having a LUCK stat that low. Guess that's my one luck-based saving grace.

I squint as I return my focus to the game. Rose may have been hitting a lot of cards I have these past few turns, but her pile only has two sets. Now to find out what kinds of cards I haven't asked for yet…

I blink as an idea hits me. Well, here goes nothing.

I smirk. "Rose, jacks."

Rose blinks before she begrudgingly hands me three cards. "Only you, Dad. Only you."

I join those three cards with the one in my hand before I place them in the beginning of my own pile. All right, I've still got a shot at victory. Bring it on, Rose!

* * *

Eight piles… Rose managed to sneak past me and gather a total of eight piles. I still don't know how she did it. She just…did.

Me, salty? What ever could you be talking about?

It certainly has nothing to do with the fact that I'm currently looking for Lon'qu in the hopes of sparring with someone who can (maybe) keep up with me as I vent my not-frustrations.

" _ **Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.**_ " Sparrow quips.

* _Whang!*_

" _Quiet, you! I'm busy reconciling my failing grasp on reality with my wounded ego._ "

"Hey, Lon'qu? How about a spar?" I call to my lieutenant as I finally spot him.

"Are you sure you want to spar while in such a perturbed state of mind, Jack?" Lon'qu asks without missing a beat.

That question stops me dead in my tracks and sets an eyebrow to violent twitching. Am I really _that_ transparent?

" _ **Told ya.**_ "

"…"

" _ **What? No anvil?**_ "

" _*Sigh* It's just not worth it at this point._ "

I shake my head. "Look, my mental state aside, I think I finally figured out a way of sparring with you without us slicing our training weapons apart at any time."

To accentuate my point, I show Lon'qu the training staff I brought.

The Swordmaster raises an eyebrow. "And how exactly is that supposed to help prolong our spars?"

"It's simple." I elaborate. "Our spars are cut short because we both use swords in them, right? It doesn't really matter if they count as swords or not; so long as we treat them like swords, they can cut."

"I believe that's not how it works, Jack." Lon'qu points out skeptically.

"Look, just humor this once, okay? My point is, if I use a weapon that I _don't_ treat like a sword, the chances of me actually cutting yours in half should pretty much disappear."

"And what about the opposite?"

I shrug. "Honestly, I've sparred with you using weapons other than swords way too little for me to consider it to be in accordance to the deal we made back when our rivalry first started. Since polearm wielding soldiers have an edge against you (small as though it often is), this should serve as good practice for you in preparation for such encounters."

"Fair point." Lon'qu relents and goes in search of a practice weapon. "Know that I will bring an actual training sword for this fight."

I nod in agreement. "Might as well. I don't think a broomstick will hold up to the punishment when we begin sparring."

Lon'qu returns a few minutes later with a training sword in hand. We both nod before we settle in our respective stances. No need for words. Just an unspoken signal.

The clearing falls silent.

A single birds chirps as it flies over our sparring ground.

*Crack!*

Lon'qu and I meet in the middle of the clearing, both our weapons locked in a power struggle. We separate moments later before we both plant our back feet firmly in the ground and engage for real.

Block, swing, twirl, feint, thrust, jump, overhead, side roll, ankle swipe, spin, transfer the momentum into a bigger swing, go with the flow and side roll again to flank Lon'qu's left.

The cracking sound of our weapons clashing in rapid succession echo through the clearing. Lon'qu and I each take a step back and wind up a particularly strong thrust. The small shockwave resulting from the clash pushes both of us back a few paces.

I take a moment in the brief lull to inspect my training staff. Slightly chipped from the intense exchange earlier, but still in working condition if I can handle it right.

Lon'qu narrows his eyes as he settles into a lower stance. In all our spars, I've come to recognize that one as a sign that he wants to end it. The way my lieutenant moves from that stance is crazy. Which means I have to pull out all stops on my end as well.

I let go with the left hand, leaving only the right to hold the end of the staff and shoulder it. Then I angle myself so that the tip of the staff points at Lon'qu. I crouch low and make a come-hither motion at my opponent. Lon'qu's eyes narrow even further. It's subtle, but I can tell that he's breathing deep.

We charge each other at the same time, both weapons ready for the clash. Because of the way I hold my staff, I have the advantage in reach and swing first. My staff comes down in a diagonal swing. Lon'qu blocks the swing and steps in while sliding his training sword along my staff.

But that was exactly my plan. I held back on the swing so I could instead focus on taking a step-in myself. I re-grab the staff with my left hand and angle the staff to a right angle against Lon'qu sword. The brief pause is all I need to get right in front of Lon'qu and, in a moment of inspiration from Say'ri, slap him in the face.

The shock of my palm against his cheek causes Lon'qu to stumble backwards. I rush in to finish it in one last combo. But Lon'qu regains his bearings moments before my swing connects and ducks underneath before he retaliates with a rising slash. I manage a hasty block, but the swing has enough power to cleave my staff in half. Thinking fast, I flip the two halves so I hold them like dual blades, pivot and come in with a parallel slash. At the same time, Lon'qu answers with a full-power overhead swing.

*Shing!*

We stop with our positions inverted, neither moving a muscle after our completed respective swings.

*Plonk, plonk, plonk*

I glance at what remains of my training staff. Two halves, each of them cut in half in turn. Then I turn around and Lon'qu's training sword in a similar state, only his practice weapon is broken instead of cut clean in half.

"In the end, it came down to a sword fight yet again." Lon'qu remarks as he tosses away the sliced training sword.

"True, but at least this spar lasted longer than five seconds." I point out. "Even better, we could actually afford to go serious this time instead of holding back for fear of ending it at the first swing. I think we're on the right track for how our future spars should be done."

My rival raises an eyebrow. "While I prefer a spar where I can cut loose over one that I constantly have to hold back in, wouldn't this get a bit repetitive?"

"I'd say this solution has plenty of room for creativity." I counter. "Besides, the way this spar went pretty much proves my hypothesis was correct; so long as either of us don't treat our weapons as swords, we might be able to spar for real."

"As ridiculous an idea it was, even I have to admit it seems to have merit." Lon'qu relents.

I pat Lon'qu on the shoulder cheerfully. "Hey, no need to look so glum. You got a serious spar, and one where your opponent uses a polearm at that. I think this was a productive moment for the both of us."

Lon'qu allows a small smile. "Can't argue with that. But what was that slap back there?"

I grin. "The most effective moves are the ones your opponent doesn't see coming. There's a difference between fighting dirty and fighting creatively."

"When it comes to you, I fail to see that difference."

"Hey, low blow, man!"

* * *

I blink in surprise as Lon'qu and I return to camp.

"That one looks new. Did I miss something this morning?" I ask confused.

"You're not the only one. This is the first time I see something like that as well." Lon'qu confirms.

The object we're referring to reminds me of one of those old Japanese prayer shrines, only this one seems a bit scaled down to roughly the size of a tent. It even has a few strips of paper that, upon closer inspection, reveal themselves to be charms. Even weirder is the fact that poles are sticking out from the front and back, allowing the whole thing to be carried.

"What is this, some container for a sacred artifact?" I ask while scratching my head.

"Not quite. That would be Lady Tiki's private quarters for the duration of our campaign." Libra explains as he approaches us.

Lon'qu raises an eyebrow. "You built her an entire house? Why in the world would you do that?"

"I believe the answer is quite obvious, Lon'qu." the War Monk replies. "Lady Tiki is the Voice of the divine Dragon Naga, which in turn makes her something akin to a divine figure in her own right. It is only right that she be granted quarters befitting her holy station."

I give Libra a dry look. "And so, you had this portable miniature shrine built for her to sleep in while we carry it around Valm like we're some sort of procession?"

"We need some way to transport Lady Tiki, seeing as she still sleeps a lot, do we not?" Libra elaborates. "And to be clear, I enlisted Frederick's aid in building this humble housing for her Holiness. I admit, he did some fine work."

I redirect my dry gaze at said housing. Now that I know who's occupying it, I can't help but view it as a small cottage instead of a shrine – a small cottage that's been decorated and fashioned to the point of excess. The attention to detail in some places is just ridiculous. That's Frederick's handiwork, alright.

"And you couldn't, I don't know, have just prepared another tent for her to sleep in instead?" I ask skeptically.

"That is unacceptable!" Libra replies sternly. "I will not have the Voice of the divine dragon sleep in such demeaning quarters as a mere soldier's tent."

"Mm… Is there something going on outside? I hear some commotion." Tiki asks sleepily as she peeks out from the flaps on the side of her housing.

Libra bows in reverence. "Forgive my insensitive conduct, milady. I merely tried to convince these two of the importance of granting you adequate sleeping quarters."

Tiki sighs. "I already told you, Libra, while I appreciate what you all have done for me, I find these sleeping arrangements a bit…extravagant. If I really need to sleep while you march, I could just sleep in one of the carriages."

"Milady, no! Such poor arrangements do not befit someone as yourself!"

Tiki shakes her head. "I've forgotten how tiring it could be when there were people who practically worshipped the ground I walked on. Ban-Ban, I blame you, even though you're not around anymore."

"Is there any way I can assist you, milady? Any at all?" Libra asks.

I lean close to Lon'qu. "Wow. Libra's gone full-on fanboy over her. I hope Emmeryn takes the news well."

It's subtle, but I notice Lon'qu hold back a snort.

"You can start by leaving me in peace." Tiki tells the War Monk in a tone that indicates that she's had more than enough of him acting like her personal servant. "I wish to be alone…with this man over here."

I notice that Tiki's pointing at me. I blink and point at myself.

"Yes, you. I wish to speak with you in private…Jack, was it?"

"Um, yeah. So…where do you want to talk?"

Tiki lifts the entry flaps and indicates the insides. "Inside my quarters. There's enough space for the both of us in here."

I nod and am about to enter when Libra grabs me by the shoulder.

"Jack, please understand that I say this with full faith that you are a good man; I expect you to conduct yourself with proper respect in front of Lady Tiki. Do I make myself clear?"

I settle for a dry look and a nod instead of rolling my eyes. "Yes, I understand completely, Libra. We're just having a conversation _in_ _private_. Nothing more, nothing less. You have my word."

Libra holds his grip a bit longer before he lets go and nods. "I suppose that is the most reassurance I can get out of you. Very well. If you would excuse me."

* * *

Libra and Lon'qu leave as I enter Tiki's miniature cottage.

We both get comfortable on a pair of cushions that somehow fit inside with everything else in here with room to spare.

"So, what did you wish to talk about, Tiki?" I ask curiously while I put a soundproof air bubble around her living space.

Tiki closes her eyes to gather her thoughts.

"There was something odd that I sensed when we met back at the top of the tree before I fell asleep again." Tiki begins. "I felt power like my own in Robin, yes, but she was not the only one up there with a peculiar power slumbering within her. Yours is even more so, Jack. Your power feels…otherworldly. Just who are you?"

I nod. "So you managed to sense it too, huh? You're not the first one, though I believe you're the fastest one to catch on. Your estimation that my power feels otherworldly is more on the mark than you might guess, Tiki. Simply put, I'm from another world."

Tiki nods in understanding. "As I thought. Being so close to you, I can feel how your very lifeforce is distinguished from any other creature I have met in the many centuries I have lived."

I raise an eyebrow. "Is that…bad?"

Tiki shakes her head. "Not necessarily. Even though your existence is foreign to this world, your existence here is no different than if someone were to live as a foreigner in another country. In fact, I could have easily mistaken you for a resident of this world. It was only pure happenstance that I sensed the nature of your power in the short time I was awake. Even as we speak, I can feel how it slowly grows attuned to the rest of the world, though it remains distinct at its core. You originally came to this world as an outsider, but you have found a place here, and so have slowly been accepted as part of this place."

I smile. "I think I can figure out how that works. You're right in that I have found a place in this world – by my wife's side."

Tiki smiles back. "The silver-haired woman who bears power like my own? Yes, I could feel a strong bond between you two almost immediately. Rarely have I seen two people share such trust and affection for each other. You may already be aware of this, but that bond is something to be treasured. Ah, but there's more."

"More?"

"If I were to liken your bond with your wife to a chain, I can sense something akin to several smaller chains weaved together around it." Tiki explains. "The bond you share with Robin is not the only one. There are many others that you have formed bonds with. They are not as strong, but when taken all together, they form a whole that that is strong in its own right."

My mind immediately goes to my friends and allies. My children, the Shepherds, Lucina and her friends, my teammates. There are so many people in my life that I care for.

The smile gives way to a grim frown. "But at the same time, I sense something foreboding within those bonds."

I blink confused. "Foreboding?"

"I'm not sure how to put it. While your bond is a strong one, it's also fragile. It's almost like the bond you share with your wife acts like an anchor for your heart in this world – a fitting analogy when considering how you describe your place here. But I can feel something wrapped tightly in that bond. And what I sense there…frightens me. It feels like a storm just waiting to be unleashed. If your bond were ever to break, the destruction it would cause would be devastating – more so on yourself than the world around you."

I scratch my head in further confusion. " _Well, I'm lost. Any idea what she's talking about, Sparrow? You're a being born from my own soul, after all._ "

"…"

" _Sparrow?_ "

" _ **Let's just say…Tiki's onto something.**_ " my Hollow spirit answers evasively.

I frown. " _And what's that supposed to mean?_ "

" _ **Not sure if you'd like the truth. All I can say is that you've got A LOT of suppressed stuff in your soul, and it's not even my fault. You being a papa bear? That's just the tip of the iceberg.**_ "

" _I'm not_ _that_ _bad, am I?_ "

" _ **Remember what that blonde swordie you met during your training trip told you about Reality Marbles?**_ "

" _Jaune?_ "

" _ **No. The**_ _ **other**_ _ **blonde swordie.**_ "

" _Zero?_ "

" _ **Nope. Try again.**_ "

" _Shulk?_ "

" _ **I don't think the Monado actually counts as a sword. Also, no.**_ "

"… _Link?..._ "

" _ **For crying out loud, the guy's practically mute! And would you stop being so sexist! I was referring to a woman!**_ "

I'm really starting to wrack my brain. " _Uh… Cloud? No, he was just crossdressing. Aha! Mythra!_ "

The distinct sound of a facepalm echoes within my mind.

" _ **For the love of- I was referring to that knight chick who blasts Final Flashes from her golden sword!**_ "

" _Oh, you mean Saber._ " I reply in realization. And then my eyes widen as I think back on one particular conversation that I had some time after Shirou had finally fought and defeated his future self.

* * *

 **Flashback**

 _Saber took a sip from her cup of tea._

" _Still, to think there was not one, not two, but three people in Fuyuki with the ability to manifest a Reality Marble." the King (Or queen?) of knights mused. "Forgive me my skepticism, even though I was given a demonstration of it not even a full day ago."_

 _I waved off her concerns. "Considering what you're all up against, I find no offense in that. Really, it's a good thing you're focusing on the more pressing matters at hand – such as getting rid of that arrogant showoff of a king with far more riches and legends to his name than can ever be considered reasonable."_

 _Saber frowned. "Arrogant he may be, but King Gilgamesh is a man who claims to stand above all others, and he can back up every word. He is not someone to be taken lightly."_

 _I huffed. "Don't I know. I'm still amazed that I witnessed Gates of Babylon firsthand and lived to tell the tale. And that jerk had a smug smirk on his face while he kept bombarding me with the blasted things. Thank whatever deity is out there for time stopping abilities."_

" _Which brings me back to the matter I wished to discuss with you." Saber reminded me. "You have powers that I could scarcely fathom. Powers that seem more like a product of your own imagination, and yet they are as real as my own or Shirou's. In fact, the Reality Marble you showed me…bears a striking resemblance to the one Shirou's future self manifested. Yet I know for a fact that you and him are two different persons. How is that?"_

 _I scratched the back of my head awkwardly. "Yeeaah… You're a lot closer to the truth than you think when you said my powers seem born from my imagination. It's a bit of a long story, but the bottom line is, those powers aren't necessarily my own. You could say that my power, at its core, is extremely malleable."_

 _Saber narrowed her eyes at me. "I do not take kindly to people who answer vaguely." The King of knights sighed. "Though I am hardly in a position to press for answers. If not for you, who knows if Shirou would still be alive after such an ordeal? For helping me in bringing my Master and friend back home alive, you have my thanks."_

 _I allow a small smile. "You care for him deeply, don't you?"_

 _Saber nodded. "I see so much of myself in him. Selfless to a fault, brave, if not a bit foolish, kind to all around him, but fiercely protective for those he cares for. His resolve gives me hope, but at the same time, his willingness to so easily throw his life away for the sake of someone else disturbs me. And when I saw Archer manifest Unlimited Blade Works, I felt as if I finally started to understand how Shirou could think so little of himself. I decided then and there that I would fight for him, not as a Servant, but as an ally. The world needs people like Shirou – people who are ready to go the extra mile for anyone who cannot walk on their own."_

 _I hummed in thought. "While I agree that the world is in dire need of more selfless people, I believe Shirou makes a terrible model. He's more of a martyr than a hero. It's hard to inspire people to do good when your end goal involves you dying a painful death because you refuse to back down from your beliefs. And before you begin lecturing me on chivalry, let me point out that you can do a lot more good alive than dead, sacrifices notwithstanding."_

 _Saber bit her lip. "I…concede that there is truth in your words. Even so, I-"_

" _I'm not saying that dying for your beliefs or the sake of others is meaningless." I cut her off. "Death can send a message as impactful as any amount of words could. But from that point onwards, how that impact affects the world will be completely out of your hands. So long as you live, you still have the power to steer your impact according to your will, and can thus decide your legacy. I am well aware that our beliefs differ, but I also acknowledge that there is a good point in what you yourself believe in. I highly doubt your legend would've lasted to this era had it not."_

 _Saber nodded with a slight smile of her own. "I am pleased to speak with someone of such an open mind. You would not believe how difficult it could be to find someone so willing to listen back during my reign."_

 _I sighed. "And some people wonder why mankind has such a bloody history, fictional or not."_

" _Be that as it may, your willingness to listen might save your life, especially when it concerns your power." Saber remarked._

 _I raised an eyebrow. "Okay… How exactly?"_

" _The ability to manifest a Reality Marble is rare for a reason." The King of knights elaborated. "To even have a Reality Marble to manifest in the first place, the bearer must view the world in a way that is fundamentally different from how everyone else does. The manifestation is a means through which the bearer asserts their worldview on reality itself. By witnessing this manifestation, one can gleam into the bearer's view on the world. And when I saw Shirou's, I finally understood just how skewed his own worldview is. He views himself as nothing more than a tool to protect the innocent. And like a tool, he has accepted that he can be discarded the moment his usefulness comes to an end." Saber clutched her teacup just a tiny bit tighter. "Such a noble soul should not be so willing to throw away his own life. In that regard, you and I both agree that staying alive is far better than martyrdom. I will make Shirou see his own worth, even if it is the last thing I do as his Servant."_

 _I scratched my head. "Your understanding Shirou and being ready to help him is good and all, but what does that have to do with me?"_

" _The nature of your Reality Marble." Saber explained. "Like I said earlier, it bears a striking resemblance to Shirou's. A Reality Marble is born from the soul. Manifesting one is therefore the same as baring an image of your soul to the world. The only way I can explain that you and Shirou have such similar Reality Marbles, is that you two have more in common than you think – such as the way you view yourselves. I have already seen what will happen, should Shirou remain the way he is and walk his path to its end. And while you are mostly a stranger to the both of us, I cannot in good conscience simply let you go without at least trying to help you as well."_

 _Saber's assessment gave me pause. Me? Similar to Shirou? The guy may have a one-track mind regarding heroism, but I was firmly convinced we both had more complex personalities than that._

" _Forgive me if I find your assessment wrong." I replied. "Though I am willing to help the innocent, dying in the process is not on my agenda."_

" _I did not say that you are identical." Saber pointed out. "Similar? Yes, but not identical. However, that similarity is still so great that I cannot help but feel that you could end up in a fate as tragic as Shirou's, should the worst come to happen. A Reality Marble may grant its bearer immense power, but such a power can only be obtained at an enormous cost. I do not wish such a fate on you, Jack, which is why I hope that my warning can at least dissuade you, should you ever be given a choice that could set you on a path that only entails sorrow."_

 _I had half a mind to protest when something strange happened. A slightly painful feeling, almost like a tug, took place over my heart. Small as it may be, I felt it strike a chord in me. Could there be a point in Saber's warning?_

 **Flashback end**

* * *

" _So you're telling me…that what Saber saw in me is connected to what Tiki's warning me about?_ " I ask.

" _ **That's what I've been thinking.**_ " Sparrow replied. " _ **Frankly, there's a reason why you and that Noire chick are the only ones around here who can even manifest a Reality Marble, even though hers is far more incomplete. I just hope this is just a case of two chicks making a mountain of a molehill, but with someone like you, I'd rather be safe than sorry. And don't get me started on the whole worrywart thing. I know you just as well as you know yourself, Jack. Heck, sometimes I know you even better than yourself. "I am thou" and all that.**_ "

"I… I'll take your words to heart, Tiki." I eventually tell the ancient manakete. "While we're on the subject, could you tell me more about this foreboding feeling?"

Tiki shakes her head. "I'm afraid I have told you everything I could find out from our brief meeting, Jack. The best piece of advice I can give you is to remind you that you have more bonds than just the one with your wife."

I raise an eyebrow. "But didn't you say that I share a strong bond with Robin already?"

"Yes, but I also warned you about what that bond might be keeping in check, even as we speak." Tiki reminds me. "As morbid the thought may be, imagine if that bond were to be broken. What would you still have in your life to anchor yourself in the storm?"

A shiver runs up my spine. I don't want to think about it, but Tiki more or less dragged my thoughts towards quite possibly my greatest fear; losing Robin. If that were to happen, what else do I have in my life? What meaning does it have? Just like Robin told me her life began the day we met on that field, my own life has always given my wife a significant amount of space. Her leaving my life…would be the same as tearing my heart in two. It would essentially spell my death.

"I see you understand just how high the stakes are for you." Tiki remarks. "And yet, you must acknowledge that you and Robin could become separated at any moment. Life is fragile, Jack. A single mistake, a decision that is just slightly off, could set the events in motion that lead up to a tragedy." Tiki sighs wearily. "In all my centuries in life, I have seen it happen to even the most cautious of people. And every time it happens, the lives affected are filled with a sorrow that haunts then until the end of their days. It's a sight that breaks my heart every time, because it reminds me of the burden that my own lifespan entails."

That last sentence snaps me out of my thoughts.

"You've had to witness the death of everyone you've ever held dear." I remark. "No matter how many of your friends left this life, you alone have remained all this time, with their memory being the only link you still have of them."

Tiki averts her eyes and nods with growing sadness. "Yes. It…is the reason why I leave my home so rarely these days. Leaving for the outside world means meeting new people. Meeting new people means forming new bonds." Tiki shakes her head. "And for every bond formed, there is one more friend to grieve when their time comes. And so the cycle repeats itself until my own time will finally come. Though when that happens, I cannot tell."

I gulp as the weight of Tiki's words settle on me. How many loved ones has she seen off before I met her? How many times was she on the edge of despair, knowing that her time may well be so far away that she can't even comprehend how far it is? I can't leave her like this, but what can I do?

"Do you…miss them?" I ask tentatively.

Tiki nods. "At times, yes. I know it's a foolish notion to wish to see them again, but a part of me simply cannot let go of the thought. Caeda, Bantu…" Tiki closes her eyes. "…Marth…"

Marth, huh? From what I remember, Tiki cherished the bond she formed with the Hero-King. But that was around two thousand years ago, while she was still a child. Hasn't she mourned his death plenty by this point?

…What if she hasn't?...

"Did you ever get to say goodbye to Marth?"

Tiki freezes up. "Wh- How did you know?"

I shrug. "A hunch, really. I suppose that's the real reason why you can't join us on the battlefield yet, is it? It's not that your powers are still dormant – you're not in the mindset to make a stand in battle."

"…I am weak." Tiki declares bitterly after a moment of silence. "Everyone here is putting their lives on the line in the hopes of one day stopping the return of the Fell dragon, yet here I am, cowering inside this small cottage like I have truly grown old and frail. Some Voice of the divine dragon I am…"

I shake my head. "I beg to differ. Your sorrow is no weakness, Tiki. It proves that you have a heart. A wounded one, granted, but it still beats. To be able to live on, even as burdened as you are with your sorrows, takes more strength than most people have."

Tiki gives me a small smile. "Thank you for you encouraging words, Jack." The smile disappears as fast as it came as Tiki closes her eyes instead – which I now realize either means she's either in deep thought or trying to hold back her tears. "But I fear they can only provide me a small comfort at best. As kind as your intentions are – and I am truly grateful for that – it does nothing for the sorrow I am forced to bear."

Tiki takes a shuddering breath. "My power was simply too great. Had I been allowed to roam freely, there is no telling how much destruction I could cause on accident, simply because I was still too young and inexperienced to control the power I had inherited as the progeny of the Divine dragon. So when Marth had defeated the Shadow dragon, he used the power of Naga to seal me into a deep slumber, so that my power would never again be misused or I turned into a puppet. And so, I slept. When Marth was crowned king, I slept. When he married, I slept." A tear escapes Tiki's eye. "When he passed from this world, I slept. When the time for his last rites arrived…I slept."

"You never got to say goodbye to him. To none of the people you befriended in that time." I remark in realization.

Tiki nods silently. "The few times I woke up and went out to explore the world, centuries had passed since the last time. The only link I had to Marth was meeting his descendants. But every time I met them, I was reminded that I slept right through the end of his days. The guilt I felt was crushing. Even now, a part of me wishes that I could die too, if only so that all this grief will finally end."

"Then what if I did something that _could_ lighten your burden?" I ask.

Tiki gives me a questioning look. "How? While I do not question your ability, I do not see how you could succeed in such a task."

"…What I'm about to do could either give you some much-needed closure, or send you into a rage that would destroy any chance I will ever have to meet you on good terms again. I will give you an opportunity to have a moment with Marth." I tell her.

"But Marth has been dead for centuries. Do you mean to wake the dead?"

"No such thing. *Sigh* Screw this. I might as well give it a shot. Just…make sure to brace yourself."

I active Mimicry with a puff of smoke. By the time it disperses, it reveals that I've shapeshifted into Marth's image, clothes and all.

 **BGM: Shrine maiden's prayer, Bravely Default music**

Tiki gasps upon seeing my form.

"I know I am not the real Marth." I tell the ancient manakete in Marth's voice. "I'm sorry I couldn't give you a moment with the real one. But, please… Even if we're just pretending for a moment, let me be Marth for you. Tell me everything that you never got to tell him. And, if all goes well, let me convey the words he never got to tell you before his life reached its end."

Shudders run through Tiki's body as tears wrack her. "Mar-Mar…"

She tackles me in a hug faster than I can react, tears flowing freely down her face as she cries against my chest. I'm taken aback at first, but then get comfortable and let the manakete release all the tears and sobs she needs.

"I've missed you. I've missed you so much. When I was sealed away in that chamber, I had hoped that you would at least visit me, even if I was soundly asleep." Tiki shakes her head. "But you never came. And when I finally woke up, it was only to learn that you had passed away. One by one, all my friends met the same fate, until I was the only one left. I felt so alone. No matter how many people I met, I was always left behind. I couldn't take it anymore. Not when I no longer had you in my life. Why, Marth? Why did you leave me?"

I rub Tiki gently on the head. "I'm sorry, Tiki. There was so much I had to do. A kingdom to rebuild and rule after the war was over. A family to raise together with Caeda. A peace to keep, and reminding the people of the terrors of war, lest they forget and repeat the same tragedies again. Before I knew it, I was an old man. My strength had left me faster than I thought. In the end, I couldn't even muster what was needed to make that trip to your shrine. You're right. I _should have_ at least payed you a visit. I… Words cannot express how much I regret never doing that while there was still time."

"Y-You…" Tiki begins to beat my chest, though there's hardly any strength in her hits. "You dare give me such a hollow excuse after all this time? After all the centuries I have spent regretting my own inability to wake up in time to at least see you off to your grave?"

"If I told you anything else, I would be lying." I reply sadly. "The least I could do is being honest with you, Tiki. I know the truth hurts, but you'll never be able to move on unless that's what you're given."

"I don't want the truth." Tiki sobs as she clutches my clothes. "I want to be with you again, just like all those centuries ago."

"Tiki, look at me."

Tiki slowly raises her tear-streaked face. I wipe away a tear from her cheek.

"I know it's painful to ask this of you, but you have to let go of the past and move on."

"You mean to tell me to simply let go of the one thing I have wished for almost two thousand years? What's so wrong with wanting to be with the people I have cherished for so long?"

"Tiki, you know just as well as I do that your wish will never be granted. I'm no longer of this world. None of my companions are, save you. I'm honored that I still have a special place in your heart, even after so long." I shake my head. "But that impossible wish is shackling you to the past. So long as you let it chain you down, you'll never be able to move forward."

"What if I don't want to?" Tiki asks bitterly.

"If you did…" I hug Tiki close. "…do you even realize how heartbroken everyone would be? Not just me. Bantu, who had watched over you for far longer than I had. Draug, who loved to play with you when there was free time. Navarre, even though he'd never admit it. Linde, who cared for you like a sister. None of us want to see you like this, Tiki. Please… Let go of the pain and look forward to the people in front of you."

"Only to be left behind again? They will all join you on the other side long before me, and I will be all alone once more. All that will remain are the memories."

"Then let those be your anchor to the bonds that you cherish so much. I'm not asking to you discard the bonds you formed with me and the others while we were alive. Keep them in your heart for as long as you can remember us, but never let that stop you from forming new ones. Those are a treasure worth far more than anything else this world could offer you." I give Tiki a gentle smile. "And when the time finally comes for you to leave this world, we will all be waiting for you on the other side with open arms."

Tiki looks at me with budding hope. "Do you…promise?"

I nod. "I promise. I don't care how long it will take. We will be there when you find us again. So please… Stop living in the past, Tiki. There are so many among the living who still wish to be with you. Live life to its fullest. That's what we all wish for you; a fulfilling life."

The dams burst as Tiki hugs me and cries in my chest again. I gently stroke her hair as her tears flow and sobs echo through the small cottage.

The cottage eventually falls silent. A closer inspection reveals that Tiki fell asleep while she was crying. And yet, her face looks peaceful, like a heavy burden has been lifted off her shoulders.

I decide to leave her as she is and put her to bed. After I've placed the cover over her prone body, I brush away a lock of hair from her face.

"Sweet dreams, Tiki. Let's meet again when you time here has come to an end."

Tiki grabs hold of my hand.

"Promise me, Mar-Mar." the ancient manakete mumbles in her sleep.

I smile and rub the top of her hand gently. "I promise. Sleep now. You still have a long journey ahead of you. Farewell. Until we meet again in the next life."

* * *

 **Your relationship with Tiki has advanced! Your relationship with Tiki is now "Trusted"!**

 **BGM ends**

* * *

My transformation has already dispelled by the time I exit Tiki's cottage. And right outside, I spot Nah.

"Uncle Jack? What were you doing with Tiki?" my niece asks.

"Just had a talk with her. There might be a few things I need to be on the lookout for in the future."

Nah frowns. "Really? Does a normal conversation entail enough physical contact that I can smell her all over you?"

I pause. Oh yeah. Tiki all but draped herself over me while I pretended to be Marth. And Nah's a manakete who was trained in Dragon Slayer magic. Of course she'd pick up on scents with ease.

I rub the back of my head. "Yeah, we got a little…close. Nothing serious happened between us. Honest."

"And you honestly expect me to believe that?" Nah counters. "For all I can tell, you're going behind Auntie Robin's back and-" *Wham!* "Ow! What was that for?!" Nah shouts as she holds her head (with a freshly smoking bump on top).

"Never question my loyalty to Robin." I berate Nah as I hold up my now smoking fist. "Look, I just put Tiki through some therapy that was around two thousand years overdue, and she got a bit clingy during it all. That's it. Now, are you going to drop this matter or not?"

Nah pouts as she rubs her sore head. "You didn't have to hit me that hard. We're not even training right now."

"Which reminds me." I point out. "It's been a while since I personally instructed you. I think it's high time that got rectified."

Nah perks up. "Really? I get you all for myself?"

I smirk. "Careful, Nah. If taken out of context, one might think you have the hots for your handsome uncle."

Nah stops in her tracks as her face somehow manages to blanch and glow red at the same time. It's quite fascinating to observe.

*Fwoom!*

On the other hand, her flames are not.

"Get back here, you jerk!" my niece shouts as she chases me with limbs shrouded in dragon fire.

"Trollololololol!"

* * *

After Nah finally calmed down, I prepared a patch of dirt outside camp for her to train on. Why dirt? Because dragon fire can reach some pretty freakin' high temperatures! The Valmese countryside is packed with grassy plains and the occasional forest! If Nah went all-out in her training without some proper precautions, she'd send out a smoke signal that would alert half the empire about our location!

"Hah! Yah!"

So here I am, observing as my niece goes through her current set of katas, complete with azure flames shooting out from her strikes. The form's good enough, but there's something important missing.

Ah, I think I know what's off.

"You're doing it wrong, Nah." I remark after some thinking.

Nah blinks and gives me an incredulous look. "What do you mean, "wrong"? I'm performing the moves just the way you taught me. I even expel the flames the right way."

"That's where you're wrong." I elaborate. "Look, your martial arts moves are good as they are, but that's not the point. The whole reason why you're training those moves is because they're supposed to channel your dragon fire."

"Again, which I am doing." Nah points out.

"*Sigh* Look, why don't I just demonstrate my point?"

I get up and stand beside the patch of dirt Nah's training on.

"Tell me, Nah; where does a dragon's fire stem from?" I ask.

"That one's easy. The breath." Nah answers confidently.

I nod. "Exactly. For a dragon to utilize its breath to its fullest capacity, it has to breathe in deep and fill its lungs with a proper amount of air. If there's too little air in the lungs, the flames become weak and fizzle out before they can reach their target." I settle in a basic karate stance with my feet wide apart and my right fist reared back. "Your fighting style works according to the same principal. Your main objective isn't to beat up your opponent; it's to use those moves to channel your dragon flames and burn your opponent with them, just like any other fire breathing dragon. You're supposed to think of your punches as kicks as substitutes for a dragon's maw, unless you breathe fire directly from your mouth. However, there's no substitute for your breathing. Only when you breathe in deep will your strikes become effective."

I clench my fist and take a deep breath through the nose. "Like THIS!"

A miniature hurricane is expelled from my fist as I throw it. Though concentrated, the horizontal vortex tears up anything standing in its path, be it grass, bushes, or the unfortunate rabbit sitting in the line of fire. It only stops when it hits a boulder and pushes it a good ten paces before it dissipates.

Nah looks at the destruction in awe. "Whoa."

I turn back and smile at her. "See? I only needed a tiny amount of wind magic to pull that one off. But because I breathed deep, I could concentrate it far better than if I just launched it on a whim. You should be able to get similar results if you use your own fire powers the same way. Remember your breathing technique, even while fighting, and everything else should click into place."

Nah nods enthusiastically. "You got it, Uncle Jack! I'll blast so much dragon fire from my fists, I'll light up the night sky!"

"Please don't." I tell my niece dryly. "The valmese may count as our enemies in this war, but destroying their homeland just because of that and because you got too excited in your training would just be rude. Leave your enemies with a grudge after the war is over, and it's just a matter of time before the next war starts."

For real, that's pretty much how World War 2 started. The germans were super butt-hurt after France, the UK and the US pretty much screwed them over after the first world war by shoving the Versailles treaty in their faces. Grudges festered among the populace for years, especially the more patriotic side, and the market crash in 1930 undid pretty much any progress Germany had made in getting back on its feet. Is it any wonder, then, that the germans, still feeling the screwing from the Versailles treaty, wanted a scapegoat to blame for this giant mess? Well, Hitler gave them a bunch to pick from, but he especially painted a giant target on the Jews. And then he shared his dream of a mighty German empire and a pure, Arian race, put some of them into action, and when the rest of the world told him to stop, he resorted to violence.

Remember, kids; where the established democracy fails, populism gains ground.

But I digress.

"Hah!" *FWOOM!*

Niiice. I smile proudly upon seeing that Nah expels significantly bigger flames now. She's getting the hang of her breathing technique. I'm proud to call myself her uncle and teacher.

…Though we might need a bigger patch of dirt soon. Those flames look like they could overshoot the edge of the current patch any second and light the whole field on fire.

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: Five days later**_

Since news of our assault on the garrison stationed at the Mila Tree and the subsequent capture of said area should have reached Walhart's ears by now, Robin decided to completely ditch the subtle approach and simply hustle back to Port Ferox with Tiki in tow, behind our own lines. Part of the reason why we managed to get back to the port town so fast with a divine manakete sleeping in a portable miniature cottage was because I had a quartet of Shadow clones carry the thing the whole way. And, just to make sure they wouldn't jostle the thing while marching through unsteady terrain and risk giving Tiki a rude awakening in the process, I had the clones hover over the ground. I _might've_ also told them to move forward at a _slightly_ faster pace than the standard marching speed for laughs. If anyone complained about the entourage going too fast (read: Lissa and Severa), I could just defend my decision by pointing out that Robin wanted our army and Tiki behind allied lines ASAP.

I love exploiting the situation for my own personal gain.

Of course, Say'ri wasted no time sending messengers to any Resistance hideout near our traveling route with the news that Tiki was on our side. The few times I checked in, I noticed that those messengers sure know how to travel the Valmese landscape fast and stealthy. By the time we make our next move, I'm sure every pocket of the Resistance knows of our success and where we intend to strike next. Divided though they may be, Say'ri knows how to use their communication channels to their fullest.

Which brings us to our current meeting in the war tent. As usual, the leaders of each main faction of our army, along with the head tactician and Say'ri, are gathered here. In addition, the second-in-command of each faction is here as well. That means Frederick, Raimi and Lon'qu are behind Chrom, Flavia and me respectively.

"All right. I hereby declare this war meeting opened." Robin begins as we're all gathered around the war table. "Say'ri, any progress on the Resistance?"

The Dynast Swordmaster nods pleased. "Yes. Factions of the Resistance are already uniting in answer to the Voice's call! Soon bards will sing of this day… "They who conquered the Conqueror!""

Chrom nods in agreement. "A tune I'm most anxious to hear."

Robin frowns as she eyes the map of Valm on the table. "But a man like Walhart will not roll over dead at the first sign of trouble…"

I scowl. "If anything, this latest news has made it clear to him just what we're capable of. We've shown our hand. It's only a matter of time before he shows his."

Say'ri nods grimly. "You are both right. He will muster his forces to put down the Rebellion. Then he will turn his gaze to us. Against his full might, we would not last long."

Chrom rubs his chin. "Where are his armies garrisoned?"

Say'ri looks between me and Robin. "If I may, could you lend me those chess pieces?"

I pull the board out in a flash. "Be my guest."

Say'ri pulls out the black pieces and spread them over the map. The fact that several pieces – including every single one of the valuable kind – are concentrated in certain spots on the map is not missed by anyone.

"The Valmese Imperial Army is comprised of three main divisions: one controls the north, one the south, and the third the lands between." Say'ri elaborates as she indicates the concentrated groups of pieces. "Emperor Walhart commands the northern forces. Their might easily exceeds our own. The south is led by my brother, Yen'fay. His host is said to rival Walhart's."

"Divisions, are they? Hmm…" Robin mutters as she eyes the black pieces.

Flavia glances at my wife. "I see a plan brewing in those eyes of yours, Robin…"

Robin takes out the white pieces and starts to move them around the map, starting with the pawns. "If we could divide their divisions – disrupt communications, supplies, etcetera…"

The pawns knock down the pieces not included in the main black groups one by one, or simply have a pawn standing next to it. "Then introduce misinformation to add to the confusion… A whisper here and there…"

Robin pushes around the main groups of the black color a bit, gradually putting greater distance between each individual piece. "The panic would spread on its own… And all the quicker for their great number."

Then my wife snaps her fingers and casts a light wind spell on the black pieces. Had they remained close to each other, they could've supported each other and resisted Robin's spell. Instead, they fall down with a clatter that sounds deafening in the silence of the war tent.

"Such a giant force could collapse under its own weight." Robin concludes.

A chill runs up my spine – a sensation that I can tell is shared by several of the individuals in the tent. Even though I remember Robin making this assessment in the game, seeing her demonstrate it with those chess pieces makes it feel like she having a battle of wits with the Conqueror himself – and destroying him with as laughable ease as when she plays with me. I know defeating Walhart is nowhere near that easy, but the thought of my wife toying with the emperor of Valm while beating him at his own game is terrifying and irresistibly exciting at the same time.

Chrom is the first to regain his wits. The prince indicates the middle group of fallen chess pieces. "Say'ri – the third division, stationed between the other two…"

Say'ri nods. "Aye, sir, at Fort Steiger, halfway along the highroad. In fact, the stronghold is located fairly close to here, around a week's march. We might stand a chance against them… But it would take speed and luck."

Say'ri takes the pawns on the board and line them up at our current position along with the rest of the white pieces. She then moves the pawns along with each bishop and knight and divides them equally to the pieces representing Walhart's and Yen'fay's factions. "I wager Walhart and Yen'fay are both ready for battle at this very moment. As such, I suggest sending the bulk of our army to the north and south to mask our plan. An elite force, led by Sir Chrom, might then quietly slip through to Fort Steiger." The rooks, the queen and the king are sent to the middle group of black pieces. "What say you?"

Chrom puts his hand in his chin before he nods. "I say "aye"."

Flavia nods along. "Aye."

I frown as I eye the pieces. "A question, Say'ri. Which ones would be included in this elite force led by Chrom?"

Say'ri puts on a thinking pose of her own. "From what I have seen, Sir Chrom's personal militia would be the most fitting choice. You are few in number, but your individual combat prowess is astounding. But if we are to make this force as powerful as possible to ensure victory, Khans Flavia and Basilio, Lady Robin and you, Sir Jack, might be necessary as well."

"That's it?" I ask with a hint of worry.

"Jack, I can tell something's bothering you." Robin remarks. "What's the matter?"

"Think about it, Robin." I elaborate. "We're splitting up our forces to challenge the three mightiest armies in the entire empire of Valm at the same time. What's more, the parts of the army marching towards the two strongest will fight without their head commanders – me, Khan Flavia and Chrom – leading them in battle. I have seen suicidal plans before, but this feels like we're in over our heads."

That, and I know how fast things go south after the battle at Fort Steiger. I am _not_ sending my team in either direction, d-mn it! They're good, but this is Walhart and Yen'fay we're talking about here. Those two are practically one-man-armies on their own.

Robin shakes her head. "Jack, I understand your concern, but this might be our best shot at scoring a decisive victory that will truly tip the scales of this war. The force attacking Fort Steiger needs to be as strong as possible with its small number, else we will fail. On the other hand, bringing too many into this force will reveal the ruse. We can't afford to add any more members to it."

I clench my fist in frustration. I know Robin's reasoning is solid, given the situation, but I also know how horribly wrong everything will turn out.

"You're concerned about our team." Lon'qu discerns – thus making him the first lieutenant to speak up in the war tent.

I blink in surprise before I rub my temples. "*Sigh* Yes, Lon'qu, I am."

"We've handled any mission we were deployed at with ease." Lon'qu points out. "This is what we trained our team for, Jack. At least have some faith in them."

"We trained our teammates to protect the people of Ylisse, Lon'qu." I stress. "I don't care how relevant this is for the cause of our team. I know how strong our team is, but these are the armies of the _Conqueror_ they'll be up against, and I won't even be there by their side. For all I know, this could mean sending them to their deaths."

"Then you know exactly how every single military leader in history who was worth a d-mn felt whenever they sent out soldiers for a task they could not handle personally. This is war, Jack." Flavia interjects sternly. "No matter how well-trained the soldiers, no matter how good the equipment or tactics, there's no guarantee that the ones you send out will return home alive. There's a reason why commanders rarely establish strong bonds with anyone under their command but their most trusted subordinates; the guilt of knowing they sent trusted comrades to die could crush any man, no matter how strong they are. You, Chrom and Robin are the only exceptions I've met."

"So what? I'm just to distance myself from my team before I send them out?" I ask defiantly. "That would go against the whole point of why I accepted the rank of captain in the first place."

"I'm asking you to trust in our team." Lon'qu tells me. "Just like I trust that you will win your battle in time to reunite with us and lead the whole team once more."

I look around me. Expectant looks from all around.

Is this really the right choice? Can I trust my team to handle themselves against such a powerful foe without me to be there for them?

I put my hand on Lon'qu's shoulder. "If I go along with this plan, it means I will put the fate of the team in your hands, Lon'qu."

"Do you trust me with that task, Captain?" my lieutenant asks coolly.

I frown as I weigh my options – not that there's a lot to go on.

I tighten my hold on Lon'qu's shoulder by the tiniest bit. "Send this message to Hawke; I'm counting on you both."

Lon'qu places his hand on top of mine and nods wordlessly.

I nod back and let go of his shoulder before I face Say'ri with a determined look. "Count me in, Say'ri. Let's do this."

The Dynast Swordmaster nods pleased. "Fie! We could all be dead within the moon, yet all of you are willing to go with this bold plan. Your courage is…an inspiration… Aye, we will win this war yet, by gods!"

* * *

The rest of the day is spent organizing the bigger factions that will march towards Walhart and Yen'fay. Knowing that I will send my team against the southern faction still fills me with a sense of unease.

No. I've already committed myself to this plan along with everyone else. Backing out now would just complicate matters. All I can do now is to believe in my teammates. All of them.

We're currently handing out the necessary supplies for the march for the northern division. Between Anna's sheer bureaucratical skills and a small squad of my clones, procedures are going smoothly.

*Ka-BOOM!*

The campsite shakes from an explosion close to where the Shepherds sleep. I make another dozen clones to scan for potential attackers on the off-chance that the Valmese army has managed to sneak Assassins behind our lines while we were busy looking elsewhere.

So imagine my surprise when I notice that Henry's tent is gone and instead has scorch marks and a small, smoking crater in its place. The Sorcerer himself lies on the ground unmoving and covered in soot.

"Henry!"

Lissa runs up to Henry and kneels down to check up on him.

Henry groans as he regains consciousness. "Oh, ow… Guess adding those extra lines to the rune circle was a bad idea after all."

"You're telling me that explosion happened because you were _researching_?!" Lissa asks in disbelief while she casts a healing spell over the Sorcerer.

"Sure do." Henry replies cheerfully. "It's been a pet project of mine since a week or so. Can't complain about the power, but I had hoped the thing wouldn't go off in my face so quickly."

"You EXPECTED your experiment to go wrong?!"

"Hey, happens all the time in research. Though I had hoped it would take a few more trials before it happened. Now I have to trace back a few steps to make sure I figure out what I did wrong."

Lissa sighs exasperated. "What am I to do with you? I can't leave you alone for a day without you putting your life in danger like it doesn't even matter."

"But it _does_ matter. At least, it does with you around, Lissa." Henry remarks.

Lissa blinks confused. "Huh? Why me?"

Henry rubs the back of his head. "Uh, what's the human phrase for this sort of thing again? Oh yeah. I've begun feeling…comfortable when you're close. Normally when I'm with humans, I'm always wary of them, no matter how friendly they may be. Comes with being raised by forest animals. But with you, I don't feel the need to be wary at all. In fact, I feel safe – safe enough that I can even sleep close to you, just like we did under that tree back before we went sailing here."

Lissa fidgets a bit. "I thought that was because you'd pulled gods-know-how many all-nighters trying to help me with my nightmares."

Henry nods. "Yeah, that was part of the reason. But now that I think back on it, I could've just left you under the tree and gone sleeping in a haystack or something. But I didn't. It's only recently that I've begun thinking on that. And that's when I noticed this was important. My head's usually filled with all the different ways I can kill someone. I _never_ think about which humans I like sleeping around, because I've never met anyone. Not until I met you."

"What am I to you, then, your nanny?" Lissa huffs. "Look, as nice as it sounds that you're comfortable around me, that doesn't change the fact that you're still more likely to die by your own hand than because of someone who _wants_ you dead. I can't stop thinking about you, because I always worry that you'll do something stupid like this when I'm not around to keep an eye on you. Do you have any idea how many times that's kept me awake at night, not knowing whether I'll even see you in one piece in the morning?"

Henry frowns concerned. "You couldn't sleep because you were worried? That's stupid."

"Like you would know! And it's your fault anyway!" Lissa snaps. "Unless you've gotten it through your thick skull, I care about you, Henry! I know any one of us could die in this war, at any time. But when I realize that it could happen to you, I feel like my stomach's about to twist into itself." A tear forms in Lissa's eye. "I'm scared. Scared of you dying more than anyone else, even Chrom. And I don't understand why."

"You know… I just realized that I've been thinking about you a lot lately too, Lissa." Henry muses as he looks up in the sky. "All my life, I've always kept away from humans in one way or another, never thinking much about them. But every time I was close to you, I felt happy that you were around. Seeing you walk away to do whatever doesn't involve me made me sad. I tried to figure out why you, of all humans, would latch onto my thought like that." The Sorcerer shrugs. "I eventually gave up thinking about it and went with the flow. But that's when I noticed something else. I never realized how lonely I felt without you until you were actually gone. This might sound crazy, but I never want to live away from you again, Lissa – ever."

Lissa's cheeks begin to turn red. "Uh, Henry…? Are you talking about what I think you're talking about?"

"I don't know about you, but I've decided that I want you as my mate." Henry declares. Then he frowns. "Wait, that's not what humans call it. What did the deer say it's called again? Something about it being different when it's a female… Aha! I want you as my wife!"

Lissa's healing spell stops abruptly as her face goes from slightly blushing to full-on boiling point.

"Y-your wife?! Henry, you're asking for my hand in marriage?!" Lissa all but shouts as steam pours from her ears.

Henry nods thoughtfully. "Yeah, something like that. Don't worry. The bears taught me all about the birds and the bees." The Sorcerer scratches his head. "Though the wolves kept barking that the part about bee larvae being a tasty treat was just a bear thing. And then the bears wouldn't stop growling about the alpha male thing was just a stupid setup by the wolves. And then they all got in a big fight."

Henry shrugs. "Meh, whatever. I've pretty much got the gist of it. You decide to live together and start a family, right?"

"Don't make it sound so simple!" Lissa protests. "Getting married means that you promise to love one another and stay with each other for as long as we're both alive."

Henry smiles. "I know! The swallows wouldn't stop pecking me on the head until it got it. It sounds great!"

"You… You really want to go through with it." Lissa remarks disbelieving.

"Of course I do. Do you?"

Lissa bites her lip before she nods. "I… I do." A smile grows on the War Cleric's lips. "I finally understand why you've been on my mind so much lately. I love you too, Henry. And I want to marry you too."

Henry's smile matches Lissa's. "Awesome! This is gonna be great, Lissa! We're gonna make the best home ever together, with kids and everything!"

"Whoa, slow down there! One step at a time, Henry." Lissa tells the Sorcerer. "Things like these take time. There's no need to rush it."

Then the princess points at me. "And you will be the witness to our agreement, Jack."

I blink surprised. "Huh? Me?"

Lissa nods. "Yeah. In case Chrom reacts poorly to the news. Can't have Henry cut down before our wedding."

I give Lissa a dry look. "Chrom can't be _that_ bad, can he?"

Lissa gives me an even dryer look. "You have no idea what went down after you left for your little trip around the continent. The day after you left, some pompous noble pointed at Lucina and told Emm he wanted to marry her. It took Emmeryn using her full authority to barely stop Chrom from gutting the fool like a fish. How do you think he'll react when he hears his own little sister's getting married?"

"Oh, come now. Chrom knows Henry. Unlike some no-name aristocrat, our favorite prince knows who you're getting involved with." I counter.

"Actually, Chrom's still a bit wary around me." Henry points out. "I think it had something to do with the Risen crows I let loose in camp a few days ago. Probably not one of my better ideas."

"Which is why we need you, Jack, to be there and confirm that me and Henry agreed to this marriage together." Lissa continues. "And to make sure Chrom won't try to gut Henry like a fish anyway, in case Cordelia's not there to stop him."

Come to think of it, Severa _did_ mention back during our sailing voyage that Chrom was seriously protective of her whenever some pompous noble rudely asked for her hand in marriage while she was still as child. If what Lissa says is true, she's got a good point.

I scratch my head. "*Sigh* Fine. I'll be there in case Chrom protests. Heck, so long as you treat each other right, I have no reason to object to this. Congrats, by the way."

Lissa beams at me. "Thanks, Jack! Now, let's share the good news with everyone."

Henry matches her smile. "I'm right behind you – as soon as I'm sure I can walk without feeling like I'm about to keel over."

That snaps Lissa out of her joy. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, Henry! Here, let me finish up treating you wounds first."

* * *

 **Lissa and Henry are now "Lovers"!**

* * *

Well, that's one way to propose…

* * *

 _ **Timeskip: The next morning**_

Our camp's all packed up, and the army stands ready to march. Each division stands distinct from the others. I pay the southern division a quick visit to see my team.

And there they are, led by Lon'qu.

"Team, I won't sugarcoat what I'm about to say." I tell my teammates. "What you're about to do may be the most dangerous mission you've been sent out to since this unit was founded. You'll be facing against the strongest armies the empire of Valm has at its disposal, led by one of its strongest generals. But I have faith. Faith that you will stand strong in the battles to come. Faith that, even though I'm not there, you will fight like I never left. And faith that we will meet once more. Until then, we all have our roles to play, and mine is in another division. I look forward to the day when we can swap stories of our travels through this continent. Until then, Godspeed to you all!"

My teammates stand at attention. "Yes, Captain Jack!"

I nod with a proud smile. A quick glance at Hawke shows that Lon'qu delivered the message. Alright, this is all I can do for the team. The rest is in their hands. Here's to hoping that we'll head south as soon as we're done at Fort Steiger.

* * *

Our marching strategy this time is a bit more elaborate compared to the previous strategies Robin has devised before.

First up are the three main divisions that our army is split up in. The northern mainly consists of Feroxi soldiers, seeing as the climate in northern Valm is somewhat colder – which in turn is no problem for an army of soldiers who live in a country that's mainly covered in snow for long periods of time.

Then there's the southern division, which mainly consists of Ylissean soldiers, as well as my team, led by Lon'qu and Hawke. Their task is fighting against Yen'fay's division.

And then there's the middle faction, consisting of the fighters recommended by Say'ri during that war meeting where the whole idea of splitting our army was first presented. Our main objective is to strike Fort Steiger and seize it as fast as we can. We then make the stronghold our new base of operations while sending help to either front as the situation demands.

But there's more. To make this plan even have a shot, Robin picked out a few soldiers among our ranks, plus several of our key contacts with the Resistance, and made a fourth covert division. They have two tasks. The first task is to connect with the other factions of the Resistance spread throughout the continent and gather soldiers and supplies to bolster the northern and southern divisions. The second is to spread misinformation and rumors in every major town where communication lines in the empire intersect. This will aid in Robin's little misinformation plot to weaken the imperial armies from within as much as possible. Of note is that both Gaius and Kellam (we almost forgot him) are part of this division. The idea is that they will meet up with us at Fort Steiger at a later point in time. Guess Tharja and Miriel will have to make do without their husbands for a while.

And thus comes the marching routes for each division. The northern and southern divisions will obviously march straight towards their objectives, seeing as they have a lot of ground to cover. Meanwhile, our division will take a turn to the south and then march in a wide curve westward to Fort Steiger. The reason for this maneuver is twofold on its own and connected to the fact that our objective is the closest. The first reason is because spreading those rumors and pieces of false information will need time before they have any notable effect. If we delay our attack a bit, that gives our covert division time to spread the disruptive messages and (in theory) mess up Walhart's communication network something fierce. This points towards the other reason of our roundabout marching. The plan is to strike at all three of Walhart's main divisions at the same time. Since our division would reach its target faster than the others, we need to stall our time of attack a bit to give them time to reach their targets. At the same time, we have to stay on the move to make sure that the tracks we leave in the places where we do stay will be as unnoticeable as possible.

* * *

So it is, then, that I find myself marching with the Shepherds, just like back in the last war. Only this time, we're accompanied by several of our future children, both khans and Say'ri. According to our local Swordmaster, we should arrive at a hamlet soon. This hamlet in particular supposedly holds deep historical connections to Valm's past, as it served to guide both the first king and queen of the united empire back then during a time when both were in dire need of guidance.

While we're marching through the woods surrounding the hamlet, Lissa sidles up to Lucina.

"Say, Lucina? I'm still around in your future, right?" the War Cleric asks her eldest niece. "So, um… What am I like?"

"Well… You're warm and kind, for starters. Even amid the darkness and desolation. Your smile serves as a beacon of hope for all those around you." Lucina reminiscences. Then her face falls. "Or, at least, it _did_ , before your passing. Your death was mourned by many. Some even said you were every bit as radiant as the late Exalt Emmeryn."

That makes Lissa blush. "Oh, geez! I'd better get cracking if I want to live up to that."

"That shouldn't be too hard, Lissa. Your smile always brightens my day." Henry adds happily.

"Aw, that's so sweet of you, Henry." Lissa replies and hugs her fiancé.

Severa fidgets as she walks. "Man, I'm still getting used to seeing Aunt Lissa and Uncle Henry together again. It's been years since I last saw them like this."

Lucina nods with a sad smile. "I know the feeling. Uncle Henry's death was a devastating blow for all of us – especially their son."

Lissa perks up at the last part. "Oh, I have a son?! Tell me more!"

"Well… His name is Owain, for starters." Lucina replies.

"Aw, cute!" Lissa gushes. "So what's he like?"

Severa sweats nervously. "I, uh… If he's anything like we remember, maybe we should hold off on that…"

Lucina shakes her head. "No, Severa. I think it is best to let Aunt Lissa know." The blue-haired princess grimaces. "…No matter how uncomfortable the thought makes me."

Severa sighs. "Oh gods… Might as well get it over with."

"So? Out with it!" Lissa presses as she's practically in both future princesses' faces.

"He's… Well, he's quite colorful…" Lucina begins nervously.

Severa rolls her eyes. "Understatement of the year."

Lissa rubs her chin frowning. "Hmm… Now I'm not so sure if I want to know what that means."

"Well, at least he's not boring, right?" Henry asks hopefully.

Severa bites her lip. "You could say that… Never a dull moment with Owain around, that's for sure."

Henry giggles. "Sounds great! I think I like him already. And we haven't even had him yet, Lissa!"

"Easy for you to say, Henry." Lissa huffs. "You're not the one who has to push him out. Do you have any idea how painful childbirth is for the mother?"

The Sorcerer shrugs. "I can make an educated guess. You wouldn't believe how foulmouthed female bears get whenever they give birth to their cubs. And they always squeeze out two. Did you know bears have a separate vocabulary, just for cursing while giving birth?"

Miriel adjusts her glasses. "I am torn between wanting to study this vocabulary for the sake of science, and trying to erase the very thought for the sake of decency and civilized behavior. Such crude language should never be known to man."

Laurent places a comforting hand on Miriel's shoulder. "If it is any consolation, Mother, you did indeed get started on a dictionary in the future. Your…curiosity simply won out in the end. Though you left your work unfinished."

Miriel frowns. "I never leave my work unfinished, Laurent. What could possibly make me abandon that task at-" Miriel freezes upon noticing a pained grimace on her son's face. She soon mimics his expression. "Ah, I see… My apologies. That must have dredged up some painful memories."

Laurent shakes his head. "That does not matter now, when you are right in front of me. Just know that I will make sure it stays that way, whether you attempt to finish what your future self started or not."

"Well, bear language or not, there's something else I'm curious about." Lissa interjects. "Does he have…"

Lucina blinks at her aunt's sudden silence. "Yes?"

Lissa shakes her head with an accepting smile. "No… Never mind."

"Are you sure, Aunt Lissa?" Lucina asks confused. "You were so curious not even a minute ago."

"Sorry, I just I promised to help Chrom with something. Bye!"

With that, Lissa runs off.

Lucina watches her aunt run towards her father, still bewildered. "What could she have wanted to know?"

"I think I know." Severa answers. "Remember that one thing that kept bothering her back in our time?"

Lucina frowns. "Bothering her? True, she had her fair share of trouble – and I am still amazed how little Uncle Henry had to do with that – but could you be more specifi-" Lucina's eyes widen in realization. She glances in the direction Lissa ran off to. "Ah, of course. If Owain had never been born, I don't know if she ever would have found closure on that matter."

"Yet another thing we have our cousin to thank for, and he didn't even have to try his usual thing for that one." Severa remarks while rubbing her temples. "As if he didn't already stir things up enough, just by being around."

* * *

"Say'ri, is the hamlet close?" Chrom asks after some more wandering through the woods.

The Swordmaster nods. "Aye. It should be just beyond these trees."

We expected a peaceful settlement waiting for us beyond the foliage.

Instead, we come to a town in an uproar, with bandits running about and trying to pillage the townspeople. Seriously, Walhart. Put some law enforcement on your conquered territory! Is there any wonder there are people who are dissatisfied with your rule?!

"This is it, Boss!" one of the bandits shouts gleefully to their leader. "That treasure's here; I'm sure of it!"

* * *

 **Gecko Lvl 48 Class: Assassin**

* * *

"You'd better be right this time, Gumshoe!" the bandit leader growls before he zips ahead, grabs a maiden by the collar and presses her to a house wall with a dagger to her throat. "All right, woman. Speak! Where'd ya put it?"

"I've never heard of no treasures here! Honest I haven't!" the poor villager sobs fearfully.

"Oh? Then I guess we're done here." Gecko tosses her aside, right among several of his men. "She's useless, boys. Kill her. And then get to looting this town. I refuse to leave emptyhanded."

The ruffian from before licks his lips hungrily. "Aye, Boss."

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: Scion of Legend**  
 _While on your way to Fort Steiger, you come across a hamlet under attack from – Who else? – bandits. You know the drill by now; drive them off, cut them down, just do anything to stop the pillaging. Also, you might want to have a look at the local militia. They have a most remarkable sword wielder in their ranks._  
 **Objective:** _Defeat all bandits._  
 **Rewards:** _10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold_

* * *

Say'ri gets ready to draw her Windcleaver. "This is bad. We must hurry to her aid, fast!"

"Halt, fiends!" a young man shouts from further within the village.

Everyone's attention turns to the owner of the voice.

The young white-haired man is garbed in a yellow fur coat that's surprisingly popular among many sword wielders. There's a chest plate and armguards made of leather for added protection, while still allowing for easy mobility. And to complete the ensemble are the tan pants and black boots. But the most eye-catching feature are the orange pointy sunshades over his eyes.

And then, of course, there's the words I can see floating over his head.

* * *

 **Owain Lvl 35 Class: Myrmidon**

* * *

The young Myrmidon walks up to the bandits, Killing Edge resting over his shoulder and with a posture that just screams confidence.

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! You've guts, prowling around in this peaceful little hamlet like you own the d-mn place! You and your merry little band of ugly underlings! You know that?!"

Severa facepalms. "Is he for real?! It's even worse than last time!"

"Huh? Who the Devil are you?" one of the bandits asks menacingly while pulling out a Steel Axe."

"Who am I, you ask? I'm gonna tell you, so you'd better clean out those ears and pay attention!" the young sword wielder replies with a smug grin on his face. A quick twirl on the sheathe brings his Killing Edge to his side, ready to be drawn at any moment. But instead of drawing the deadly blade, he thrusts his finger skywards. The sunlight reflects off his shades with such intensity that it gives of an audible ping.

 **BGM: Steel Samurai (Cadenza remix), Pheonix Wright Ace Attorney music**

"The reputation of the Justice Cabal echoes across the realm! When people talk about their fearless and awe-inspiring Scion of Legend, they're talking about me; Owain!"

Everyone present at the scene looks at Owain in stunned silence.

Brady nods. "Yep, that's him, alright. No one can fake a speech like that."

Cynthia heaves herself up on Frederick's shoulders with countless sparkles glittering in front of her excited face. "Did somebody say "Justice Cabal"?!"

"This guy's got rocks in his head." one of the bandits mutters dryly. "All right then, boy. Guess you're the first to-" *Shing!*

Owain passes the bandit in the blink of an eye. By the time either the bandits or the nearby townspeople can even react, he's already sheathed his Killing Edge again.

The bandit collapses with a surprised gurgle from the blood flooding his throat.

"I should have warned you, I bear a terrible power in my right hand. It has cursed me to wield the blade without peer, but if I ever give in to its dark power, no one – friend or foe – will be left standing after my rampage ends." Owain whispers to the bandits.

That makes the ruffians step back.

"The h-ll?! Did any of you see him move?!" another bandit shouts shocked.

"Clearly, he's got some skills to back up that ridiculous rambling." Gecko growls while drawing a Silver Sword. "No matter. We'll kill him, _then_ we pillage this hamlet."

Owain puts himself between the bandits and the frightened village maiden. "Go. I'll hold them off."

The young woman nods and hurries away from the scene.

Then Owain faces the bandits. "As for you, you will all atone for your deeds in the eternal hellfire of perdition!" As the Myrmidon grasps his Killing Edge again, winds billow around him. "Behold!"

 **BGM ends**

A slight fizzle sparks under the fur coat covering his right hand. Whatever Owain planned to do stops right then and there.

The Myrmidon looks at his hand in alarm. "Huh?! Not now, of all times! Come on, sword hand! Back me up here! I'm sorry about calling you a cursed power!"

A massive collective sweatdrop forms in the atmosphere.

Chrom groans. "I am _so_ lost right now. Does he intend to fight those bandits or not?"

Henry giggles. "Hee hee. He's funny. I like him."

"I don't care how, just shut this nutcase up." Gecko orders his lackeys. "And start pillaging already! He's only one man! He'll go down soon enough."

 **BGM:** **Vs Ho-oh (Hito Ookami's remix), Pokémon Heart Gold / Soul Silver music**

"Not on my watch!" Lissa shouts as she pulls out Betty and runs into the fray.

"What? Lissa, what are you doing?!" Chrom shouts after his sister.

Sparks dance over the giant mallet head as Lissa jumps and brings her weapon down like a wyvern on the hunt.

"Clear a path, everyone! Zeus Hammer!"

*Krrzzt! Kra-BOOM!*

The Zeus Hammer strikes the ground between the two sides like a literal thunder bolt and causes everyone close by to scatter out of sheer survival instinct.

Owain gawks at the blonde War Cleric. "M-Mom?!"

Lissa shoulders Betty and smiles at Owain. "I thought you could use some help. Don't worry. I'm an old hand at taking down bandits."

"First a nutcase who can't even use a sword properly, and now a delicate girl holding a giant hammer?!" an Archer shouts bewildered. "What is wrong with this da-" *WHAM!*

" _Never_ call me delicate." Lissa huffs after she sent the poor ruffian flying.

I draw Harvest Moon and glance at Robin with some uncertainty. "So, uh… Do we join the fray? Those two seem to handle themselves pretty well right now."

"Then we should head further into the hamlet and stop the bandits robbing the people there." Chrom replies as he draws Falchion. "Shepherds! Protect the townspeople!"

"Yes, Captain Chrom!" the rest of us respond as we charge in.

Since the bandits have a head start, I decide to leave the front of the village to the others and take to the rooftops instead. I notice that the bandits move among the houses in groups of four to five, each of them ganging up and trying to break into the locked houses.

*Screech!*

Oh, so they have Wyvern Rider's too? Been a while since I fought one.

The mounted ruffian commands his wyvern to an attack run with his Steel Axe at the ready.

*Clang!*

Not that it's enough to knock me out of the sky.

"Frontal assault? Against me? Really?" I ask incredulous as I push back against the axe.

The bandit smirks. "Who said I'm the one who'll off you?"

The wyvern opens its maw and takes a deep breath. The telltale glow of fire breath shines from the depths of its throat.

"Sorry about this." I tell the wyvern before I grab an apple from my bag (Because why not?) and shove it right down the gullet.

The eyes of both wyvern and rider bug out at my move. The wyvern's throat momentarily bulges out like a balloon before it returns to normal. The wyvern falls to the ground unconscious with smoke leaking from its nostrils, all while the rider screams bloody murder.

"Did you just shove an apple down a wyvern's throat?" Cordelia asks in disbelief as she flies close to me.

I shrug. "I wanted to stop its fire breath before it roasted me. Had to improvise."

The Falcon Knight shakes her head. "Only you, Jack…"

I give her a sour look. "Hey, how about you reprimand my fighting style…"

*Thwip*

I lash out my hand and snatch the arrow headed for Cordelia right out of the air. "…when you pay attention to bow users at all times again?"

Cordelia flips Gradivus and tosses the legendary spear right past my ear.

*Shink!* "Guah!"

Nailed the Assassin who shot the arrow, right in the chest.

Cordelia summons Gradivus back with a smirk. "I'll consider it."

I smirk back. "Well played, milady. Well played."

Seeing as pretty much every bow wielding ruffian within hamlet proper has it out for us, I decide to head down and take care of things on ground level instead. Inigo and Olivia are fighting a Dark Mage in tandem while weaving dance moves in between. Their choreography is smooth for being an on-the-fly arrangement, as evidenced by the fact that they actually manage to lead the Dark Mage along with the moves.

Olivia twirls in from the side after Inigo makes a hasty retreat. She turns her pirouette into a low spin and jumps before she puts all the momentum into a single deadly slash across the ruffian's chest. The Dark Mage retaliates with a hasty Fire spell, only to miss as Inigo grabs Olivia with Hermit Purple and pulls her back. Then the dancing Mercenary swaps places with his mother and points at the Dark Mage with a dramatic pose.

"Your next words will be: That's it, I'm turning you both to ashes!"

"That's it, I'm turning you both to ashes!" the Dark Mage shouts and starts chanting a stronger fire-elemental spell. He stops mid-chant as he realizes what just happened. "Huh?"

*Shink!*

Inigo smirks as his Steel Sword sinks into the ruffian's chest. "Never chant in a hectic situation."

*Clang!*

Sparks fly as Vaike clashes axes with a Warrior. Despite the dangerous blows constantly canceling each other out, Vaike grins confidently with each swing.

"What's with that stupid grin?! Get serious and die already!" the outlaw Warrior shouts and takes a step back to wind up an even stronger swing.

The swing goes wide as Vaike ducks at the last moment and shoulder charges the ruffian. The impact knocks the Warrior off his feet and on the ground. By the time he gets his bearing again, he notices that Vaike's grabbed him by the legs.

"What the- Hey, let go!"

"That's enough back talk!" Vaike declares and starts spinning.

The blond Berserker goes faster with each revolution, until the Warrior in his grip is almost a blur. Vaike throws his opponent with a war cry and, despite how hard it is to aim while spinning that fast, nails a Swordmaster with the flying Warrior.

And that's when Frederick descends on the two outlaws horse-first and has them pounded into the ground.

Severa bats aside an Elfire spell and jumps back to dodge the follow-up Elthunder spell right behind it. She'd be fine facing just one of the Mages in front of her, but numbers win over raw ability in this case. The fire Mage takes another shot and unleashes an Arcfire spell this time. Severa blocks the stream of fire with her sword and looks ready to return it to sender. I have a different idea, though.

"Toss it up!" I shout to my redheaded student before I jump into the air.

Severa nods and shifts her blade to swing upwards and sends the fire stream into the air. I make a Shadow clone in the air and then climb even higher with Gale step. At the same time, my clone catches the magic fire and molds it into a sphere through the basic principal of the Rasengan. The stream of fire quickly turns into an orange glowing orb of flames that my clone tosses up to me. While that happened, I concentrated wind magic around my fist. I rear back my wind coated fist just as the sphere reaches my height.

In the wise words of Alpharad:

Forward. AERIAL!

My fist slams into the sphere from above and sends it back to the earth like a miniature meteor.

*Boom!*

And, conveniently enough, right at the two Mages who were busy gawking at my awesome moves.

By the time I land, Severa gives me an accusing glare.

"That was _mine_!"

I grin uncaringly. "Not apologizing. Nice teamwork, by the way."

Kjelle grunts as she slides back from blocking a Hammer blow from a Wyvern Rider.

"Could you two argue when we're _not_ fighting?!" the Knight admonishes us.

The Wyvern Rider comes in for another attack run, confident in taking down Kjelle. Too bad he's got terrible timing.

* * *

 **Union Strike: Sky Drop**

"Ready, Kjelle?!" I shout as I sidle up next to the Knight.

Kjelle digs her feet down. "Have at you!"

The Wyvern Rider swings his Hammer down. Only this time, I counteract the swing with Telekinesis to the point that Kjelle easily bats aside the Hammer with a swing of her shield. While the Wyvern Rider is distracted, I land a knee in his face and knock him off the wyvern. Kjelle is already waiting underneath the draconic mount and swings her lance at the falling ruffian with enough force to juggle him. I cut in and send kicks upwards to keep the combo going. Then I grab the Wyvern Rider and toss him into the air before I charge up a Hurricane fist.

"Get ready for the finisher."

"Too easy!" Kjelle replies and tenses her legs before she leaps into the sky.

As the Wyvern Rider comes back down, I send him skywards once more with my Hurricane fist. The ruffian shoots into the air like an arrow before he smacks right into Kjelle's armored chest.

"This ends here!"

Kjelle grabs the Wyvern Rider and angles his body to point upside down before she locks her legs and arms around his own limbs. That's when they begin their descent back to the ground. At the same time, I use Telekinesis and grab hold of the falling pair.

"You're going six feet under!"

I swipe my arm downwards, causing their descent to accelerate even faster.

*Boom!*

The ground briefly shakes from the heavy impact. By the time the dust settles, the Wyvern Rider is buried to the waist in the ground and completely unmoving.

Kjelle brushes some dirt off her armor. "Hardly a fair match."

I shrug. "Was it meant to be?"

* * *

*Vrrm!*

Rose backflips away from a Flux spell and then tosses Kirby at an incoming Thunder spell to block it. By the time the plush toy lands back in her hand, Rose has a spell tome out and makes a quick chant.

"Here's how you do it. Elthunder!"

Rose's lighting spell gets blocked by the Mage earlier by casting a Thunder spell as a wall, thus neutralizing the charge. Then his accompanying Dark Mage tags in right as he finishes his own chant.

"Too slow! Waste!"

Rose frantically dodges the barrage of dark orbs that fly her way. Some she's forced to bat aside with Kirby, but she'll get overwhelmed at this rate.

Right as one orb is about to hit her, a wall of paper rises up and takes the hit instead. The paper whirls around and then scatters to reveal Laurent with his own tome opened and glowing with channeled mana.

"Do be careful, Rose." the young Mage admonishes.

"Sure, rub it in, will you?" my daughter huffs before she sidles up next to Laurent and levitates Kirby over her fingertip. The spell tome's already stashed away. "So, how are we doing this?"

The pages in Laurent's tome flutter. "I propose a temporary alliance. Is your mana resonance still up to speed?"

Rose smirks and gets in a combat stance. "Oh, we're doing _that_. I'm game."

Laurent nods. "Very well. Let us begin."

The ruffian spellcasters open hostilities with a Flux spell and Thunder spell respectively. Laurent responds by raising another wall of paper to cover himself and Rose. The spells detonate and scatter the papers, only to reveal that neither my student nor my daughter are there anymore by the time the dust settles.

The Dark Mage looks around frantically while his partner chants and holds another lighting-elemental spell at the ready. His eyes widen as he looks up and notices a white sphere flying at them at high speeds.

"Move!" he shouts before he dives out of the way.

The white sphere hits the ground hard enough to kick up some dirt. Rose lands at the point of impact moments later, casting a quick earth spell to launch the sphere up. Then she kicks the glowing object at the Mage. Said spellcaster dives to the side, causing the sphere to hit a house wall and bounce off while leaving spider web cracks. Rose is already in the air, ready to cycle kick the sphere at the vulnerable bandit.

"Oh no you don't!" the bandit Dark Mage shouts as he prepares a spell of his own to intercept Rose.

That's when dozens of sheets of paper fly at him, striking like hail and making him lose his concentration. Laurent reappears in another shroud of paper and moves his free arm in a circular motion before he casts an Elwind spell at the staggered Dark Mage.

At the same time, Rose's kick connects with the white sphere and sends it right in the bandit Mage's solar plexus. The light disperses after the impact to reveal that it was Kirby coated in mana.

The Dark Mage growls and forces his way past Rose with a daring point-blank Flux spell, all for the sake of getting close to his partner.

"These brats are getting on my nerves." the ruffian growls. "Never thought we'd have to pull out our ace in the hole for these two."

His partner nods. "Don't see much else we can do. Ready?"

The Dark Mage grins. "You even need to ask?"

The Mage swaps out his lightning tome for a fire one. His partner takes the initiative and chants as a dark purple rune circle glows under their feet.

The Dark Mage's grin grows even wider. "Witness the true terror of when spellcasters combine their might!"

His partner Mage finishes his chant right as the glow of the rune circle intensifies. Flames rise around the edges of the runes circle and gradually turn black.

Rose glances at Laurent. "You got this, right?"

Laurent faces the incoming spell combo with an unflinching glare. "I prepared for this the moment they got in position."

The ruffian Mage snaps his tome shut. "Ready!"

The Dark Mage claps his hands together. The glow of the rune circle flashes red for a moment before the flames separate from their base and float independently like burning black spheres. In response, Laurent begins chanting while the pages of his tome flutter again. Sheets of paper glowing yellow begin to fly around him and Rose. All the while, Rose holds Kirby aloft and frowns as she concentrates her mana into a red rune circle spinning underneath their feet, matching the dark purple one under the bandits.

"That won't help!" the bandit Dark Mage shouts triumphantly as he points his hands at Rose and Laurent. "Hellfire!"

The black fire orbs speed off against the opposing mage pair. Laurent steps in front of Rose and snaps his tome shut before he crosses his arms in front of him and moves the papers around them into a defensive formation in the front.

And that's when the bandit Dark Mage makes a few hand gestures that causes the black flame orbs to fly around the paper shield.

*Boom!*

"Ha! Suckers!" the bandits shout triumphantly.

"That's what you think!" Rose's voice shouts from thin air.

My daughter jumps out from a shimmer in the air, indicating that she was coated in a cloaking spell. More importantly, she holds Laurent's tome in her free hand.

"I've got more where that came from!" the bandit Dark Mage growls and directs more fire orbs against my daughter.

In response, Rose opens Laurent's tome. Hundreds of paper sheets fly from the book (while the page counts strangely stays unaffected) and intercept the flame orbs through sheer numbers. And then Rose chucks the tome through the opening and nails the opposing Dark Mage in the face. The tome barely bounces off his face before more paper sheets fly out from its contents and surround the two bandits.

"Rose! Now!" Laurent shouts.

Both bandits look in shock from the flying paper to the smoke cloud from where their combined spell hit earlier. Laurent's still standing, albeit smoking in a few places, with his hand stretched out. Then the paper that got stuck on the bandit Dark mage earlier floats off his body and joins the myriad of paper already flying around. Every single sheet begins to glow red.

The same shade of red as the rune circle that reappeared under Rose's feet.

"Is it hot, or is it just me?" Rose asks grinning as she raises her hand. "Crown Fire!"

A vortex of flames erupts from each and every paper sheet. Though each one is small, the attack is practically omnidirectional and traps the two bandits in a dome of swirling flames. By the time the spell dies out, both bandit spellcasters have been burnt to a crisp.

 **BGM ends.**

Laurent groans as he goes down on a knee.

"Hey, are you okay?" Rose asks concerned as she checks up on the Mage. "Seriously, what were you thinking, tanking a combined spell like that?"

"I knew I had to take some measure of risk if we were to execute our plan successfully." Laurent replies while wincing in pain. "I would rather take that role over you. Though I admit I did not expect their combined attack to be so potent."

Rose rolls her eyes. "I swear, you can be just as bad as Dad when I'm around. Come on, let's find Brady so we can patch you up."

Laurent nods as he accepts Rose's hand. "That would be for the best, yes." As the two spellcasters get ready to find their resident Priest, Laurent turns to me. "I take it you can handle the battles to come here without me, Master?"

I nod. "Sure. Just make sure you get those wounds looked at. Oh, and make sure to keep a healthy distance from Rose after that. Wouldn't want you two to get any funny ideas together."

Laurent's face lights up like a lamp.

"Dad! We're not like that!" Rose yells indignant.

I wave off my daughter's denial. "You'd be surprised how relationships can develop, Rose. I mean, I used to be absolutely clueless about how much I love your mother, even as you sort-of aunt blatantly told me we interact like mates. After all that, it took a confrontation with Flavia in a locked room before the truth finally sank in."

"Yeah, well not everyone's got a mind that's denser than lead." Rose huffs before she helps Laurent along and leaves.

Kjelle gives me a skeptic look. "Really? That actually happened?"

I scratch the back of my head. "Definitely one of my more embarrassing moments. Still worth the wait in the end, though. I'm married to the love of my life, I have two great children, and a place that I can call home without reservations. Life is good – when I'm not busy beating bandits into the ground for the six millionth time, just because the local ruler can't enforce basic public security and law. Now, are we going to wrap this mess up and be on our way or not?"

"We need to find their leader and put him down first." Kjelle points out. "After that, the underlings should disperse."

"You sound like you've done this before – not that you're wrong by any means." I remark as I begin walking in search for more bandits to smack down.

I mean, if I keep at it, I should have their leader in my sights eventually, right? That's usually how Fire Emblem maps work.

Though I guess the fighting noises coming from somewhere close to the hamlet's outskirts would be a good place to start looking.

And that's where Kjelle and I find Lissa confronting Gecko and three of his underlings; a Barbarian, a Myrmidon and a Dark Mage. Despite the clear disadvantage in numbers, Lissa's putting up a strong front. But there's no mistaking the scuff marks, the sweat and the fact that her breathing seems just a little bit heavier.

"Gads, as if the little girl swinging around that giant hammer like it's a lightning bolt wasn't enough." the bandit leader growls.

To accentuate his point, I notice that one of the Myrmidon's arms are hanging limply. Lissa must've scored a good blow on that arm with Betty.

The War Cleric smirks. "What's the matter? Can't beat one delicate girl, even with all four of you at once?"

A vein on Gecko's forehead throbs. "That's it, I've had it with you! Kill her!"

Lissa braces herself as the Barbarian and Myrmidon charge her. Though her expression grows confident as she notices a shadow growing right in their path.

"I shall save you!" Owain shouts as he lands between his mother and the bandits and lands a clean blow across the chest of the Barbarian thanks to his sneak attack.

"Hey, nice save!" Lissa commends.

Owain turns around and gives Lissa a thumbs-up (complete with gleaming sunshades). "Of course! A real man is always there when he's needed! Leave these villains to me."

As the two ruffians retreat, Gecko gives Owain an incredulous look. "You think you can take on all four of us at once?! I knew you had rocks for brains, but this is just ridiculous! Injuries or not, victory is impossible for you!"

Owain whirls around and points at Gecko. "Don't you tell me what's impossible, you rat! When logic dictates that I will lose, I'll just kick logic to the curb! Doing the impossible is my specialty!"

"Is that so?" Gecko asks smirking. "Then let's put that to the test. He's all yours!"

The Barbarian and Myrmidon charge Owain with their weapons ready. As the Barbarian comes within striking distance, he swings his axe diagonally. Owain ducks under the swing and responds with a lightning fast slash of his own. His follow-up gets interrupted by the Myrmidon trying to bisect him with a horizontal swing. Owain jumps over the sword and lands a kick on the Myrmidon before he springs off and gets some distance from his two adversaries. The two bandits glance at each other and nod before they renew their attack on the young Myrmidon. Owain ducks and weaves between their swings, all while keeping a calm look on his face. The moment the Barbarian overextends his swing and gets in the way of his partner, Owain lashes out and scores a clean hit on his shoulder. The Barbarian's arm hangs limp as he shouts in pain from the precise blow, which likely severed whatever tendons and muscles were necessary to move the arm freely. The Myrmidon growls and swings wildly in an attempt to avenge his fellow ruffian, only for Owain to dodge the swings with greater ease, now that he has one less opponent to focus on.

Duck, parry, sidestep, roll, poke the chest, jump, duck while pivoting in, flip the blade and stab backwards!

*Shink!* "Guah!"

Owain pulls out his Killing Edge and flips it back in a normal grip right as the bandit Myrmidon collapses from the stab through the gut. Then Owain charges the Barbarian and lays it on thick with a barrage of sword slashes.

"Owain, look out!" Lissa shouts alarmed.

Only now does Owain notice the purple rune circle under his feet. He barely has time to swear before an explosion of dark magic erupts with him at ground zero. Owain skids backwards, panting and with purple sparks dancing across his body.

The Dark Mage smirks as he chants for another spell. At the same time, the Barbarian charges in with the intent of splitting Owain's attention (and possibly his whole body). Owain has none of it as he dashes to meet the Barbarian head-on. As the two clash, the rune circle follows Owain's movements. The glow grows steadily brighter.

"He's toast." the Dark Mage declares confidently…

…until he notices another shadow growing around him.

"Don't forget me!" Lissa shouts as she descends with Betty humming with restrained lightning magic.

The Dark Mage curses and jumps back moments before Lissa's hammer hits the ground hard enough that I can feel the impact from where I'm standing. Then the War Cleric surprises everyone as she pulls Betty out of the ground and resumes her attack faster than someone of her build would suggest she would be capable of.

The Dark Mage risks a glance behind Lissa and spots the moment Owain lands a critical blow on the Barbarian and cuts him down for good.

"Screw this!" the Dark Mage shouts as snaps his fingers.

The power in the rune circle under Owain's feet spikes before yet another explosion of dark magic catches him. On the other hand, that maneuver gives Lissa the opening to wind up a massive swing and send the Dark Mage right through an entire house.

"I will not fall here! That treasure is _mine_!" Gecko shouts as he charges Lissa with his Silver Sword ready to slice her head off.

Lissa does her best to stave off the attack, but the difference in speed is too great for the blonde princess to keep up with her attacker. Meanwhile, Owain is down on one knee and is breathing heavily after he tanked the full brunt of two spells that blindsided him. Wait a minute. There's more to it that just the dark magic. Why is he holding his right hand as if that's the source of his pain?

"Come on… Of all the times for my sword hand to act up, it has to be now? Curse it all!" the Myrmidon laments.

Now that I take a closer look, there's a symbol on the back of Owain's right hand. It depicts a sword wreathed in black flames with a pair of demonic wings growing out of the guard.

Wait… Owain's sword hand is a thing?!

Kjelle gets ready to charge in. "This is bad. At this rate, we could lose Lissa!"

I put my arm in front of the Knight. "No, wait. There might be another way. If what I can see from Owain is correct, we're about to witness something spectacular."

Kjelle looks at me incredulous. "You can't be serious! How is she ever going to survive an onslaught like that?!"

I smirk. "Like this." I take a deep breath. "Owain! Grit your teeth!"

Everyone stops and looks at me funny, Owain in particular.

"S-Sensei?"

"Did I ever train you to wuss out the moment things get tough?!" I yell at the bewildered Myrmidon. "There's someone you need to protect, and she's standing right in front of you, fighting for both her own life and yours. Are you going to writhe on the ground because you can't even control your own hand, or will you man up already and take charge?!"

Owain looks between me and Lissa. Then he sucks in a breath and clenches his teeth.

 **BGM:** **Strength of a thousand men, Two steps from Hell**

White wisps of mana radiate from Owain's body as he slowly stands back up.

"What the- You're supposed to be out of this fight!" Gecko yells in disbelief.

"Who the h-ll do you think I am, bozo?" Owain growls as he grabs his Killing Edge. "I am the Scion of Legend, the man who represents the hope of all mankind in their darkest hour. My blade is the blade that will cleave the heavens, the darkness, and clear a path towards a brighter tomorrow!"

Owain launches himself at Gecko with a burst of speed that tears up the ground in the process. The impact of their clash pushes the Assassin all the way out of the village before he finds his footing again and pushes back. A flick of the arm causes the two sword wielders to disengage before they slash at each other in a deadly dance of blades.

Gecko swings his Silver Sword in a reverse grip, targeting any opening at a vital point that he can find. This puts Owain somewhat at the defensive to avoid having anything important cut in half. But between those blocks, the Myrmidon strikes back with strength and ferocity that he didn't show before.

Gecko ducks under such a swing and responds with a kick at Owain's midsection. Owain slides back from the blow, staggered more out of surprise than pain. He only barely manages to stop Gecko's sword from slashing his throat open. Gecko rears back his free arm to accomplish his goal with the blades mounted on the side of the forearm instead. But that alleviates the pressure from his sword arm enough for Owain to slip into his guard and shoulder tackle the Assassin back.

Owain takes a step back and takes a breath before he thrusts at the staggered Assassin with a war cry. Gecko blocks, but after all the blocked strikes from Owain's fierce swordplay, the Myrmidon's thrust shatters the Silver Sword into pieces.

Gecko stumbles back in shock. "Wh-what are you?!"

Owain raises his Killing Edge skywards with both hands. "Radiant…"

The white mana expands to surround the Killing Edge as well. "…Dawn…"

Then it shoots out of the blade and turns into a pillar of light that pierces the clouds above.

Gecko's eyes widen in fear. "N-Nooo! Stop!"

"BREEEAAAKEEEER!"

As Owain swings down his sword, the light around his blade erupts into a massive white beam of power that drowns the world in light and noise. Everyone present shield their eyes from the shockwave caused by Owain's move.

When the dust finally settles, there's no sign of Gecko. There's no forest, no animals, heck, not even any rocks left in that direction. There's just a massive trench left behind from Owain's swing.

"Holy crow…" Lissa mutters in awe.

Owain slides the Killing Edge back into its sheath. "This is the power of Owain Dark; the strength of a thousand men."

*Clink*

 **BGM ends**

* * *

 **Destructive Finish!**

 **Gecko has been obliterated!**

 **Owain has leveled up!**

* * *

That…was far more than I expected from him. Seriously, did future-me really teach the guy how to do that, or did he figure it out on his own?

And right out of the blue, the mana surrounding Owain disperses and the Myrmidon is back on his knees.

"Owain!" Lissa shouts in alarm as she runs up to check up on him.

I think back on the way he fought before I hold back the urge to face palm. Of course Owain would be on the verge of collapse. He just fought his way through several bandits, tanked two dark spells point-blank, and then basically went Super Saiyan on the bandit leader, topped off with a bootleg version of Saber's Excalibur. A normal person would've passed out from exhaustion even before his finishing move. The fact that Owain is still conscious speaks volumes of his stamina.

Kjelle sighs. "As excessive as always. Actually, I think he's even worse than last time I saw him."

I glance at the Knight. "He's done stuff like this before?"

"More times than I care to count." Kjelle reveals in mild exasperation. "We keep telling Owain that fighting like that will tire him out too quickly – and it happens _every time_ – but he just doesn't listen. How the Risen didn't manage to figure out his location after he practically makes himself a beacon that can be seen ten leagues away, I still haven't figured out to this day."

* * *

 **Quest alert**  
 **Side quest: Scion of Legend**  
 _The bandits have been wiped out and peace returns to the hamlet once more. All in a day's work. Who knows? The townspeople might be more than grateful for your heroic deed. Just make sure to check up on that sword wielder before you leave._  
 **Objective:** _Defeat all bandits._  
 **Objective completed!  
** _You gain_ _10 000 EXP! You gain 10 000 gold!_

* * *

 **BGM:** **Theme X (OST version), Xenoblade Chronicles X music**

"Owain, hang in there!" Lissa frets as she checks on just about every single scratch on her son.

Owain grins at his mother. "Heh. It's alright, Mother. I'll live."

"Don't you "It's alright, Mother" me, buster!" Lissa admonishes the Myrmidon as she gets him in a seated position. "What were you thinking, going up against a band of brigands all on your own? I don't care how strong you are; you could've died!"

"H-hey. It's not like I've never been in situations like these before." Owain defends weakly. "I mean, I'm still alive, right? That has to count for something."

Lissa shakes her head. "Gods, you sound just as bad as Jack. Now stay still and let me take care of your wounds. That last battle left more than a mark on you."

As the light of Lissa's healing magic mends Owain's body, the white-haired Myrmidon smiles at his mother gently.

"Heh. I've…kinda missed this. All those times you would fret over me for even the smallest things."

"That's what mothers do, don't they?" Lissa asks with a hint of humor.

"Hey, there you are!" Henry shouts cheerfully as he walks up to the pair. "Man, I got worried when you disappeared into the fray back when we started fighting, Lissa. Drag me along next time, will ya? It's hard to keep an eye on you otherwise."

Lissa blushes. "Sorry. I kind of got caught up in the moment."

"Oh, and you found the funny guy living in the hamlet too." Henry notes. "You're the one who made that huge blast of mana earlier, right? Man, that looked awesome – when I wasn't making sure I'd get blown away from the shockwave or going deaf from the noise."

Owain gives the Sorcerer a wink and a thumbs-up. "Heh. I wouldn't call myself the Scion of Legend if I couldn't perform at that level at minimum. A real man never does things half-hearted."

Henry chuckles. "Nya ha! I like this guy, Lissa. Can we keep him?"

"Of course we're keeping him!" Lissa snaps. Then she shakes her head. "Wait, why are we talking like he's a pet? That's our son, Henry!"

Henry pauses and looks at Owain in a new light. "Huh? Really?" Then a massive grin splits his face. "Sweet! So you're the awesome kid Lucina said me and Lissa will have in future? You're even better than I imagined! Welcome to the family, son!"

Owain blinks surprised. "You- You two are accepting me, just like that?"

"Well, of course." Lissa replies gently. "I don't care if you were technically born from another woman. You're our son, and therefore family. That's what matters in the end."

Owain bites his lip as tears form in his eyes. "I… I never thought…that you'd accept me so readily… I expected that I'd live as a stranger. But this…"

The mark on the Myrmidon's hand begins to glow. Owain blanches.

"Uh-oh…"

Henry looks at the glowing mark curiously. "Hm? That looks unusual."

Owain grabs his right hand with the left as his face turns into a pained grimace. A red shroud of mana surrounds the hand bearing the mark. "Feelings…getting too strong! My sword hand…is thirsting for blood…once more!"

Lissa looks at her son worried. "That looks bad. We'd better find Libra and find out what's wrong."

"Nope." Henry interjects with his usual cheer and swipes his hand down.

The glow subsides within seconds.

Owain looks at his hand in wonder. "Huh? Father, did you just…suppress my sword hand?"

Henry shrugs. "The thing's basically some sort of massive, corrupted container of mana, right? I'm an old hand at the dark arts, so I could tell there's something sinister hiding in there. That, or the thing's just a bit messed up."

Lissa sighs in relief. "Phew. Well, at least we know how to stop it if things get out of hand. Though we should get that looked at, just in case." Just as her progress at healing Owain reaches his right side, the War Cleric notices his arm – or rather, what's on it. "Holy crow! Your arm!"

"This? Hah! 'Tis but a flesh wound, Mother!" Owain reassures Lissa.

The blonde princess shakes her head. "No, I mean, HOLY CROW, LOOK AT THAT THING ON YOUR ARM!"

Owain blinks before he realizes what she's referring to – the Brand of the Exalt on his right arm, out in the open for all to see.

The Myrmidon nods in understanding. "Oh yeah. Sorry. Guess I should've shown you that before." Owain angles his body to give Lissa a better view. "It's my Brand – the one carried by all of House Ylisse. So no more need to worry, eh?"

Lissa bites her lip. "Th-then you know? That I don't…"

"That your Brand never surfaced? Yes, you told me as much." Owain confirms before he sighs. "You said it always weighed on you. You should have seen how happy you were the day mine appeared! You were sobbing and laughing for an hour without pause!"

Lissa pouts. "I was kind of hoping to grow out of the crying thing…"

Owain winks. "Yes, well, no more worrying. It was by chance alone that your Brand never surfaced. We're all family, linked by blood. You are no illegitimate child, but one of House Ylisse's own in every way. My Brand proves our lineage."

Without warning, Lissa throws her arms around Owain and hugs him while burying her face on his chest. The sporadic shuddering shows how hard she's crying.

"Thank you… *Sniff* Just…thank you, Owain. For being born. For being my son. We've barely met, and you've already done so much for me. I don't even- Thank you… I'm just so happy." Lissa manages to force out between sobs as she rubs her crying face against Owain.

As Owain places a gentle hand on his mother's head, he bites his lip as the tears flow from his own eyes. "I- I promised to myself…that I wouldn't cry… A real man…doesn't…cry…" Then he throws all of that macho stuff out the window and embraces Lissa with the tears practically flying off his face. "BWAAAH! Mother! I've missed you so much! I- I love you! I can't even say how much I love you!"

"I love you too, Owain." Lissa sobs. "I love you so much. It's- *sniff* It's all right. Cry as much as you want. Mother's here for you. My baby boy… My little…*sniff*…Owain…"

Henry looks between his crying fiancé and crying son with a lost expression. "Man, where's a handkerchief when you need it? And why am I the only one not crying? I feel left out."

"Just- Just get over here, Henry." Lissa tells the Sorcerer with a shuddering voice and pulls him into the hug.

Owain looks at his parents through his tears. "My family… I've missed you all so much. This time, I _will_ protect you all. I swear it."

 **To be continued (BGM ends)**

* * *

 **Owain's character sheet**

 **Owain Lvl 36 Class: Myrmidon  
** _Lissa's son from the future. This young man has an imagination so active, it's often debatable whether he has a proper grasp on reality or not. Most notably, he often complains that his own right hand is cursed with a power beyond his control. Questionable world view aside, his sheer enthusiasm and lack of fear can inspire even the most despairing ally to keep fighting and achieve victory against all odds. Under Jack's tutelage, he developed a skillset and personality traits similar to the (arguably moronic) daredevil Gunman rider, Kamina. Instigator of the manliest bromances.  
Born on July 15_ _th_ _._

 **Titles: Scion of Legend (+ 10 % CHAR, -5 % INT)**

 **HP: 5 700 / 5 700  
MP: 2 200 / 2 200**

 **STR: 35  
VIT: 42  
DEX: 55  
INT: 15.2 (16 * 0.95)  
WIS: 30  
CHAR: 60.5 (55 * 1.1)  
LUCK: 73**

 **ITEMS:  
Killing Edge (Equipped)  
Concoction**

 **Skills:**

 **Sword mastery, Lvl 51 [88.0 %], Passive  
** _The sword is quite possibly the most well-known weapon in history, often being depicted as the weapon of choice by hero and villain alike or even as a symbol of power. While swords generally deal less damage than other weapons, they make up for it by being easier to wield. Increases attack speed and attack power by 255 % when attacking with a sword or dagger of any kind._

 **Hand of the Sword Demon** , **Lvl 50 [63.0 %], Active, Cost: 135 MP per minute**  
 _It's official; there's some kind of power slumbering inside your hand. This power can let you swing your blade with strength and ferocity befitting the legendary Sword Demon himself. But be warned; to control this power at will, one needs a heart that matches it in strength, and yours unfortunately falls short. The mark may empower you, but at the cost of clouding your mind in a haze of bloodlust that can hinder you from discerning friend from foe. Or it could just leave you hanging at the worst possible moment because you simply lack the fortitude to handle its power, period. You'd better crack down on your training if you want to bend this power to your will, or else the opposite will happen.  
_ _Increases attack power and attack speed by 75 % when activated.  
User may suffer from Berserk while this skill is active. This skill randomly deactivates prematurely. Probability of either happening decreases as the level of this skill increases.  
This skill has a cooldown of 3 minutes._

 **Grit you teeth!, Lvl 45 [10 %], Active, Cost: 80 MP  
** _Not everyone's as determined as you are. There's a chance your allies may lose heart in the face of a powerful enemy. If that happens, it's up to you to remind them what they're fighting for, what they're capable of deep down, and to believe in the they that you believe in. Punch to the face is optional, but tends to have a better effect.  
Increases all stats of an ally by 28 % for 1 minute. Ally's HP must be below 50 % of its maximum value before this skill can be activated._

 **Who the h-ll do you think I am?!, Lvl 40 [63.0 %], Active, Cost: 160 MP per minute  
** _Bad guys often tend to gloat whenever the good guys are in trouble. What said bad guys don't realize is that the greater the odds against the hero, the stronger they become. In your case, this is pretty much a universal law. When your enemy starts to talk down on you because you're in a rough spot, that's the moment to prove that they messed with the wrong guy. Unleash the full power of your manly spirit and put that SoB in his place!  
Increases all stats by 90 % while active. HP must be below 50 % of its maximum value before this skill can be activated. When deactivated, user suffers from Exhaustion._

 **Chow power, Lvl MAX, Passive  
** _Fighting on an empty stomach is a bad idea at best and suicidal at worst. If you want your attacks to have a proper amount of oomph behind them, you need some food in your belly first. It doesn't have to be a grand feast. Even the smallest morsel will make a world of difference. It's kind of the thought that counts, really.  
All stats increase by 10 % after consuming something edible. This boost lasts for 3 minutes. If the user suffers from Exhaustion when this happens, the status ailment is dispelled._

 **Super Finisher, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: Varies  
** _Nothing screams overkill like obliterating your enemies in the most over-the-top, spectacular manner possible – which is exactly why this is right up your alley. Crank up your power level beyond the 9 000 mark and shout the name of your attack in typical Shonen Jump fashion before you annihilate whatever stands in your way with a massive attack that, by all accounts, your enemy should see from a mile away, yet still often find themselves unable to react accordingly to. Just make sure that you actually finish your enemy off with that attack. Failing to do so will just embarrass you. Also bear in mind that these attacks drain your strength something fierce, which means you have to execute them wisely. They're called finishers for a reason.  
The cost, base power and elemental properties vary with each Super Finisher.  
Available Super Finishers:  
Sacred Stones  
Shadow Dragon + Sword of Light  
Abysmal Body Blow  
Eldritch Smackdown  
Unquenchable Blood Flames  
Radiant Dawn Breaker_

* * *

 **Preview of the next chapter:**

*Camera shows a massive valley among the mountains*

 **Cherche:** It's so good to be here again. This is where Minerva grew up.

 **Minerva:** *Screech!*

 **Cherche:** Yes, I'm happy too. Now, how about we go find-

 **Villager:** Help! We're being attacked by bandits!

 **Shepherds:** Great… Here we go again.

 **Villager:** You there! Please, help us! I beg of you!

 **Gerome:** It is not my place to interfere with the machinations of death. All creatures die eventually. That is a fate no one can escape. I'm outta here.

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

 **Edgelord Mk 2! I said; The exit's the other way!**

 **Future-Minerva:** *Screech!*

 **Gerome:** Shut up, Minerva! My sense of direction does _not_ suck! And what do you mean "I just turned around"?!"

* * *

 **Omake: JOE Vol 2: Just my Type**

Jack looked down at his reflection in a nearby pond with an expression of clear displeasure.

Sparrow snickered within his mind. " _ **You know, this is oddly fitting, all things considered.**_ "

A tic mark pulsed on the Outrealmer's forehead. " _Zip it. I look ridiculous, no matter how you slice it._ "

The Riolu standing beside him scratched his head with a lost look. "You know… Glaring at your own reflection won't do you any good. I mean, what's the problem?"

"My _problem_ …" Jack stressed slowly. "…is that this is the most humiliating moment I can remember in my life. The fact that everything in sight doesn't laugh at me may be the one saving grace."

" _ **Don't be like that, Jack. Deny it all you want, this form matches your abilities. Somewhat…**_ "

" _That's if you stretch it by a wide margin, Sparrow. I mean, sure, it made sense that I would change into another form, considering where we are. I just expected to turn into something more…majestic. Not some bottom tier creature that can hardly fly without lots of effort._ "

Riolu gave Jack a dry look. "I fail to see how one would feel humiliated by the way they were born. Embracing yourself helps a lot in these situations. Trust me."

Jack growled, but kept the comment to himself.

" _ **Look, it's not like you can change anything until we're done in this realm, so you might as well go with it until then. I mean, how bad can it be?**_ " Sparrow asked.

" _Bad enough that I know exactly what awaits us near the endgame. Some of the stuff that's bound to happen is right up there with Lucina's doomed future. And what am I given to combat the incoming threat?_ _This_ _form!_ "

The Outrealmer spread his wings (yes; wings) and glared into the sky.

"I swear to Arceus; When I get my hands- Er, talons on you, Old man Hubba, I'll rip you a new one! Why in the world did you turn me into a _Spearow_?!"

* * *

Riolu took a wary step backwards as Skuntank and Koffing lined themselves up.

"W-watch out, Jack! They're going to try something!"

Skuntank snickered. "Chaw-haw-haw! Let's see if you can withstand _this attack_. Koffing and I will use our…noxious gas combo!"

Jack's eyes widened in recognition. He placed himself in front of his partner in the blink of an eye.

"Let's see if this works… Mirror Move!"

Right as Skuntank and Koffing unleashed their gassy payload, a translucent square formed in front of the Outrealmer-turned-Pokémon. The noxious cloud made contact with the Mirror Move for only a moment before it bounced back and covered Team Skull in their own attack. The three Poison types passed out within seconds, each with a face twisted in pure disgust and agony.

Jack grinned. " _I take it all back, Sparrow. Being a Spearow rocks!_ "

Riolu looked at his partner in awe. "First of all, that was amazing. I didn't even think that they would pull something so nasty. And second; Now I understand that crazy grin on your face the moment you learned that new move. And now that I know what it does, I kind of scares me."

"Hey, it's all good." Jack assured the Fighting type cheerfully. "We're partners. You wouldn't mind if your closest ally had a great trick up his feather shroud, right?"

Riolu scratched his head with a skeptical look. "I guess… Though now that the last obstacle between us and those Perfect Apples is out of the way, we'd better get one of them back to the guild. I bet the guild master is getting impatient."

Jack nodded nervously. "Good point. In fact, I think we should take as many Perfect Apples as we can carry back to the guild."

"Why?"

Jack pointed his wing at the Perfect Appletree. "Because some of the gas that I sent back at those clowns hit the tree. You can see what part was affected."

Riolu followed the direction of the wing – and blanched as he saw that part of the trunk had started rotting from the mere exposure of the gas.

"What the- Those two tried to hit us with something like _that_?!"

Jack nodded. "Chances are that tree will need a while to recover – if it can survive at all. Best be on the safe side and help our guild master build up a small stash of Perfect Apples in case we need to find a new place to pick them."

As Jack flew up to pluck the apples, Riolu glanced at the knocked-out Team Skull. "What do we do about them?"

"Heck if I care." Jack replied uncaringly as he plucked the first apple and passed it down for Riolu to store in Jack's bag (which he thankfully got to bring with him into the world of Pokémon). "We might as well leave those troublemakers in the woods and tell the others what happened."

* * *

Dusknoir raised himself to his full height. Despite the numerous blows he had taken during the battle, the traitorous Ghost type showed that he was still going strong.

"Humph. You've done admirably well for those as pitiful as you. But it's all over now."

The mouth on Dusknoir's belly opened up. "This is…the end!"

Grovyle's eye widened in alarm. "Watch out! He's going to do something!"

Jack braced himself while wracking his brain for any reference information. " _If I remember correctly, that's Dusknoir's trump card. Which means…I should be able to use it against him…_ "

The ground started shaking as Dusknoir started gathering orbs of Ghost-type energy into the mouth on his stomach. The dark blobs clustered and grew into a single pitch-black sphere crackling with power.

Jack smirked. "Hey, Dusknoir! It just occurred to me that you're a Ghost type! You know what that means? You're empty! Just like your threats, and just like your powers!"

Riolu looked at his partner in horror. "Are you out of your mind?! We're about to be blasted by whatever Dusknoir's preparing, and you're just going to goad him on?!"

A tic mark pulsed on Dusknoir's head. "In the end, the only thing you can resort to is meaningless blabbering! But if you want to challenge my power that badly, then I shall oblige! TAKE THIS! SHADOW BALL!"

"Mirror Move~!" Jack chirped with a sing-song voice.

The massive orb of Ghost-type energy slammed into the translucent square with enough force to crack the ground between both Pokémon. Despite pushing back the Mirror Move a bit, the Shadow Ball eventually stopped moving forward.

It was at that moment that Dusknoir knew; he f-cked up.

"I…forgot he can do that…"

The Mirror Move reflected the Shadow Ball right back at the Gripper Pokémon. The resulting explosion rocked the Old Ruins to their foundation. By the time the dust had settled, there was no trace left of Dusknoir.

Riolu looked around. "Huh? What happened to Dusknoir?"

Grovyle glanced at the dimensional hole that Dusknoir was in front of just moments ago. "Looks like the impact of having his own attack sent back at him flung him right back to the future."

The surrounding Sableye flinched upon hearing Grovyle's assessment and ran for the hills moments later.

"Yeah, you bozos better run!" Jack shouted after the retreating Ghost/Dark types. "That's what happens when you mess with the strongest members of Wigglytuff's explorer's guild! Huzzah!"

Grovyle gave Jack a dry look. "Now I understand why you kept asking the Kecleon brothers for a Taunt TM. That combination is almost as evil as Dusknoir himself."

Riolu face-pawed. "I should've known you would pull something like this, Jack. How did I _not_ see that coming?"

Jack grinned. "Because I'm a genius! Muahahahahahaha!"

* * *

Dialga reared back its head and unleashed a massive roar. "I WILL SHOW NO MERCY!"

Riolu glanced at Jack. "Mirror Move?"

Jack nodded. "Mirror Move."

Draconic energy gathered in Dialga's maw as it prepared its attack. "BEGONE FROM THIS PLACE, INTRUDERS! ROAR OF TI-GRAAAHH!"

The omnidirectional roar that struck through time itself was redirected right back at the temporal dragon. The resulting cacophony of noise and destruction almost blew the two explorers off the Temporal Spire.

As the dust settled, Dialga was on the ground, knocked out by its own power.

"You know, this was almost too easy." Jack mused while he passed by Dialga.

"You wanted a challenging fight against Dialga? After everything else we had to get through in order to come this far up?" Riolu asked exasperated. "I don't know whether to admire your passion for battle or just write you off as a mad bird."

"It's a little bit of both, actually." Jack admitted. Then he looked over the indentations where the Time Gears were meant to fit. "Could you give me a paw, Riolu? I'm not sure if I can lift the Time Gears all the way up to slot them into place."

Riolu shook his head while rummaging for the Time Gears. "One moment you ask for an even harder fight against Dialga corrupted by darkness, and the next you're not even sure if you can lift a few artefacts."

"Hey, do you have any idea how hard I have to flap these tiny wings in order to even fly on my own?! Carrying any sort of load could strain my wings! There's a reason why I felt displeased with being turned into a Spearow!"

* * *

As Riolu and Jack left the Temporal Tower, orbs of light began to float out of Jack's fading body.

Riolu looked at his partner alarmed. "J-Jack?! What's going on?!"

Jack looked down at his body before a spark of realization lit in his eyes. "Ah, I think I get it. Guess my time here is up."

"Your time? Wait, does this have something to do with us changing history?" Riolu asked worried.

Jack shook his head. "Riolu… I have a confession to make. It's not just that I'm from this timeline; I'm originally from another world entirely."

Riolu looked at his partner in disbelief, unable to utter a single word.

Jack averted his gaze with a sad expression. "I'm sorry I kept it from you all the way until the end. Truth be told, I was only meant to stay here for a while. The one who sent me here knew of the incoming disaster in the form of the planet's paralysis. So he sent me here to help you put a stop to this."

"Wait… Me?" Riolu asked shocked.

Jack nodded. "This wasn't really my mission to begin with. It was yours. I was meant to be there to show you the way. And maybe help you out when you found yourself in a pickle (which, admittedly, happened quite often). But other than that, our adventures, our triumphs, our setbacks, our ups and downs? They were all on you. And you grew with each experience. Look at yourself now, Riolu. You've become a fine explorer. You don't need me to hold your paw anymore."

"How can you say that?!" Riolu yelled with tears streaming down his face. "I couldn't have done any of that without you! I still can't!"

Jack placed a wing on Riolu's shoulder. "That's because you haven't tried it yet, silly. You're a lot more capable than you think. Now it's time for you to see it for yourself. From this day forward, you're the leader of Team Sky Fighters."

"But- But what about you?"

Jack looked off into the distance with a longing gaze. "The time I spent with you as an explorer was just a temporary thing. And now that this journey is over, it's time for me to move on. As much as I'll miss you and everyone else (except for Chatot – that birdbrain is insufferable), there's someone very dear to me waiting at home."

The orbs of light grew in number as Jack's body progressively became more transparent.

"This is it, Riolu. For what it's worth, I had fun walking this journey with you. Stay strong, buddy. And know you're never alone, even when I'm no longer there." Jack assured his partner.

The Outrealmer-turned-Spearow vanished without a trace as the last orbs of light left his body. As those lights dispersed, his voice echoed for one last time.

" _Eh, what am I worrying about? You'll do_ _fine_ _._ "

Riolu looked up where his partner vanished. The Emanation Pokémon wiped the tears flowing down his face before he proceeded to the Rainbow ship, determined to return back to the guild and tell everyone of the passing of the greatest friend he had ever known.

* * *

Jack blinked as the light slowly faded into a more manageable level.

"Well, now. That was certainly an adventure." the Outrealmer mused while looking over the sunset. Then he tilted his head sideways. "It's curious, though. It might be because I spent such a long time being short, but I'm certain that the waves on a calm beach shouldn't reach this high up on me."

Jack looked down – and found that he still had the body of a Spearow.

"…"

The human-turned-avian spread out his wings.

"OH, COME ON!" he squawked. "I already beat the main story! I have to do the post-game too?!"

* * *

Jack, Riolu and Cresselia looked around them, as they were surrounded by Darkrai and his minions.

"I will seize control of the darkened world as its king." the Pitch-black Pokémon declared. "But first, I shall be rid of you meddlers for good."

One of Jack's eyebrows twitched. "That's…it. I've listened to you ramble on, and on, and _on_ about plunging this world into a state that no one would enjoy, all for the sake of ruling as king. I've had it with you, your stupid ambitions, and everything you stand for, you sick excuse of a Pokémon!"

Jack's entire body shone with a blinding light, causing everyone present to shield their eyes to the best of their ability.

"What?! What's happening?!" Darkrai shouted alarmed.

"This power…" Cresselia muttered in awe. "Did he possess this much power all along?"

As the light died down, an entirely different creature had taken the Spearow's place. Jack was once again a human.

The Outrealmer opened his eyes and flexed a hand experimentally. "I've forgotten how convenient it feels having hands…"

Then he glared Darkrai right in the eyes. "As for you, I'm about to end your little pet project right this instant!"

Jack held out his hand and started focusing his wind magic over his palm. A pure-white bladed sphere took shape, followed by a high-pitched screech caused by its extremely fast rotation and immense power held within the core.

"Darkrai! Your reign of darkness shall end before it even began! Rasenshuriken!"

The sphere of concentrated wind magic hit its mark right on and carried Darkrai all the way into a nearby spire, which was then ground to dust as the scheming Dark-type suffered the full brunt of the Rasenshuriken's wrath.

Of course, since this is the world of Pokémon, its inhabitants don't get shredded to pieces or anything of the sort. They just suffer unholy amounts of pain and damage to the point that they pass out. This is meant for children, people! Keep it family friendly!

Darkrai collapsed in the middle of the crater caused by Jack's attack. His minions fled moments later, knowing that they stood no chance against this new threat.

"There! Am I done _now_?!" Jack yelled to the sky exasperated.

Riolu rubbed his chin before he dropped his fist into his open paw. "Oh, now I get why he kept complaining that he couldn't learn Air Slash!"

* * *

 **Sorry, no Jack's encyclopedic corner this time. I simply couldn't think of any good objects to put into this issue.**

 **More importantly, I have finally revealed the build for Owain. That's right! I based his build on none other than the man, the myth, the legend: Kamina.**

 **This is the main reason why I waited so long before Owain's screen debut. His build is mainly based on sheer weaponized hype that more or less defies logic for the sake of awesomeness and entertainment. Had I included him at an earlier stage, he would've run the risk of overshadowing the other members of Lucina's generation and deny them their time in the spotlight. That, and reading all your speculations of how I would put my own little twist on the Scion of Legend was kind of amusing. Don't worry, though. I'll make sure Gerome gets his fair share of attention as well. Far be it from me to deny him that after everything his fellow 2** **nd** **-gen Shepherds have already had the opportunity to demonstrate.**

 **If any of you think Owain got a bit more attention for his screen debut than the other future children so far, you raise a fair point.**

 **Truth be told, Owain served as my original source of inspiration to write this fic in the first place. In the first version of Gamer Emblem Awakening that I drafted in my head, Jack married Lissa, which would make him Owain's father. Owain's sword hand being more than just make-believe was there from the start, and Jack would offer to train Owain so the Myrmidon could eventually tame it. The reason? Because Jack wanted to be a supportive father for the guy.**

 **The second version had Jack strictly adopt the role of a mentor in Owain's life for similar reasons. In this version, Owain would marry Rose, simply because Jack's so paranoid that the only man he could entrust his daughter to was his only student. Of course, Rose's build and character was radically different compared to her current one, so their relationship dynamic would be significantly different as well.**

 **It was only later that I decided that Jack would mentor all the children in the future, and that this would carry over when they traveled back in time. It was also at this stage that I decided to base their own builds on those of other characters. As for Owain, I had to juggle a few options. I originally opted to swap his and Cynthia's builds, but later went for the current setup, because I felt I had more relevant material to work with.**

 **It took a lot of planning, and I dare say I'm happy with this setup, if for no other reason than that any Kamina-inspired character has the potential to be hype and hilarious at the same time, which fits Owain to a tee.**

 **That will be all. Until next time.**

 **VipeR out.**


End file.
